The cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus) is a large species of sculpin native to the Pacific coast of North America.

Although the genus name translates literally as "scorpion fish", true scorpionfish (such as lionfish) belong to the related family Scorpaenidae.

The cabezon was first formally described as Hemitripterus marmoratus in 1854 by the American physician and ichthyologist William Orville Ayres with its type locality given as California.

The cabezon also has a stout spine before the eye, an anal fin of soft rays, and a fleshy flap on the middle of the snout.

[11] Like the Lingcod, which shares the same range as the Cabezon, the flesh can blue in color as well as the internal organs depending on the fish's diet.

Cabezon are found in the northeast Pacific Ocean from Sitka,Alaska to Pt Abreojos, Baja California.

They are found in a wide range of habitats at depths of 0–200 m (0–656 ft), including rocky, muddy and sandy bottoms, and kelp beds.

In addition, in a study done in 2012, it was reported that a large majority of Cabezon’s display site fidelity is returning to a location that it had previously been to.

While mollusks play a significant role in the adult diet, they were absent from the stomachs of juveniles, which mainly contained smaller shrimp and fish.

[18][19] Hatching season fluctuates all year round for Cabezons but is at its highest starting in February, peaking in late March/Early April and sharply declining at the end of April/early May.

Embryos are found in intertidal zones at depths of up to 17 meters, where they are deposited on hard substrates such as wood pilings, logs, rocks, and steel.

It's hypothesized that females live longer due to their sexual dimorphism but as stated, there is no evidence supporting that claim.

In response to the live-fishery, the Nearshore Fisheries Management Act was enacted in 1998, establishing a minimum size limit of 356 mm for Cabezon, which took effect in January 1999.

[9] However, from 1995 to 2002, commercial landings exceeded recreational catches, largely due to the emergence of the live-fish fishery in the mid-1990s, driven by a demand for specialty foods.