Sailor fish

  

While tidepooling last week I looked down to see a rippling movement below me and soon realized it was the undulating fin of a fish. 

The fish was swimming towards a ledge, but before it disappeared I took two quick shots for the record.

Meet the Sailfin Sculpin (Nautichthys oculofasciatus)!  

The scientific name is very descriptive — "Nautichthys" means sailor fish, and "oculofasciatus" means eye-banded.  Below you can see both features — a very tall fin extending over the head (like a sail) and a dark stripe running vertically through the eye:

 

 

I hope to get a better picture of this species some day, but for now I hope you enjoy this introduction!