Xantic Sargo
Anisotremus davidsonii
Xantic sargo are mirror-like silvery fish found near the shores of California and Mexico. The thick dark bar on the adult bodies helps to tell them apart from other fish. They are very popular with spear fisherman because they swim close to the bottom of shallow waters in search of food. Although they are found in schools, they can be very fast and turn quickly because of their compressed oval shape and forked tail.
SPECIES IN DETAIL
Xantic Sargo
Anisotremus davidsonii
CONSERVATION STATUS: Least concern
CLIMATE CHANGE: Uncertain
Geographic Distribution
Sargo are found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Magdalena Bay in Baja California, and Mexico to Santa Cruz, California. You can find them along the shoreline and in bays. Sargo like shallow water and are mostly found in water from the surface to a depth of 12 meters (40 feet). They usually live in areas with rock or a combination rock and sand bottoms and often near kelp forests or underwater structures like piling (supports posts for piers, etc.).
Habitat
Xantic sargo live near the coast in shallow waters near kelp beds, mostly in rocky reefs but occasionally bays. Sargo can occur from the surface to depths of 60 meters (198 feet) but are most common in water up to 12 meters (40 feet) deep.
Physical Characteristics
The body of the adult sargo is a compressed oval. The coloring is metallic silvery with a distinguishing dark vertical bar running across the body. Occasionally, sargo are entirely bright yellow, orange, or pure white. Young sargo, up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) long, have two to three dark horizontal stripes. The vertical bar begins to appear when they are 5—7 centimeters (2—3 inches) long. Sargo have a forked tail; the tail and body shape help them turn quickly and get quick bursts of speed.
Size
They usually grow to 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) but can grow up to 60 centimeters (23.6 inches) in length.
Diet
Sargo are bottom feeders that eat different small shrimps, crabs, clams, and sea snails.
Reproduction
Sargo begin spawning (mating) when they are around two years old. Spawning occurs in late spring to early summer. Sargo have a distinct pairing off when spawning and ocean currents scatter fertilized eggs. The eggs are pelagic; they drift near the surface.
Behavior
Sargo form groups called schools. When they are very young, they will loosely school with other fish such as young salema and black croaker, but when they are around one year they join the adult sargo schools.
Adaptation
Sargos tolerate water that has a somewhat higher salinity than sea water which explains their survival success after their introduction into the Salton Sea in 1951.
Longevity
The maximum reported age for the xantic sargo is fifteen years.
Conservation
No known conservation measures are in place for this species, however, the species’ distribution overlaps into a number of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Eastern Pacific region.
Special Notes
They make a piglike grunting sound when pulled from the water earning them the nickname “grunt”.
They were introduced to the Salton Sea as a gamefish.
SPECIES IN DETAIL | Print full entry
Xantic Sargo
Anisotremus davidsonii
CONSERVATION STATUS: Least concern
CLIMATE CHANGE: Uncertain
Sargo are found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Magdalena Bay in Baja California, and Mexico to Santa Cruz, California. You can find them along the shoreline and in bays. Sargo like shallow water and are mostly found in water from the surface to a depth of 12 meters (40 feet). They usually live in areas with rock or a combination rock and sand bottoms and often near kelp forests or underwater structures like piling (supports posts for piers, etc.).
Xantic sargo live near the coast in shallow waters near kelp beds, mostly in rocky reefs but occasionally bays. Sargo can occur from the surface to depths of 60 meters (198 feet) but are most common in water up to 12 meters (40 feet) deep.
The body of the adult sargo is a compressed oval. The coloring is metallic silvery with a distinguishing dark vertical bar running across the body. Occasionally, sargo are entirely bright yellow, orange, or pure white. Young sargo, up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) long, have two to three dark horizontal stripes. The vertical bar begins to appear when they are 5—7 centimeters (2—3 inches) long. Sargo have a forked tail; the tail and body shape help them turn quickly and get quick bursts of speed.
They usually grow to 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) but can grow up to 60 centimeters (23.6 inches) in length.
Sargo are bottom feeders that eat different small shrimps, crabs, clams, and sea snails.
Sargo begin spawning (mating) when they are around two years old. Spawning occurs in late spring to early summer. Sargo have a distinct pairing off when spawning and ocean currents scatter fertilized eggs. The eggs are pelagic; they drift near the surface.
Sargo form groups called schools. When they are very young, they will loosely school with other fish such as young salema and black croaker, but when they are around one year they join the adult sargo schools.
Sargos tolerate water that has a somewhat higher salinity than sea water which explains their survival success after their introduction into the Salton Sea in 1951.
The maximum reported age for the xantic sargo is fifteen years.
No known conservation measures are in place for this species, however, the species’ distribution overlaps into a number of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Eastern Pacific region.
They make a piglike grunting sound when pulled from the water earning them the nickname “grunt”.
They were introduced to the Salton Sea as a gamefish.