HUNT for RED LORD & BUFFALO SCULPIN
Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:03 am
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.
Free Christmas Present from Greg Jensen: book “Pacific Northwest Sculpins (3.0)” available for download on http://www.molamarine.com.
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 …”
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. 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.
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 ? There are 5 ! 4 above and 1 below.
RILs with dominant brown color: RILs with dominant yellow brown color: RILs with dominant red brown color: RILs with dominant red color:
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 ...
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.
Free Christmas Present from Greg Jensen: book “Pacific Northwest Sculpins (3.0)” available for download on http://www.molamarine.com.
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 …”
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. 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.
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 ? There are 5 ! 4 above and 1 below.
RILs with dominant brown color: RILs with dominant yellow brown color: RILs with dominant red brown color: RILs with dominant red color:
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 ...