common searobin
Prionotus ruscarius
Bottom gurnard of the eastern Pacific, from Baja California to Chile, reaching 39.6 cm and weighing up to 680 g.
Also called: cabrinha-comum, rubio gallineta, common searobin
- maximum
- 40 cm
- record/max.
- 0.7 kg
who is the common searobin
The family Triglidae brings together the gurnards, bottom fish with heads armored with bony plates. This species reaches 39.6 cm and weighs up to 680 g, and its common length is 30 cm. It occurs in the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California and Magdalena Bay, in Baja California, to Chile, including Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It lives near the bottom. It is of no interest to sport fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the common searobin; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Large, bony head with plates, and broad pectoral fins, fan-shaped, with the first rays free, which the gurnard uses to walk along the bottom. It has two dorsal fins. To tell it apart from the whitesnout gurnard and the bare-belly gurnard, which are smaller (reaching 20.5 and 15 cm), look at the size: this one reaches 39.6 cm.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Occurs in the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California and Magdalena Bay, in Baja California, to Chile, including Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. There are no records on the Brazilian coast.
Habitat: Near the seafloor in the eastern Pacific.
rules for the common searobin
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
No danger to anglers. Release it with minimal handling.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01096, b = 2.93; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Prionotus ruscarius (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Prionotus ruscariusNames by country and language.
