Night Diving at Whytecliff - Creepy Things

[TSandM]

Roko, you could consider posting the video and photos in the Critter Watchers section of the Northwest Dive Club bulletin board. Several very experienced folks watch that and provide ID information, including a woman whose specialty is worms.

 

[nessum]

I've seen a massive polychaete at Whytecliff as night in the past in about 15ft. It swam exactly like this, I'd have to agree that is what you encountered. And I've seen several at/near the surface up north. Though I've never seen one with an anterior section like the one in your vid, I would have to agree that is what you encountered.

 

[sschlesi]

Just some random thoughts:

I've seen many polychaete worms in my field but have never seen that type of swimming behavior. I always expect the unexpected though.

Roko, If you had said you were in tropical FW locale I would say the movement closely resembles that of a knifefish.

I then thought of SW species simular to that and came up with gunnels, wrymouths and/or pricklebacks.

Though the book says "rarely seen by divers" for the graveldigger it could be refering to daytime sightings and may not make note of nocturnal or occasional spawning activity.

It could also be a juvenile or larval stage specimen, many of which bear little resemblance to the adult form.

I have no answers. My money currently is on a juvenile gunnel or prickleback. Thanks for the mystery.

Knifefish was the first thing that jumped to mind for me as well.

The still photos look more worm like while the video looks more fish like in my opinion, but both are pretty blurry. Since Roko saw it first hand and he thinks it's a worm, that seems very likely to me.

Ask Andy, off the top of his head he knows a LOT more than what there was room for in his books.

 

[vjanelle]

I saw these things too last time I went, they looked very worm like.

 

[DaleC]

I could definately be wrong on the worm front. I was actually thinking more along the lines of tropical worms I've seen. A good mystery! Almost makes me want to go nightdiving at WC to find out.

 

[Roko]

Thanks for the input, everyone! I've taken TSandM's advice, and posted the same question on Northwest Divers forum.. Here's a link to that thread:

Northwest Dive Club • View topic - Interesting night creature.. Worm Maybe?