Some from So. California this past summer...

[drrich2]

Hi:

At the end of the year, I try to wrap up work on an annual family book (photos, captions, etc...I use Blurb and its ImageWright software) of where we've been, what we've seen and done, etc... We have a 4 year old daughter and I hope to provide her a heritage of her life growing up (I'm 47!). This past summer I finally made it out to California, and I'm including some of my shots in the book. Not sure what all of them are! Some I just plain don't know; some I'm uncertain about. Thanks in advance for your help!

Is this a canary rockfish? If I hadn't gotten in close with the flash, I'd have no idea that fish was red.

Cabezon?

Not going in the book, but I want to know what this is a school of.

Calico bass?

What kind of sea cucumber?

Giant sea star?

Abalone, but what kind?

Black-and-Yellow rockfish?

Thanks again.

Richard.

 

[laikabear]

1. Vermillion rockfish is my vote. However, vermillion and canary can be tough to distinguish. For local Reef Check, they are grouped together.
2. That might be a cabezon but I can't see the face very well. Cabezon have a wide face with a big wide mouth. Some species of rockfish can be colored like that and like to sit on the bottom, too. (Grass rockfish)
3. I don't know.
4. and 5. Kelp bass AKA calico bass. They are a favorite of mine.
6. Warty sea cucumber
7. Giant spined star
8. Red abalone (I think)
9. Black and yellow rockfish, yes!
10. Is that the same fish as #9? He doesn't look as yellow there.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

1. Vermilion
2. Lingcod
3. Jack mackerel
7. Knobby sea star
9 and 10. Gopher rockfish

 

[laikabear]

Is that the same fish in #9 and 10? Gopher rockfish has 3 distinct yellow/white short bars in a row on the head. I don't see 3 bars on the #9 fish which is why I called him black and yellow. But then looking again at #10, maybe that is 3 bars. If it's 2 photos of the same fish then idk. I think black and yellow and gopher look similar. And China rockfish is similar, too, but instead of the 3 bars, he has a yellowish Nike swoosh on his head.

The lingcod is my nemesis. I always seem to mis-identify him. He has a wide face but not as wide as the cabezon. They can be bluish to that mottled color like that. Sneaky lingcod. I don't know why I have so much trouble with that silly fish.

 

[drrich2]

I'm on call for my job; I'll have to look later, but I don't specifically remember 9 & 10 being the same fish and I doubt they are. About the lingcod vs. cabezon issue; yeah, looking at pics, I think I see a distinction, then see another pic of one of them and still don't know.

Thanks, guys!

Can you tell what species octopus this is? Only one I saw, and in a cleft in the rock. I'm guessing 2 Spot Octopus. I assume those are the spots, right between & in front of the eyes.

I think these 2 are some sort of scorpionfish, but looking online, I see there are sculpin out there, which are similar enough in some cases to throw me off.

Richard.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Vermilion rockfish

Sunset rockfish

Gopher rockfish

Copper rockfish

Black and Yellow rockfish

China rockfish
It gets very confusing.

 

[Trailboss123]

Concur with Max on both #1 and #2 and #7 -- Vermillion, Lingcod and Knobby Sea Star- both #1 and #2 much smaller than what we see up in the great Pacific NW. I will always defer to Max on all fish ID-- #7 is definitely not a Giant Sea Star. They have 24 arms and are found up north in the Pugent Sound. They are currently making a comeback after the virus die off the last 2 years. I just moved down to So Cal from PNW and starting to get to know all the local flora and fauna-- Hats off to you drrich2! Have always enjoyed your detailed posts and passion! Hope to dive with you and MaxBottomtime some day.

 

[Trailboss123]

I'm on call for my job; I'll have to look later, but I don't specifically remember 9 & 10 being the same fish and I doubt they are. About the lingcod vs. cabezon issue; yeah, looking at pics, I think I see a distinction, then see another pic of one of them and still don't know.

Thanks, guys!

Can you tell what species octopus this is? Only one I saw, and in a cleft in the rock. I'm guessing 2 Spot Octopus. I assume those are the spots, right between & in front of the eyes.

I think these 2 are some sort of scorpionfish, but looking online, I see there are sculpin out there, which are similar enough in some cases to throw me off.

Richard.

Rich-- This could be a Red Irish Lord-- I have come across some recently on some night dives in the Channel Islands. Look similar to Scorpion Fish. Was my first impression.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Yes, two spot octopus and California scorpionfish.

I'm on call for my job; I'll have to look later, but I don't specifically remember 9 & 10 being the same fish and I doubt they are. About the lingcod vs. cabezon issue; yeah, looking at pics, I think I see a distinction, then see another pic of one of them and still don't know.

Thanks, guys!

Can you tell what species octopus this is? Only one I saw, and in a cleft in the rock. I'm guessing 2 Spot Octopus. I assume those are the spots, right between & in front of the eyes.

I think these 2 are some sort of scorpionfish, but looking online, I see there are sculpin out there, which are similar enough in some cases to throw me off.

Richard.

 

[drrich2]

Laikabear, just checked at home before work. The last 2 photos, of the gopher rockfish, were taken a minute apart on the same date, with one pic of another fish in-between. So, they might well be the same fish, though I'm not certain of it.

MaxBottomTime, I think your thread accidentally put another pic twice, instead of showing the black-and-yellow rockfish.

Thanks, all!

Richard.