Common Bony Fishes
Black-Eye Goby
Rhinogobiops nicholsi
To 6” (15 cm) long. Black eyes, black patch at top of forward dorsal fin. Pale to dark tan-orange body with large scales. Territorial, in rock rubble, intertidal to 340’ (102 m) deep.
Northern Ronquil
Ronquilis jordani
To 7” (17.5 cm) long. Elongated body with orange bands or spots below the eyes. Orange-cream to brown, olive green and grey. Long, single dorsal fin. In rock rubble, 10–540’ (3–162 m) deep.
Northern Clingfish
Gobiesox maeandricus
To 6” (15 cm) long. Large head and flattened body; adhesive disc on underside. Dark, net-like pattern over body, often with pale band between and below eyes. On undersides of rocks, intertidal to 30’ (9 m) deep.
Plainfin Midshipman
Porichthys notatus
To 15” (37.5 cm) long. Large mouth and head, tapered body (A). Dark grey-brown to purple with rows of luminous white spots. Female deposits and male guards yellow-orange clusters of eggs (B) under intertidal rocks. On sand–mud, intertidal to 1,200’ (360 m). At low tide, males are sometimes heard “humming” a low song.
Warbonnets, Wolf Eels, Gunnels
Decorated Warbonnet
Chirolophis decoratus
To 16½” (41 cm) long. Long head with large, bushy appendages centred in front of eyes to back of head. Long body, orange to brown with dark mottling and bars on fins. In crevices and sponges, 5–300’ (1.5–90 m) deep.
Mosshead Warbonnet
Chirolophis nugator
To 6” (15 cm) long. Numerous short, bushy appendages on head. Evenly spaced “eye spots” or bars along dorsal fin. In holes, crevices and empty barnacle shells, intertidal to 200’ (60 m) deep.
Crescent Gunnel
Pholis laeta
To 10” (25 cm) long. Long and eel-like. Lime-green with crescent-shaped markings along the back. Under rocks and seaweeds, intertidal to 240’ (72 m) deep.
Wolf-Eel
Anarrichthys ocellatus
To 8’ (2.4 m) long. Large head and mouth. Long, tapering body with black “eye spots.” Female with dark, rounded head (A, left) and male with lighter bulbous head (A, right) often pair for life and guard eggs in den. Juveniles bright orange. Intertidal to 700’ (210 m) deep.
Flatfish (Flounders)
CO-Sole
Pleuronicthys coenosus
To 14” (35 cm) long. Oval body with high sides. Large, dark spot on centre of back resembles the letters CO. Large, prominent eyes. On sand and in eelgrass beds, shallows to 1,200’ (360 m) deep.
Rock Sole
Pleuronectes bilineatus
To 2’ (60 cm) long. Black and yellow patches on fins, yellow spots along margins of side. Prominent arch in lateral line. Often rests on fins, unlike most other flounders. In sand or mud, intertidal to 1,500’(450 m) deep.
English Sole
Pleuronectes vetulus
To 22½” (56 cm) long. Pointed head, large eyes. Slender body, lateral line without high arch. Variable colour patterns. Often partially buried in sand or mud, intertidal to 1,800’ (540 m) deep.
Nudibranchs (Sea Slugs)
Phylum Mollusca
Nudibranchs are colourful—sometimes spectacular—favourites of tidepool explorers and divers. Many species have a retractable plume-like gill projection or numerous cerata (protrusions), shaped like fingers, paddles or clubs. Some also have papillae (finger-like projections) or tubercles (bumps) on the body for respiration, camouflage and defence.
Dorid Nudibranchs
Features include flattened body, retractable gill plume and rhinophores (paired sensory organs on the head). Dorids lay lacy ribbons of eggs.
Spotted Leopard Dorid
Diaulula odonoghuei
To 3” (7.5 cm) long. Elongated oval body with fine tubercles (bumps). Dark brown spots, solid or occasionally ring-shaped, that extend onto the mantle margin. On rocks and sponges, intertidal to 115’ (35 m) deep. D. sandiegensis is more humped and has only a few dark rings or spots on body, found on open coast.
Monterey Sea Lemon
Doris montereyensis
To 6” (15 cm) long. Slender. Yellow to orange; scattered dark tubercles (bumps). Gills yellow colour. Feeds on sponges. Usually intertidal, but subtidal to 165’ (50 m) deep.
Red Nudibranch
Rostanga
