Help with Shaw's Cove fish ID

alaity47 · Apr 16, 2005

Alas, I have no picture. I always hate it when people try to get an ID from a photo-less description, but here goes.

I saw a few of these this morning at Shaw's, sometimes alone, or in groups of 4 or 5. They were about the size and overall color of juvenile sheephead. But instead of one white stripe down the center (and a black blotch), they had 3 white stripes, each one going from nose to tail, horizontally equidistant from each other. Also, their shape was a little closer to a senorita.

Any ideas? I've got Humann's Coast Fish ID book, but it doesnt have very many juvenile pics.

(I'd post this in the marine life thread, but thought I'd have a better chance of getting feedback from other local divers here!)

domskynetlabs · Apr 17, 2005

I took a picture of small fish chart hope it helps

alaity47:
Alas, I have no picture. I always hate it when people try to get an ID from a photo-less description, but here goes.

I saw a few of these this morning at Shaw's, sometimes alone, or in groups of 4 or 5. They were about the size and overall color of juvenile sheephead. But instead of one white stripe down the center (and a black blotch), they had 3 white stripes, each one going from nose to tail, horizontally equidistant from each other. Also, their shape was a little closer to a senorita.

Any ideas? I've got Humann's Coast Fish ID book, but it doesnt have very many juvenile pics.

(I'd post this in the marine life thread, but thought I'd have a better chance of getting feedback from other local divers here!)

SNOBORDJON · Apr 17, 2005

Juvenile sheephead have white stripes from head to tail...or maybe 1 stripe

Frank O · Apr 17, 2005

Just a shot in the dark ... juvenile yelloweye rockfish are red with *two* white horizontal stripes. According to Love's "The Rockfishes of the Northeast Pacific," their range is from Alaska to Baja ("abundant" from s.e. Alaska to central California, "at least occasional" around San Miguel Island).

http://www.aquarticles.com/images/Vancouver%20Aquarium/p-16%20Yelloweye%20rockfish.jpg

As far as your fish goes, though, this sounds like "close, but no cigar."

alaity47 · Apr 17, 2005

So close, but not quite.

Imagine a juvenile sheephead crossed with a juvenile rockfish!

UGH, I wish I'd taken the camera, despite the crappy visibility. This is exactly why I like being able to look at pictures later!

Anyone know what juvenile senoritas look like?

domskynetlabs · Apr 17, 2005

I cant find a picture of one on google

Frank O · Apr 17, 2005

alaity47:
Anyone know what juvenile senoritas look like?

From this page on Bill's site, they appear to look a lot like adults ... maybe only smaller?

http://www.starthrower.org/products/video/marine%20fish/senorita%20juvenile.htm

scottfiji · Apr 17, 2005

Frank O:
From this page on Bill's site, they appear to look a lot like adults ... maybe only smaller?

http://www.starthrower.org/products/video/marine%20fish/senorita%20juvenile.htm

Frank is right, we have juvie senoritas of all ages at the santa monica aquarium... the look like min-adults...juvie rockfish are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head that might have multiple white stripes...

another picture of a juvie yelloweye rockfish:
http://www.pnwscuba.com/critterwatchers/coolarchives.htm#todd

and here are some juvenile sargos that sean found (just for the hell of it!)
http://www.scubapost.net/gallery/wrinkles11212004/scaledwrinkles112120040143

oh wait, salema have stripes too:
http://biology.fullerton.edu/courses/biol_317/Web/murray/compilation/Salema.jpg
http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/stender/diving/california/fish/salema_small.jpg

alaity47 · Apr 18, 2005

Nope, no matches so far. The juv. rockfish is the closest in color, but totally wrong in shape (plus there were three stripes, not two).

I'm never going in the water without a camera again.

drbill · Apr 18, 2005

I just thought of a possibility... juvenile rock wrasse. They have the white stripes although the body color isn't the red-orange of a juv. sheephead, more like a yellow-orange.

Dr. Bill

Help with Shaw's Cove fish ID

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