Kittery Paddle

#1 Suz

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Posted 29 November 2009 - 08:08 PM

Went on a short paddle today and found this fish being eaten by a big Black Back Gull.

Does anyone know what it is?

It was red and had a big tongue in his mouth.

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#2 Bill Gwynn

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Posted 29 November 2009 - 08:40 PM

I believe that is a "Monk Fish".

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#3 PeterB

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Posted 29 November 2009 - 09:08 PM

QUOTE(Bill Gwynn @ Nov 29 2009, 08:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe that is a "Monk Fish".

It's a sea raven Hemitripterus americanus, a kind of sculpin.

#4 Phil_Allen

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Posted 29 November 2009 - 09:34 PM

Looks like a goosefish (which goes on the market as monkfish) but they're not usually red.

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#5 NPSheehan

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Posted 30 November 2009 - 11:28 AM

Peter is correct it's definitely a Sea Raven see the photo below

http://www.thejump.net/id/sea-raven.htm

As kids we used to spearfish for these as well as Sclupins and Monk Fish and Flounders off of North Beach in Hampton

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#6 leong

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Posted 30 November 2009 - 12:33 PM

QUOTE(NPSheehan @ Nov 30 2009, 11:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Also looks like a "Sea Robin"

#7 PeterB

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Posted 30 November 2009 - 12:56 PM

QUOTE(leong @ Nov 30 2009, 12:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Also looks like a "Sea Robin"

The Sea Raven is distinguished from other sculpins by the two taller spines at the front of the dorsal fin, clearly evident in Suz' picture. They are also reddish/maroon in color, although indeed they can also be a bright yellow as in one of Neil's pictures. (I saw one in this color phase up by H20 /Orrs Island).

The sea robin has long pectoral spines, and the monkfish (or goosefish: Lophius) is more flattened, usually a grey to brown color, and has virtually no dorsal fin.

#8 rcohn

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Posted 30 November 2009 - 05:33 PM

QUOTE(PeterB @ Nov 30 2009, 12:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I vote for sea raven also, one of my favorite fish to see when diving. Colors vary, I've seen several that were brown. A very reliable friend watched a yellow sea raven swim to a new spot and turn brown.

The one time I've seen a goosefish underwater (10 years ago) I mistook it for some type of skate, a friend correctly identfied it. They were very common in the shallow coastal water years ago, but are almost never seen by divers now.

Ralph