Ranging from southern Oregon down to the northern reaches of the Mexican state of Baja California, monkeyface pricklebacks are coastal fish that live in rocky, tidal areas close to shore. First described by Girard in 1854,[1] the fish spawn on the sea floor and show some nest guarding behavior. While young monkeyface pricklebacks feed on zooplankton and crustaceans, adults are primarily herbivorous, feeding on red and green algae.