HUNT for RED LORD & BUFFALO SCULPIN

Fish & Invertebrate sightings and descriptions, hosted by resident NWDC ID expert Janna Nichols (nwscubamom).
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Marek Sk
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Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:18 pm

HUNT for RED LORD & BUFFALO SCULPIN

Post by Marek Sk »

HUNT for RED LORD & BUFFALO SCULPIN

My goals here are:
1. Present critters in their natural environment from shore dive sites within ~ 50 miles of driving distance from Kirkland (where I live),
2. help other divers to find, identify and distinguish these critters
3. provide references

I will not be going into specific species description as there is already fabulous material available on-line.
I will focus on "picture tells more than thousand words" with some added comentary.

Greg Jensen has already made an outstanding job documenting and publishing for free a PDF version of Sculpins in our Puget Sound area and Washington Coast. :notworthy: :joshsmith:
Free Christmas Present from Greg Jensen: book “Pacific Northwest Sculpins (3.0)” available for download on http://www.molamarine.com.
:supz:

I will publish below more pictures so you can better recognise Buffalos & RILs in their environment and distinguesh them.


Before I go to Red Irish Lords and Buffalo Sculpins that vary in color from red, yellow to brown considered as “warm” and “happy” colors :) , I need to set some contrast and first introduce one rare “cold”, “sad” Tadpole looking Sculpin.
Correction: This is Blue Buffalo Sculpin acording to the Expert: Greg Jensen. Thank you Greg !
You know the song “when I am feeling blue …” :angryblue: :confused: :fish:
I have seen this guy only (or girl) once and have not seen this coloration in any reference anywhere.

I photographed this blue Sculpin in December 2013 in Alki Cove 2 during day time.

Please click on each picture you want to zoom in. Twice for largest zoom.
blue Tadpole looking Sculpin is actually Buffalo Sculpin
blue Tadpole looking Sculpin is actually Buffalo Sculpin
blue Tadpole looking Sculpin is actually Buffalo Sculpin
blue Tadpole looking Sculpin is actually Buffalo Sculpin
Red Irish Lords (RIL) come in variety of colors matching mostly the environment surrounding them for camouflage. They are usually much easier to photograph than other fish because usually they do not move. However sometimes they hide in the den or between the rocks therefore you do not get any chance to photograph a full body. On my recent dive RIL was moving around following my light to hunt for the coonstripe shrimps. I consider is an exception.
I am going to share several pictures from my collection.

What I thought was a juvenile RIL (hiding in a large barnicle shell) picture comparing it with Scallyhead Sculpin in 2 other pictures is a Scallyhead Sculpin male. Correction: This is Scallyhead Sculpin male acording to the Expert: Greg Jensen. Thank you Greg !


Please click on each picture you want to zoom in. Twice for largest zoom.
juvenile RIL looking fish is actually a Scallyhead Sculpin Male
juvenile RIL looking fish is actually a Scallyhead Sculpin Male
juvenile RIL looking fish is actually a Scallyhead Sculpin Male
juvenile RIL looking fish is actually a Scallyhead Sculpin Male
Scallyhead Sculpin
Scallyhead Sculpin
Scallyhead Sculpin
Scallyhead Sculpin
Red Irish Lords and their adoptable colorations:

Please click on each picture you want to zoom in. Twice for largest zoom.

RILs in groups. How many do you see ?
PICT2734-5-irish-lords.JPG
There are 5 ! 4 above and 1 below.
PICT2743-4-irish-lords-zoom.JPG
RILs with dominant brown color:
PICT2193-RIL-more-brown.JPG
PICT0525-red-irish-lord-brown.JPG
PICT0507-red-irish-lord-brown.JPG
RILs with dominant yellow brown color:
PICT1590-RIL-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT1588-RIL-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT1546-RIL-yellow-brown.JPG
RILs with dominant red brown color:
PICT0528-irish-lord-red-brown.JPG
RILs with dominant red color:
PICT2781-red-irish-lord-more-red.JPG
PICT1542-RIL-more-red.JPG
PICT1541-RIL-more-red.JPG
PICT0055-red-irish-lord-more-red.JPG
PICT0052-red-irish-lord-more-red.JPG

I will continue posting pictures in the reply as I reached 20 attachment limit.
There will be more Yellow color domination in RILs and introduction of Buffalo Sculpins.


To be continued ...
Last edited by Marek Sk on Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Do "Right Things" rather than "things right".
Conquer your fears & you will be blessed with inner peace & serenity.


I feed "Good Wolf", learn from Eagles, smell Rose Anemones & dance with Sea Stars.
I respect ALL Creatures & Diversity.
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Marek Sk
Avid Diver
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:18 pm

Re: HUNT for RED LORD & BUFFALO SCULPIN

Post by Marek Sk »

Continuation:

RILs with dominant yellow color:
Please click on each picture you want to zoom in. Twice for largest zoom.
PICT2783-2-red-irish-lords--more-yellow-broad-base-tunicate.JPG
PICT2795-red-irish-lord-more-yellow.JPG
PICT5589-RIL-more-yellow.JPG
RILs with dominant red yellow color:
PICT5662-RIL-red-yellow.JPG
RILs with dominant brown yellow color:
PICT5674-RIL-brown-yellow.JPG
PICT5703-RIL-red-brown-yellow.JPG
Buffalo Sculpins:
Another easy mistaken for the RIL fish is Buffalo Sculpin. I often find them very close to RILs and take pictures within minutes from one to another. They not only share similar color and pattern camuflage but also a similar behavior.
Unless you pay attention to the size and color of the eyes and some minor features like flattened ciri next to mouth in RIL you can easily mistake one for the other. At least I did before.

Please click on each picture you want to zoom in. Twice for largest zoom.\

Buffalo red yelow color domination:
PICT2853-buffalo-sculpin-red-yellow.JPG
Buffalo red brown color domination:
PICT1932-buffalo-sculpin-red-brown.JPG
PICT0751-buffalo-sculpin-red-brown.JPG
Buffalo brown green color domination:
PICT1686-buffalo-or-great-sculpin-brown-green.JPG
PICT1684-buffalo-or-great-sculpin-brown-green.JPG
Buffalo brown color domination:
PICT1173-buffalo-sculpin-brown.JPG
Buffalo yelow brown color domination:
Buffalo Sculpin Guarding eggs
Buffalo Sculpin Guarding eggs
PICT2708-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT1959-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT1369-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT1148-two-buffalo-sculpins-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT1143-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT1104-two-buffalo-sculpins-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT1098-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
To be continued ... (another 20 pictures limit)
Last edited by Marek Sk on Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Do "Right Things" rather than "things right".
Conquer your fears & you will be blessed with inner peace & serenity.


I feed "Good Wolf", learn from Eagles, smell Rose Anemones & dance with Sea Stars.
I respect ALL Creatures & Diversity.
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Greg Jensen
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Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:02 am

Re: HUNT for RED LORD & BUFFALO SCULPIN

Post by Greg Jensen »

The blue fish is a buffalo sculpin- note the long opercular spine on the cheek. The fish in the barnacles aren't juvenile irish lords, but are male scalyhead sculpins. Irish lords have cirri on the chin and large flattened cirri at the corners of the mouth, and don't have cirri above the eyes.
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Marek Sk
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Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:18 pm

Re: HUNT for RED LORD & BUFFALO SCULPIN

Post by Marek Sk »

Thank you Greg !
What a surprise with the blue Sculpin !
I knew I could count on you to verify the classification.
I will make updates accordingly.
Do "Right Things" rather than "things right".
Conquer your fears & you will be blessed with inner peace & serenity.


I feed "Good Wolf", learn from Eagles, smell Rose Anemones & dance with Sea Stars.
I respect ALL Creatures & Diversity.
User avatar
Marek Sk
Avid Diver
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:18 pm

Re: HUNT for RED LORD & BUFFALO SCULPIN

Post by Marek Sk »

Third and last part of the main posting:

Buffalo Sculpins continue:

Please click on each picture you want to zoom in. Twice for largest zoom.

Buffalo red brown color domination:
PICT5267-buffalo-sculpin-red-brown.JPG
PICT4742-buffalo-sculpin-red-brown.JPG
PICT2887-buffalo-sculpin-red-brown.JPG
Buffalo yellow red brown color domination:
PICT3200-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-red-brown.JPG
Buffalo brown color domination:
PICT5260-buffalo-sculpin-brown.JPG
Buffalo yellow color domination:
PICT5696-buffalo-sculpin-yellow.JPG
Buffalo yellow brown color domination:
PICT5737-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT5731-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT5607-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT5605-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT5262-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT5247-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT4072-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
PICT4013-buffalo-sculpin-yellow-brown.JPG
Great Sculpin:
Two pictures of what I believe are Great Sculpins often found in the area of Buffalo Sculpins but not as frequent.
Great Sculpin
Great Sculpin
Great Sculpin
Great Sculpin
Padded Sculpin:
One more sculpin that took me a lot of time and gave me a headache to identify: “Padded Sculpin”
Padded Sculpin
Padded Sculpin
Do "Right Things" rather than "things right".
Conquer your fears & you will be blessed with inner peace & serenity.


I feed "Good Wolf", learn from Eagles, smell Rose Anemones & dance with Sea Stars.
I respect ALL Creatures & Diversity.
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