The plainfin midshipman (Porichthys notatus) is a species of bottom-dwelling batrachoid toadfish. It is a member of the midshipman genus, Porichthys, the only batrachoid fishes that have photophores. It is native to the North American coast of the Pacific Ocean, where its distribution extends along the coast from Sitka, Alaska, to Magdalena Bay in southern Baja California. There it inhabits shallow waters and will make migrations every spring to the rocky intertidal zones of the coast to breed.
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Is it venomous or poisonous?
Considered venomous. Public sources list it as such; we have not verified this individually. The note covers its whole family. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Aphos porosus — considered venomous
- Ascelichthys rhodorus
- Porichthys porosissimus — considered venomous
- Zoarces americanus
- Porichthys plectrodon — considered venomous
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Batrachoidiformes
- Family
- Batrachoididae
- Genus
- Porichthys
- Species
- Porichthys notatus
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