Painted greenling
(Oxylebius pictus)

Classification

Species: Oxylebius pictus

General data

Scientific names: Painted greenling
Habitat: Saltwater
Climates: Subtropical, Temperate, Subpolar
Native to coast of: North America
Distribution: Gulf of Alaska, Pacific Ocean

The painted greenling (Oxylebius pictus) is a marine fish native to the northeast Pacific Ocean. Its range is from Kodiak Island, Alaska to central Baja California.

It can reach a total size of 25 cm (10 in) and has seven vertical dark bands.

It inhabits rocky areas shallower than 50 m (160 ft). Specimens (mainly juveniles) sometimes gain protection from larger predators by living among the tentacles of Cribrinopsis albopunctata or Urticina piscivora sea anemones, which are venomous to other animals but do not harm the painted greenling.

The painted greenling feeds on crustaceans, polychaetes, small molluscs and bryozoans.[1]