Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Rypticus bicolor
jabonero de Cortés, jabonero moteado, Cortez soapfish, mottled soapfish
Size: Maximum length of 193 mm. Somewhat flattened body with distinctly rounded ends on dorsal, anal and tail fins. Mottled shades of tan to brown. Small cream, often yellowish, blotches often join to form patches and extend onto dorsal and tail fins
Habitat: Nocturnal, during the day they seek out and hide in deep crevices. Usually found in shallow water, not deeper than 70 m; known from Baltra ,Bartolome, Darwin, Gardner, Isabela, Marchena ,Pinta, Santiago, Santa Cruz, and Wolf.
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Teleostei
Order
Perciformes
Family
Serranidae
Genus
Rypticus
Species
bicolor
Taxon category: Accepted
Syn.: Rypticus xanti Gill, 1862, fide Appeltans et al. (2010)
Origin: Native
Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.
Distribution: Eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Peru, and Cocos and Galapagos, Gulf of California and Southern Baja California to Northern Peru. Galápagos, Clipperton, Malpelo and Cocos Islands.
- 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.
- Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.
- Edgar, G.J. Fariña, J.M., Calvopiña, M., Martínez, C. & Banks, S. (2002) Comunidades submareales rocosas II: Peces y macroinvertebrados móviles. In: Danulat, E. & Edgar, G.J. (eds.) (2002): Reserva Marina de Galápagos. Línea Base de la Biodiversidad. Fundación Charles Darwin/Servicio Parque Nacional Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador, p. 68-97.
- Grove, J.S. Lavenberg, R.J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. 862 pp.
- Humann, P. Deloach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification - Galapagos. New World Publication, Inc. Florida USA & Libri Mundi, Quito, Ecuador, 226 pp.
- IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 April 2010.
- 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, Rypticus bicolor", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=7792. Accessed 12 May 2026.