Giant Hawkfish
Cirrhitus rivulatus
Its published range ends at Bahía Magdalena in southern Baja California, about 650 miles south of La Jolla. Earlier San Diego records on iNaturalist were captive fish.
Sightings
2026 season, numbered oldest first, every one sourced
- #1Nov 3, 20261 reportLa Jolla
Juvenile Juvenile Photos: Siobhan O'Neill (nudib1tch)- ID
- iNaturalist identifiers including Ben Frable of Scripps Institution of Oceanography
About this fish
What it is, where it comes from, and whether it has been here before
Where it normally lives
Bahía Magdalena in southern Baja California to northern Peru, including the Gulf of California and the Galapagos.
Range source: Love and colleagues, 2021 checklist of Pacific coast fishes · FishBase
In California
No earlier California record is on file for this animal.
Photos
More of each life stage
The California photos sit with their numbered sightings above. If you photographed this animal in California this season, send it in.
Details
Rarity in the compendium is Nautical Nick's call on how likely a diver is to run into the animal on the California coast this season, not how rare it is where it normally lives.
Read the full Giant Hawkfish Ichthyopedia entry →