What
is a Sheephead?
What
is a CA Sheephead?
The
juvenile phase (JP) is from hatching to 3-6’’
inches. They are a bright orange fish with a straight, white mid-body
line. There are also black dots on their rear dorsal fin, anal fin,
and upper base of the tail. Once they reach a certain length they
begin to change in appearance by the distinguishing juvenile characteristics
fading and the intermediate phase (IP) characteristics
showing up. The IP Sheephead has a pinkish to brownish color, depending
on the habitat. She will also have a white chin, but it is not as
noticeable as the males white chin. The IP will have a length between
6-12’’. Of course, these two phases are both females. The terminal
phase (TP) is when a female changes one final time into the male Sheephead.
(Only a very few will have the chance to do this.) The male is very
distinguishable by his head and posterior half being gray to black in color
and the middle being pink to reddish in color. The eye is an eye
piercing red in color. Like the female, it too has the white chin,
but also striking are the canine-looking teeth that protrude out of its
mouth. They will grow form 1ft. to 3 feet in size and weigh up to
36 pounds. The male has been known to live as long as 50 years.
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