High cockscomb
(Anoplarchus purpurescens)
Image source: Robin Gwen Agarwal | inaturalist.org
General data
Anoplarchus purpurescens, commonly known as the high cockscomb, is a species of fish in the family Stichaeidae.
It is found in the Pacific Ocean, from the Pribilof Islands in the north to Santa Rosa Island in the south (66°N - 32°N). It inhabits coastal areas, no deeper than 30 meters below the surface. It lives near the ocean floor and in the intertidal zone. This species can breathe air, allowing it to survive for 15–25 hours out of water if moist.
This long-bodied fish may be grey, with olive overtones, or brown, potentially with reddish overtones. The belly is pale.
Individuals are often 6 to 9 cm in length but in 2022, an exceptional specimen was captured and released by a young boy at Fords Cove on Hornby Island, British Columbia that was filmed and officially measured at 26 cm in length, establishing a new maximum recorded size.
This species is sexually dimorphic. Females have more subdued colors, but show more green or brown patterns. Females have a yellow speckled cockscomb and lower surface of the head. In males these areas are pale and lack speckles. During breeding season males develop bright orange and reddish coloration on the fins.
Diet
The high cockscomb eats green algae, polychaete worms, crustaceans and mollusks.[3]
