Fish · La Saladita, Guerrero

Giant Hawkfish

Cirrhitus rivulatus

Spanish: Mero chino

Giant Hawkfish (Cirrhitus rivulatus)
Photographed by santiago_miguel_alva on iNaturalist · CC-BY-NC

The giant hawkfish, Cirrhitus rivulatus is a species of hawkfish. It is a marine fish and the largest of the hawkfish family with maximum size of 60 cm (24 in) in total length. It is known for its social behavior towards scuba divers and its uncanny ability to perch on its pectoral fins. This particular species can be found mainly along the Gulf of California, reaching as far as northern Colombia and the Galapagos Islands. It is a...

TaxonomyActinopterygii › Centrarchiformes › Cirrhitidae
Local records17 research-grade observations within about 50 km of La Saladita (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones)
Global records1,267 on iNaturalist
Most recent records2024 – 2026
Months of the 8 most recent records
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Recent local sightings

Interactive card with more photos, sounds and similar species Fish guide iNaturalist Wikipedia

Cite as: “Giant Hawkfish (Cirrhitus rivulatus) at La Saladita”, La Saladita Field Guide, lasaladita.com/species/cirrhitus-rivulatus/, updated 2026-09-26. Observation counts and months come from iNaturalist research-grade records within about 50 km of 17.8375°N, 101.7606°W (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones); summary text from Wikipedia where present.