What is This Sea Creature? -Updated -- A Lumpsucker
Some Taniana Elementary School 5th graders discovered this creature yesterday, attached to an intertidal rock in Jakalof Bay, near Seldovia. Judy, who spent much of the week volunteering to cook and chaperone the kids, took these pictures. The creature was attached to the rock with little suction cups on its underside.
It is, according to Judy, "about the size of a football":
Two commenters recognized it as a Lumpsucker. Well named critter, eh?
One thinks it is Cyclopterus lumpus. Another goes for Aptocyclus ventricosus (smooth Lumpsucker). I think it is probably the latter.
Thanks for the help, anonymous commenters!
8 comments:
Wow.
I grew up along the shore of Vashon Island in Puget Sound, west of Seattle, and spent many hours examining the intertidal life on the rocks along those beaches.
I've NEVER seen anything like that.
It looks like a mutated frog or remora fish -- suckers??? I would suppose the slick moist skin would be a clue (primarily an underwater creature).
Did the teacher or the schoolkids collect the creature for study? Or leave it in place?
I'm curious now.
OK, that looks like the missing link if you ask me.
It's a lumpsucker, they live in the inlet.
It's not a missing link, it's just a fish.
Cyclopterus lumpus, common in both the Atlantic and the Pacific.
smooth lumpsucker is my guess from here. Aptocyclus ventricosus.
It is a lumpsucker catchin some sun rays...
hey, all creatures need some, once in a while...
Hmmm . . . big, slimy, bilious green, lots of suction cups . . . it must be a VECO.
can you eat them? are they tasty?
How many kids did Judy cook? Are they as tasty as the fish? :P
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