unusual pygmy poacher

[Biodiversity_Guy]

I saw this guy and then did a double take. i have not seen (or at least not noticed) pygmy poachers with as many side cirri as this one has. His side almost looks hairy. I assume it is a pygmy (single cirrus on at corner of mouth).

Sorry the picture is not crisper...

[Chenari]

Almost looks to me like he's just a bit dirty. Or... could it be possible he has something growing off his side?

[nwscubamom]

That *IS* weird. Could it possibly be a Gray Starsnout? When I was showing some pics of dead (what I thought were) Pygmy Poachers at Sund Rock to one of our local experts, he thought they were Starsnouts. Both seem to look a lot alike.

- Janna

[Biodiversity_Guy]

The write-up in Lamb 2nd edition does not show the hairy sides for the gray starsnout but looking at that section, there are several of the smaller poachers that have not been on my radar screen. Seems like i need to not assume all those tiny poachers I am seeing are pygmy poachers...

[Greg Jensen]

It looks like a dirty pygmy. I've seen hydroids and bryozoans growing on poachers before (fourhorns are especially prone to this) and I'm pretty sure that's what you're seeing here.