Blue Heron Bridge Trolls III

[Jaan]

Hey Everyone. This one is from a few weeks back from the BHB when they were everywhere.
But it IS 'world octopus day' after all !! Happy Friday

And this guy was just too cute NOT to post, Juvenile Honeycomb Cowfish I believe. Just a little over an inch in size. I'm amazed at my wife Nathalie being able to 'fish whisper' them into smiling for the camera.

 

[Pipehorse]

Did a REEF fish count at the bridge today, 80 species in 65 minutes. Respectively, two Scamps under the hull of the boat on the snorkel trail, Barred Hamlet, Barred Blenny, Downy Blenny, and Sheepshead Porgy

 

[Jaan]

We were trying to take a shot of two juvenile high hats and then noticed the scorpion fish under the ledge in the background. Then from an other angle we saw a second scorpion fish by the arrow crab. Right after that shot, a flounder made its way in front of them all as if trying to photobomb our shot, we were laughing so hard we missed the shot but turned in time to see the Eagle ray ... Just another day at the BHB! Love it!

 

[PBcatfish]

Did a REEF fish count at the bridge today, 80 species in 65 minutes. Respectively, two Scamps under the hull of the boat on the snorkel trail, Barred Hamlet, Barred Blenny, Downy Blenny, and Sheepshead Porgy

View attachment 685706...

Scamp? Or Gag Grouper? Looks more like gags to me, based on shape of markings & lack of spikes on the back of the tail. It's hard to tell them apart from a picture sometimes. A good clear look at the dorsal & other features can help. I'm not really sure which it is. I guess I'm just asking if you considered that possibility when making your ID.

 

[johndiver999]

those are clearly scamp.

 

[Pipehorse]

Scamp? Or Gag Grouper? Looks more like gags to me, based on shape of markings & lack of spikes on the back of the tail. It's hard to tell them apart from a picture sometimes. A good clear look at the dorsal & other features can help. I'm not really sure which it is. I guess I'm just asking if you considered that possibility when making your ID.

Gag Groupers have lines that radiate away from their eyes. Scamps have vermiculating pattern on the body, also what I call bear paw print patterning. But the dead give away is the caudal fin, in the image I posted look at the caudal fin of fish on the left hand side. Now compare it to below of what I have posted from A Field Guide To Coastal Fishes. Notice the lunate shape of the caudal fin on the Scamp, and the trunicate shape of the caudal fin on the Gag. Conveniently, Gag and Scamp happen to be next to each other in this field guide.

 

[johndiver999]

So you are sure those are juvenile gag grouper?

 

[Pipehorse]

So you are sure those are juvenile gag grouper?

Are you trolling me, because of the apex predator thing, or have you not followed this thread? I posted a picture of Scamps, which I identified as such. PBCatfish asked whether or not I was sure they were Scamps. I posted why I though they were Scamps, and still think they are Scamps. And now you ask if I think they are juvenile gag grouper? I think you are just trying to cause problems where none exist.

 

[johndiver999]

Sorry, my apologies. I was careless in my reading and confused pipehorse with pbcatfish. I'm not trolling you and it appears we both agree that they are scamps.

 

[PBcatfish]

Sorry, my apologies. I was careless in my reading and confused pipehorse with pbcatfish. I'm not trolling you and it appears we both agree that they are scamps.

In my original post I stated that I wasn't sure. The markings on the right fish looked more like gag to me & the tail fin on the left fish didn't show the spikes that I normally see on a scamp, so I asked if that possibility had been considered. Someone who watched the fish for several seconds is going to have had a much better look at the fish than someone who is looking at a single picture. I do not consider myself to be in a reasonable position to argue that the fish were gags. I was just asking the question. I appreciate the response that was given.

They were very nice pictures. I'm not a biologist.