So. Cal. fish ID help, please

[Reeveseye]

I saw this critter resting on a rock at about 15' deep off Casino Point, Catalina a few days ago. He was a little under 2' long, and seemed very unconcerned about how close I and my three dive buddies were. After checking my reference books, I still can't quite figure out exactly what this guy is. My first thought was lingcod, but he doesn't seem to have a line down his side like all the pictures in my reference books. Any of you more knowledgeable divers have an idea?

Thanks.

 

[saf_25]

I think I know - I believe it to be a cabazon. I get them confused with sculpins, but I think that I was told that the cabazons are the greener ones, like this. If it's not, I'd be interested to know what it is, though, because I've seen them around quite a bit the last few months, and would like to know if I'm calling them the wrong thing. I was told that they tend to come out when the water is colder (such as now, as oppossed to our "warm" summer water).
I know it's not too definite, but I hope that helps.

 

[jlyle]

Saf_25 is correct. It's a "cabezon" (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus).

 

[Diver0001]

I saw this critter resting on a rock at about 15' deep off Casino Point, Catalina a few days ago. He was a little under 2' long, and seemed very unconcerned about how close I and my three dive buddies were. After checking my reference books, I still can't quite figure out exactly what this guy is. My first thought was lingcod, but he doesn't seem to have a line down his side like all the pictures in my reference books. Any of you more knowledgeable divers have an idea?

Thanks.

It's definitely not a lingcod. To me it looks like a grouper or sea bass type of fish. There are many hundreds of different ones. If you were in British Columbia we would call something like that a "rock fish" which probably isn't what it's called but might give you something to work on.

Try this website: www.fishbase.org

R..

 

[OCdiving Deb]

I think I know - I believe it to be a cabazon. I get them confused with sculpins, but I think that I was told that the cabazons are the greener ones, like this.

I might add California Scorpionfish to the list of confusing So Cal fish! They all have those thicker lips, bulbous eyes and camouflage color variations... some have cirri and some do not, amongst other traits that can help make the positive ID.

Paul Humann's book, Coastal Fish Identification: California to Alaska describes the Cabezon color variations. He says, "males generally display red shades, while females are usually greenish."

So it may be a female cabezon in your picture!

 

[kelpmermaid]

Take a look at this for comparison:

http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/living_species/print.asp?inhab=210

Check out the little protuberances over the eyes...what are they called?

I had a close encounter with one in the park a while back. I was pointing out a treefish in a crevice to someone and did not notice the cabezon which blended in well with a kelp holdfast. Glad I didn't make contact...

 

[saf_25]

I might add California Scorpionfish to the list of confusing So Cal fish!

I completely agree! Actually, as I wrote that, I was thinking that there was a third option in that list as well that I usually use interchangeably unless I really stop to think about it, but I didn't think too long to pull that up. Actually, it's really the scorpionfish and sculpins that I don't know the difference between - the cabezons are greener and usually bigger than the other 2, so they're easier to correctly id.

 

[Reeveseye]

Well... thank all of you for the quick replies! Especially Kelpmermaid, whose link to the MBA convinced me it was a cabezon.

Of course, now I'm second-guessing my fish I.D. abilities in general, since I was so sure it was a lingcod. Like Saf 25, I have a hard time telling the difference between scorpionfish and sculpins. Anyone care to guess which one this is?

 

[OCdiving Deb]

Check out the little protuberances over the eyes...what are they called?

From fishbase.org - English, cirri, Hair-like structures in animals
and plants; small, slender, flexible fleshy protuberances; the singular is cirrus.

You knew it Kelpmermaid... You even used the word protuberances!

 

[jlyle]

Of course, now I'm second-guessing my fish I.D. abilities in general, since I was so sure it was a lingcod. Like Saf 25, I have a hard time telling the difference between scorpionfish and sculpins. Anyone care to guess which one this is?

It's a California Scorpionfish (Scorpaena guttata) distinguished by the numerous brown spots on the head and the protuberances (cirri).