A tale of two species: Vermilion and sunset rockfish in the Southern California Bight

The vermilion rockfish complex consists of two distinct species, (Sebastes miniatus) and sunset (S. crocotulus) with clear haplotypic differences. Due to a one-way mitochondrial introgression from into high proportion (20–30%) fish haplotype are characterized as based on nuclear genotype (introgressed sunset, hereafter, introgressed). Here we examined differences in the distribution biological attributes (including introgressed individuals) collected during fisheries independent groundfish survey conducted hook line gear Southern California Bight 2014. We saw significant spatial (latitude, depth, distance nearest port mainland) characteristics (average size, size frequency distribution, weight-length size-depth relationships) between both but no fish. Our analyses established that rockfishes shared similar geographic characteristics, features examined. Consequently, explored relationship catch per site, relative combined presence vermilion, rockfishes, suite co-located environmental variables using binomial generalized additive models (GAMS). best model explained 95.0% deviance, indicating occurrence introgressed, depended latitude, longitude, dissolved oxygen, temperature port.