Morskie Okuni

Morskie Okuni 

the Russian common name for fishes of the genus Sebastes and closely related species of the family Scorpaenidae. The genus Sebastes comprises approximately 90 species: four are found in the North Atlantic, and the rest dwell in temperate waters of the northern Pacific. Littoral species are found primarily among thickets of algae; they have dark coloration, often with stripes and spots, and small eyes. Deep-sea species usually are bright red and have enormous eyes.

These fishes are viviparous and extremely fecund: large females bear as many as 2 million young, each measuring 4–6 mm long. Small species are up to 20 cm long, and large ones up to 1 m. The flesh is very tasty. Commercially valuable Atlantic species include the rosefish, or ocean perch (Sebastes marinus), and the deepwater redfish (S. mentella) valuable Pacific species include the Pacific Ocean perch (S. alutus). The name morskie okuni is also used to designate the family Serranidae.

REFERENCES

Zhizn’ zhivotnykh, vol. 4, part 1. Moscow, 1971.
Nikol’skii, G. V. Chastnaia ikhtiologiia, 3rd ed. Moscow, 1971.