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.