Rosethorn Rockfish

Sebastes helvomaculatus is a comparatively small and slender rockfish which has large eyes relative to the size of its head. The depth of the body is just less than a third of its standard length. The dorsal fin has 13 spines and 12-14 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines, the second spine being very long, and 6-7 soft rays. The head has robust spines, somne very robust, the nasal, preocular, supraocular, postocular, tympanic and parietal spines are present, the nuchals are typically not present and the coronal spine is always absent. The caudal fin is slightly forked. This species varies in colour from crimson, orange, yellow or yellowish-green patterned as a series of vague stripes. The anal and dorsal fins typically have pink or green stripes and there is green and white striping on the top of the head. There are 4 to 5 white blotches which may be edged or tinted with pale. This species attains a maximum total length of 41 cm (16 in).

Sebastes helvomaculatus is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Kodiak Island in Alaska South to Guadalupe Island in Baja California, although it is rare south of San Francisco, California. It is a demersal fish with a depth range of 25 to 549 m (82 to 1,801 ft).