Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Nematistius pectoralis Gill, 1862

papagallo, Roosterfish

Size> Lengths of at least 122 cm, and 45 kg; most are less than 90 cm.

Habitat in Galapagos: A rare pelagic species; occasionally found in shallow waters near reefs and particularly along sandy beaches. Young fish may occur in tide pools.

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Chordata

Class
Teleostei

Order
Carangiformes

Family
Nematistiidae

Genus
Nematistius

Species
pectoralis

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Native

Distribution

Distribution: Eastern Pacific, from San Clemente, California, to Peru, and Galapagos.

References

  • Grove, J.S. Lavenberg, R.J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. 862 pp.
  • Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
  • McCosker, J.E. Rosenblatt, R.H. (2010) The fishes of the Galápagos Archipelago: an update. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sc., Ser. 4, vol. 61, Suppl. II, no. 11: 167-195.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Nematistius pectoralis", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=13501. Accessed 20 July 2025.