One of the smaller fish you may come across on a dive in the Pacific Northwest is the Northern Ronquil, Ronquilus jordani.
This ronquil is commonly found along rocky reefs, this fish can be seen both in the shallows at great depth, reach as deep as 200 meters. There are only seven know species of ronquil in the world oceans, all of which reside in the Pacific Ocean from Siberia to California.
Northern Roquil's have large eyes and mouths, with slender long bodies. Male Northern Ronquils have orange backs with iridescent blue fins bordered in black, while the females have olive backs and paler blue fins bordered in brown. These colour variations are wonderful to photograph.
Ronquil's tend to sit just outside their dens watching the world go by, if spooked these fish will quickly retreat back into their safe place. Be patient and move slowly, these fish are curious so let them come to you.
Thanks for reading.
Scott
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