Pacific Reef and Shore. Rick M. Harbo

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Pacific Reef and Shore - Rick M. Harbo


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skeletons.

      Spiny Dogfish

       Squalus acanthias

      To 5’3” (1.6 m) long. Weight to 20 lb. (9 kg). Long, slender shark. Slate grey to brown with grey-white underside. A single spine at the front of each of the top (dorsal) fins. Small mouth. Bears live young, rather than eggs. At surface to 2,400’ (720 m).

      Six Gill Shark

       Hexanchus griseus

      To 26’5” (8.8 m) long. Large head, 6 gill slits and a single dorsal fin. Dark brown to slate-grey with pale underside. Known as a “cow shark,” not known to be aggressive toward divers. Usually in deep waters, has been seen regularly at 3,100’ (933 m).

      Ratfish

       Hydrolagus colliei

      To 39” (1 m) long. Large snout, small mouth with forward-pointing teeth. Long, tapering tail. Grey-brown body with white spots and silver underside. Swims by flapping forward fins. Male has large claspers on underside. Female lays eggs in elongated cases. Often in shallows, 30–3,085’ (9–925 m) deep.

      Big Skate

       Raja binoculata

      To 8’ (2.4 m) long overall. Weight 200 lb. (90 kg)+. Pointed, V-shaped snout. Large eye-like spots near centre of each pectoral fin. Brown to dark grey. Rests on bottom, often partially buried, 10–2,625’ (3–788 m) deep.

      Skate Egg Cases (Mermaid’s Purse)

      Egg case of each species has a unique shape. Case of the big skate, Raja binoculata, may be up to 12” (30 cm) long and contain as many as 7 eggs. Often washed up on shore.

      Bony Fishes

      These fishes have bony skeletons and a variety of body shapes. Many are the familiar species seen in tidepools and on reefs.

      Tidepool Sculpin

       Oligocottus maculosus

      To 3½” (9 cm) long. Slender body, single forked spine on gill cover. Colour varies, often red-brown to green; 5 irregular dark saddles across the back. Common only in tidepools.

      Scaleyhead Sculpin

       Artedius harringtoni

      To 4” (10 cm) long. 2 pairs of bush appendages on head of male. Colour varies from red to brown; white spot at base of caudal fin. At 16–35’ (5–10.5 m) deep.

      Longfin Sculpin

       Jordania zonope

      To 6” (15 cm) long. Slender, tapered body. Colourful olive green, red-orange and blue bands. Distinctive pale bands on head. At 6–60’ (2–15 m) deep.

      Sailfin Sculpin

       Nautichthys oculofasciatus

      To 8” (20 cm) long. Pink-orange to brown with bands on the back. Unique tall, sail-like first dorsal fin. In crevices, on pilings in shallow subtidal to 360’ (108 m) deep.

      Red Irish Lord

       Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus

      To 20” (50 cm) long. Large head and eyes, conspicuous band of scales 4 to 5 wide, along sides. Colourful yet camouflaged, with red patches and brown, black and white mottling. In rocky areas, usually motionless, intertidal to 162’ (49 m) deep.

      Buffalo Sculpin

       Enophrys bison

      To 14½” (36 cm) long. Large head with pair of prominent spines on gill cover. Raised plates along high lateral line. Colour varies from brown to pink and green, with 4 dark saddles across the back. Pink egg mass. On rocky reefs, 3–60’ (1–15 m) deep.

      Cabezon

       Scorpaenichthys marmoratus

      To 39” (1 m) long. Weight to 30 lb. (13.5 kg). Large head, tapered body. Bushy, flap-like appendage on snout and above each eye. Marbled olive green to brown or grey, well camouflaged. On rocky reefs, in kelp, intertidal to 250’ (75 m) deep.

      Grunt Sculpin

       Rhamphocottus richardsoni

      To 3¼” (8 cm) long. Unique short, stout body with pointed snout and small eye. Tan to orange with dark bands. “Hops” along the bottom. In empty barnacle shells, in sponges or rocky crevices, 6–540’ (2–165 m) deep.

      Rockfishes (Bony Fishes)

      Many of these common and popular commercial and sport fishes are long-lived, but reef populations are easily overfished.

      Quillback Rockfish

       Sebastes maliger

      To 2’ (60 cm) long. Dark brown to black, mottled with yellow and orange. High, spiny dorsal fin with yellow streak in forward region. On rocky reefs, surface to 480’ (144 m) deep.

      Copper Rockfish

       Sebastes caurinus

      To 22” (55 cm) long. Olive-brown to copper with yellow and white blotches. Dark bands radiate from the eye. On rocky reefs, 30–600’ (9–180 m) deep.

      Yelloweye Rockfish

       Sebastes ruberrimus

      To 3’ (90 cm) long. Orange-red to red-yellow body. Adults (A) have brilliant yellow eye on rough head. Juveniles (B) have dark eyes and 2 white bands along the sides that fade in time. Individuals are long-term residents at specific sites, 60–1,800’ (18–540 m) deep.

      China Rockfish

       Sebastes nebulosus

      To 17” (42.5 cm) long. Black body with broad yellow stripe and patches. Solitary species, resident on reefs, 13–422’ (3.9–127 m) deep.


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