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2010 January - Blue Sided vs Blue blotched Rockfish February - Northern Feather Duster Worm

February 2010

photo© 2010 MaryJo Adams

Northern Feather Duster Worm
Eudistylia vancouveri
Annelida Phylum

Name: Northern feather duster worm
Other names: Plume worm, parchment tube worm
Description: Polychaete worms inhabiting leathery or parchment appearing tubes and extending to form plumes with feather duster appearance. This species often forms large aggregations but may also be found as solitary individuals.
Color: Plume has alternating bands of maroon and dark green
Range: Alaska to California
Size: Tubes reach a length of 24 inches and diameter of ½ inch. The plume is up to 2.4 inches in diameter.
Hangouts/Habitat: Found on floats, pilings, and rocky areas.
Depth: Intertidal to 100 feet
Behavior: Has light sensing structures and if a shadow falls across it, the plume will zip back into its tube in the blink of an eye.
ID clues: There are other similar appearing sabellid tubeworms with parchment like tubes and feathery plumes so look for tubes with a diameter slightly larger than that of a pencil and the maroon/dark green banding on the plumes.

- Contributed by Mary Jo Adams, REEF PNW AAT, level 5

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January 2010

Photo one:
photo© 2010 Janna Nichols

Photo two:
photo© 2010 Janna Nichols

Blue Rockfish for both
Sebastes mystinus and ??
Scorpionfish Family

Description: It's a two-for-one special this month! Scientists have become aware that there are TWO species of what has been commonly called the Blue Rockfish. They are in the process of describing and naming the two species now. REEF divers are needed to help determine the ranges/depths, etc. of these two species. For REEF surveys, we're calling the fish shown in Photo #1 a Blue Sided Rockfish, and Photo #2 depicts a Blue Blotched Rockfish.
More info: http://www.reef.org/enews/articles/when-blue-not-blue
Color: Both are bluish gray with forehead stripes
Range: Northern Baja to Southern Alaska. I have seen the Blue Blotched Rockfish when diving in Monterey, California, and the Blue Sided when diving in Washington and BC. Other divers have seen both occur in Oregon. Fishermen are finding both species in many areas.
Size: Up to 21" long. Usually up to 18".
Hangouts/Habitat: In Monterey, California area, I've seen schools of Blue Blotched Rockfish hanging out in the kelp in midwater. In Neah Bay and up into BC, I've seen Blue Sided Rockfish always intermixed in schools of Black Rockfish, hanging out in kelp forests or near kelpy areas.
Depth: I usually see both schooling in less than 40 feet of water, but can be found to depths to 300 feet.
Behavior: Both appear to be schooling fish and will allow a closer look if you watch your buoyancy and move slowly. Let them come to you by staying very still.
Growth: Grow to be about 40 years old. Males and females are sexually mature at about 10 years old (about 14" long at that age). Females are larger than males at any given age.
Comments: Blue Rockfish stay in one specific area their entire lives. They can be easily overfished by partyboats, private vessels and spearfishers.
I.D. Clues: Look for the stripes on the forehead on both species.

Blue Blotched:

Blue Sided:

- Contributed by Janna Nichols, REEF PNW AAT, level 5