Golden Garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus)

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Male golden garibaldis are fiercely protective of their reef nests where females lay eggs. A tidier nest is more attractive, and the males compete with each other to attract the most females. One nest can contain the eggs of up to 20 females.

Size: Up to 14 inches long
Diet: Sponges, coelenterates, bryozoa, worms and nudibranchs
Distribution: They occur as far north as Monterey Bay but are especially common in the warmer waters of Southern California and the Channel Islands.  

Did You Know?

In the 1840s, an Italian named Giuseppe Garibaldi decided to start wearing bright-red shirts as part of his personal style. He went on to fight for the reunification of Italy, became a general and died a national hero. So when biologists discovered a brilliant red-orange fish cruising the rocky reefs of California — one that sallied out to bare its teeth at any intruder — they knew exactly what to name it. Animal facts courtesy of the BBC and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Explore more at www.montereybayaquarium.org.