Shore rockling
Encyclopedia
The Shore rockling is a mottled brown small elongated fish. This eel-like fish has 3 barbels on its head, with 2nd Dorsal fin
and Anal fin running the long most of its body. These fins may be viewed moving in a continuous wave motion.
The Shore Rockling is often confused with the five-bearded rockling
(Ciliata mustela) and also the larger three-bearded rockling
(Gaidropsarus vulgaris), due to their similar colourings, shape and habitat
.
As the name suggests, main visual differences are the Five-bearded Rockling having five barbels around its mouth, whereas the Three-bearded Rockling having a significant redness to its brown colouring when compared to the Shore Rockling.
Shore Rocklings live in and around rocky areas throughout the English Channel
feeding on both worms and crustaceans.
Other than in the English Channel, Shore Rocklings are also found in the Atlantic (Europe) and Mediterranean.
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
and Anal fin running the long most of its body. These fins may be viewed moving in a continuous wave motion.
The Shore Rockling is often confused with the five-bearded rockling
Fivebeard rockling
The fivebeard rockling is a coastal fish of the Lotidae family. Its body is elongated and up to long. It lives in shallow water on muddy and sandy seafloors, sometimes in the littoral zone...
(Ciliata mustela) and also the larger three-bearded rockling
Three-bearded rockling
The Three-bearded rockling is found in European waters from the central Norwegian coast and the Faroe Islands, through the North Sea and around the British Isles to the region around the Western Mediterranean. They can grow to a maximum length of 60 cm...
(Gaidropsarus vulgaris), due to their similar colourings, shape and habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
.
As the name suggests, main visual differences are the Five-bearded Rockling having five barbels around its mouth, whereas the Three-bearded Rockling having a significant redness to its brown colouring when compared to the Shore Rockling.
Shore Rocklings live in and around rocky areas throughout the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
feeding on both worms and crustaceans.
Other than in the English Channel, Shore Rocklings are also found in the Atlantic (Europe) and Mediterranean.