Need A Positive I.D. On New Species

[SP Dan]

I landed a total of 138 fish float tube fishing a few different inner harbors over this past four day weekend and
inside the LA Harbor I landed this new and unusual species. I can't seem to locate this species in any of my Calif Coastal Fish Species reference books.

So far, many members on the FTFF (Float Tube Fishing Forum) agree that it's a member of the Sea Robin Family (not of this origin).
It probably arrived here in the ballast tank of an incoming freighter.

I'm just hoping that this species is not an :EyePop: invasive species. It appeared to be super healthy and well fed.

Are there any other different positive I.D.'s out there?

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff467/dancorery/P1020551.jpg (http://s1237.photobucket.com/user/dancorery/media/P1020551.jpg.html)

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff467/dancorery/P1020552.jpg (http://s1237.photobucket.com/user/dancorery/media/P1020552.jpg.html)

I appreciate all your inputs and or discussions:Cool:

SP Dan <"))><

[SP Dan]

A close long time friend of mine in SWAT thought that it might be a
Leopard Searobin.

Other thoughts from members on SCSF, is the Pacific Staghorn Sculipin and or the Pricklebreast Poacher.

[909er]

Mottled Sculpin

[shinbob]

Prionotus rubio, Blackwing searobin?

http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/resources/img/images/species/3450_8017.jpg

Or Prionotus scitulus, Leopard searobin
http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/resources/img/images/species/3451_4463.jpg

Neither seem to be native to the Pacific.

[DarkShadow]

Squawfish, obviously.

[SP Dan]

Thank you every one for all your input.

The eyes didn't seem to bulge up so high as in the previous photos.

[SP Dan]

I spoke with a DF&W Warden today and he said that he had never heard of this fish before, so I gave him all he pertinent information such as: where, when and it's length.

I also phoned the AOP in Long Beach today and spoke with Amanda in the Education Dept., this is there email response to my photos sent to Amanda.

Hi Amanda,
Very cool fish! I am sure that it's a sea robin of the genus Prionotus, but it doesn't exactly look like the photo reported for this species in Fish Base (our standard reference for fish identification).
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Prionotus-stephanophrys.html

However, there are some other references, like Dive Bums that certainly describe it as such.
http://week.divebums.com/2015/Jan12-2015/index.html

Either way, it's a very cool catch!

Sandy Trautwein, Ph.D.
Curator of Fish and Invertebrates
Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, California 90802

[ordane]

You can get small sculpin off shelter island in SD bay that look similar... Never seen them that big tho.. Also, I think they're poisonous.

[smokehound]

Prionotus stephanophrys.. non-toxic. delicious.

[TUNAVIC]

Very cool catch,never can tell what your gonna pull up!

Cya Tuna Vic

[City Dad]

Squawfish, obviously.

FRILLED squawfish

[dsanchez805]

looks like something that came out of the springfield lake.

[DarkShadow]

FRILLED squawfish

I dunno, looks more like a STRIPED frilled squawfish.

[murrieta angler]

Hey Dan,
Good to see you getting on some fish.
It's been a while and I hope all is well with you and Rhonda.

Robert
<><

[Danny_562]

Cool! First glance I thought it could be a relative of a Sculpin because of the head, fins and pattern. Since there is no positive ID on this fish even from professionals, does that mean it's officially a new species that you can name since you're the first to introduce it?

[smokehound]

Cool! First glance I thought it could be a relative of a Sculpin because of the head, fins and pattern. Since there is no positive ID on this fish even from professionals, does that mean it's officially a new species that you can name since you're the first to introduce it?No, because it was positively identified twice on page one :\