Northwest Dive Club

I probably need a refresher from Janna.. But I had a great dive at Mile Marker 8 with Bandito yesterday and this little guy was darting around below me.. I chased him down and got a few shots.. He looked to be between 6"-8" long and very quick...






Thanks in advance!!!


PS this post is edited.. THANKS Tom Nic for the help.. I need a no-brainer explination of things and you are most infomative..

Looks like a decorated warbonnet to me. Nice find!

Yup Decorated Warbonnet.

When you click on the link to take you to the picture, look to the right, there should be a link to "different sizes".

When you click on that, below the picture you will see some html in a box. Click on the box and it automatically highlights everything in the box. Copy it, and paste it into your post and it should post the pic for you.

I've seen other folks here post other people's pictures from flicr.... I wonder how they do that.... When I try and do what I just described to you with your pics it doesn't give me that feature... only with my own pics. Comments anyone? I think LawGoddess has posted other folks pics from flickr... curious how you do that LG?

nice find gilly!

GillyWeed wrote:Thanks guys.. I have to write this one down.. there is a 1st time for everything! And thanks again Tom!!

You are welcome! And now we'll get to see more pics!

The decorated warbonnett is one of my favorite critters! They are so still, but when they move they are lightning quick!

I think it is a Mosshead Warbonnet Chirolophis nugator. I can't seem to zoom in on the head, but the spots on the dorsal fin are pretty indicative of the Mosshead Warbonnet not the Decorated.

According to Humann' Coastal Fish Identification California to Alaska on page 85, Distinctive Feature #3 About 12 dark, goldish ringed spots on the dorsal fin.

The decorated has bars on the dorsal fin, not circles.

coachrenz wrote:I think it is a Mosshead Warbonnet Chirolophis nugator. I can't seem to zoom in on the head, but the spots on the dorsal fin are pretty indicative of the Mosshead Warbonnet not the Decorated.

According to Humann' Coastal Fish Identification California to Alaska on page 85, Distinctive Feature #3 About 12 dark, goldish ringed spots on the dorsal fin.

The decorated has bars on the dorsal fin, not circles.

You are correct, Mosshead Warbonnet.

Yup ... that's a mosshead warbonnet. Nice find ...

This is a decorated warbonnet ...



This is a mosshead warbonnet ...



Note the difference in the body markings ... more easily discernable, note the difference in coloration of the eyes ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Very nice pictures Bob!

I like the wiskers of the Mosshead.

My bad! ](*,) and thanks for catching my screw up.

Because of the size of the fish (indeed if your estimate is correct it would be one of the bigger mossheads that I've heard of.... don't think I've ever seen one bigger than 3 or 4 inches!) and amount of "moss" :-) on it's head I jumped to the conclusion that is was a decorated...

Look before you leap...

Here's a couple little Mossheads from last week, but lots smaller than the one you found:
<a href="" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1098/114 ... c1cd76.jpg" width="500" height="491" alt="CIMG7889"></a>

<a href="" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1291/114 ... 2eaea3.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="CIMG7891"></a>

<a href="" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1247/114 ... e02e01.jpg" width="500" height="484" alt="CIMG7795"></a>

And speaking of anthropmorphizing, I still think they look kind of dog-like when they "sit up" on their fins like that!

Grateful Diver wrote:

I love this one!

Bob is the master at finding these little guys.....he's got the magic critter eye.

coachrenz wrote: According to Humann' Coastal Fish Identification California to Alaska on page 85...

Dang, I can't wait to get my copy!

Nice catch, Tim. Yes, it's a Mosshead for sure! I always think of Decorated Warbonnets as looking like unicorns, with that big horn sticking out of their foreheads.

I've seen some pretty huge looking Mossheads before too, and it does throw you for a loop, because most of them are so teensy in size!

- Janna

PS: Fish and Invert ID classes coming up in September in Vancouver WA....I'll post about 'em soon.