Rock prickleback • Xiphister mucosus
{Xiphos = armed with sword}
Photos by Christina Meschkat (left) and Elyse Matthews (right).
Identification
The rock prickleback has two distinctive dark bands radiating from each eye. These bands lighten towards their centres, though the degree of lightening appears to vary. The elongated body is greenish black, transitioning to mottled olive green with some light-coloured barring near the tail end. It has tiny pectoral fins and no pelvic fins, and its long, low dorsal and anal fins are both connected to its tail fin. The dorsal fin starts close to the head, almost evenly with the gill opening. This fish gets to 58 cm long.
Habitat & Range
The rock prickleback can be found in tidepools and under rocks in the rocky, seaweed-covered intertidal and subtidal, to 20 m deep. It may even be found in the intertidal during low tide, under rocks exposed to air, as it can breathe air and remain out of water for up to 23 hours if it can stay moist, It is mostly found on open coastlines, from the Gulf of Alaska to southern California.
Similar Species
The black prickleback (Xiphister atropupureus) also has dark bands radiating from each eye, but these bands are outlined with light margins. Its dorsal fin starts far back from the gill opening.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/67628-Xiphister-mucosus
The rock prickleback has two distinctive dark bands radiating from each eye. These bands lighten towards their centres, though the degree of lightening appears to vary. The elongated body is greenish black, transitioning to mottled olive green with some light-coloured barring near the tail end. It has tiny pectoral fins and no pelvic fins, and its long, low dorsal and anal fins are both connected to its tail fin. The dorsal fin starts close to the head, almost evenly with the gill opening. This fish gets to 58 cm long.
Habitat & Range
The rock prickleback can be found in tidepools and under rocks in the rocky, seaweed-covered intertidal and subtidal, to 20 m deep. It may even be found in the intertidal during low tide, under rocks exposed to air, as it can breathe air and remain out of water for up to 23 hours if it can stay moist, It is mostly found on open coastlines, from the Gulf of Alaska to southern California.
Similar Species
The black prickleback (Xiphister atropupureus) also has dark bands radiating from each eye, but these bands are outlined with light margins. Its dorsal fin starts far back from the gill opening.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/67628-Xiphister-mucosus
References
Froese, R. and Luna, S. M. Xiphister mucosus (Girard, 1858) Rock prickleback. FishBase. Accessed 28/06/2016.
Lamb, A. and Edgell, P. Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest. Revised. (2010). Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. P. 118.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic version]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell (2016).
Froese, R. and Luna, S. M. Xiphister mucosus (Girard, 1858) Rock prickleback. FishBase. Accessed 28/06/2016.
Lamb, A. and Edgell, P. Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest. Revised. (2010). Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. P. 118.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic version]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell (2016).