Fishes
Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker
Authors: Madeline Baldrey and Erin Pringle Scientific name: Eumicrotremus orbis Size range: 2.5 to12.7 cm (1 to 5 inches) Identifying Features: Lumpsuckers are quite small and come in many colours (red, orange, purple, green and brown). They can also have silvery...
Slimy Snailfish
Author: Amanda Brager Common Name: Slimy Snailfish Scientific name: Liparis mucosus Size: Slimy snailfish grow to at least 7cm (2.75 inches) in length. Identifying Features: Slimy Snailfish (Liparis mucosus) do not have scales. Their bodies are shaped like...
Northern Clingfish
Scinetific Name: Gobiesox maeandricus Size Range: Northern Clingfish are generally 3 inches (7.6 cm) in length but may grow up to 6 inches (15.2 cm). Most males are larger than the females. Identifying Features: The Northern Clingfish has an unusual shape. It is...
Threespine Stickleback
Author: Anil Mishra Photos: Anil Mishra and D. Young Common Names: Threespine Stickleback, Three-Spined Stickleback, Common Stickleback Scientific Name: Gasterosteus aculeatus Size range: 5-10 cm (to 4in) Habitat: The Threespine Stickleback can be commonly found in...
Grunt Sculpin
Grunt Sculpin Author: Tabitha Baatz Scientific name: Rhamphocottus richardsonii Size range: up to 8.9 cm (3.5in) Identifying features: The Grunt Sculpin has spiny pectoral fins, lower rays are not webbed; used for gripping and hopping on the substrate. They have a...
Silverspotted Sculpin
Author: Oshia Shillingford Photos by D. Young Common name: Silverspotted Sculpin, Silverspot Sculpin Scientific name: Blepsias cirrhosus Size range: Up to 20cm (8 inches) in length Identifying Features: The Silverspotted Sculpin is dark to light olive brown, green...
Tidepool Sculpin
Author: Taylor Dew-Jones Common Name: Tidepool Sculpin Scientific Name: Oligocottus maculosus Size Range: up to 9cm (3.6 inches) Identifying Features: All Tidepool Sculpins look very similar to one another, though distinct from other tide pool creatures....
Rosylip Sculpin
Authors: Julian Mulhall and Forest Moon-Macskimming Common names: Rosylip Sculpin, Rosy-lipped Sculpin Scientific name: Ascelichthys rhodorus Size range: up to 15cm (6in) Identifying features: The eyes are black or dark and the body colour is mostly black,...
Black Prickleback
Authors: Matt Czyz and Garnet Spring Common name: Black Prickleback, Black Blenny Scientific name: Xiphister atropurpureus Size: up to 32cm in length Identifying Features: The Black Prickleback is dark reddish brown to black in color with a pale head. The head is...
Rock Prickleback
Author: David Freitas Photos by David Freitas Common Names: Rock Prickleback, Rock Eel, Rock Blenny Scientific Name: Xiphister mucosus Identifying Features: The Rock Prickleback is greenish-black in color with faint white markings around the base of its tail and...
High Cockscomb
Author: Ravana Eagleheart Common Name: High Cockscomb, Cockscomb Prickleback, Crested Blenny Scientific Name: Anoplarchus purpurescens Size Range: The High Cockscomb usually grows to just over 7.8 inches (20cm.) in length. Identifying Features: On the High Cockscomb,...
Crescent Gunnel
Author: Allie Eaton Scientific Name: Pholis laeta Size Range: 25cm (10 inches) Identifying Features: Crescent Gunnels may be dark, olive green to a very bright orange. They have a series of distinct cresent shaped markings along their dorsal surface that may be...
Penpoint Gunnel
Author: Oscar Schuckel-Bailey Photos by Oscar Schuckel-Bailey and D. Young Common name: Penpoint gunnel, Penpoint blenny Scientific name: Apodichthys flavidus Size range: The penpoint gunnel can grow up to 46 centimetres (18 inches) Identifying features: Penpoint...
Rockweed Gunnel
The Rockweed Gunnel By Gabrielle Lepage and Angel Antonio (updates by Rex Sherratt and Ian Templeton) Common Name: rockweed gunnel, rockweed blenny, fucus blenny Scientific Name: Apodichthys fucorum (formerly Xererpes fucorum) Size Range: 5-9 inches (12-23 cm) ...
Wolf Eel
Author: Kathryn Taddei Scientific name: Anarrhichthys occelatus Size range: The Wolf Eel has been found to grow up to an average of 2 meters (8 feet) in length. Identifying features: Sometimes referred to as the “Ugly old man of the sea,” the Wolf Eel has a bulbous...
Bay Pipefish
Bay Pipefish By Jesse W.M Campbell Common name: Bay Pipefish, North West Pacific Pipefish, Kelp Pipefish Scientific name: Sygnathus leptorhynchus (Sygnathus griseolineatus) Size range: Females may grow up to 39cm (15.6 inches). Identifying Features: A long, slender,...
Copper Rockfish
Author: Spencer Mann Illustration by Spencer Mann, Photos by D. Young Common name(s): Copper Rockfish, White Belly, and Chucklehead. Scientific name: Sebastes caurinus Size range: 12- 22 inches (38.1cm – 55.9cm) and weigh 4 – 10lbs Identifying Features: The...
Canary Rockfish
Canary Rockfish Scientific Name: Sebastes pinniger Photos by D. Young More information on this species is coming soon! A juvenile Canary Rock Fish
Ocean Sunfish
Authors: Ethan and Duncan Common Names: Ocean Sunfish, Sunfish, Common Mola Scientific name: Mola mola Size: up to 10ft in length and 1000lbs (454kg)! One of the heaviest bony fish in the world (not including sharks) Photo by Per-Ola Norman Identifying Features: ...
Smooth Dreamer Anglerfish
Author: Keely Cook (updates were added in 2024) Scientific name: Chaenophryne sp. (Likely Chaenophryne melanorhabdus) Etymology: chaeno "gape", phryne "toad" and melanos "black", rhabdus "rod" Size range: maximum standard length is 10.2cm (4in). Based on 14...
Pacific Spiny Dogfish
Author: Cara Mackenzie Photo kindly provided by Andy Murch Common name: Pacific Spiny Dogfish, Spiny Dogfish, Dogfish Scientific Name: Squalus suckleyi (formerly identified as the same species as the Atlantic spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias but now identified as a...
Bluntnose Sixgill Shark
Bluntnose sixgill shark Scientific Name: Hexanchus griseus (Bonnaterre, 1788) Authors: Christian and Elijah Photo: Thank you to Andy Murch for the use of his photo. Identifying features: Unlike the typical 5 gill slits of some sharks this fish has 6 long pairs of...
Spotted Ratfish
Authors: Alberta Trelawny and Dakoda McGregor Photo courtesy of Andy Murch Common Name: Spotted Ratfish Scientific Name: Hydrolagus colliei Size range: females are up to 38inches (1m) in length while males are smaller Identifying features : The spotted ratfish is a...
Kelp Clingfish
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