The Halfmoon

Medialuna californiensis

What They Look Like:

• Size: 19 in. mature at 7 1/2 in.
• Color: slate blue back, silver belly
• Unique features: perch shaped, halfmoon shaped tail fin

Where They Live:

• Range: Vancouver Island to the Gulf of Mexico
• Habitat: rocky reefs, kelp beds, oil platforms, drifting kelp mats

How They Act:

• Diet: sponges, small invertebrates, club anemones
• Reproduction: spawn in July-October

Fun Facts:

• Can destroy kelp farms by destroying their kelp.
• Fished commercially, up to 25 tons per year.

  Hendry's Beach Home Page

  Creatures of the Kelp Forest

  Kelp Forest Map

   

   

  The County Connections Project

  Questions or Comments
  contact Mark Thompson at

  hmarkt@aol.com

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  Vieja Valley School
  Santa Barbara, CA 93110