A Fish With A Furry Head - The Decorator Warbonnet - Chirolophis decoratus

Look! On the ocean floor. It's a mop, it's a brush, it's a decorator warbonnet!

For a slow-moving fish living near the ocean floor, camouflage provides both a defense and a way of deceiving potential prey. This member of the prickleback family of fishes is actually a long slender fish up to 40 cm (15 inches) in length that prefers to live among rocks covered with other marine life.

This small individual was found hiding in a giant moon snail shell, with only its head sticking out. The tufts on the forehead are actually modified dorsal spines that blend with a background of hydrozoans and moss animals (bryozoans) that often cover seafloor rocks. The genus name comes from the Greek chiros (hand) and lophos (crest); and the species name from the Latin decoratus (ornamented).

This fish feeds on small animals that swim or crawl near its lair. Its range is from Washington State to Alaska, and it usually lives at the ocean floor at a depth of 10 meters (33 feet) or more.

For a concise treatment of Chordate biology see our program Branches on the Tree of Life: Chordates.