[Jon Law]

Hi

We are having a bit of a fun species hunt and I have claimed a 5 bearded Rockling, no I.D. problem there.

I have also claimed a 3 bearded Rockling as well,but now the debate begins I reckon that it is a young 3 beard and an experienced mate believes its a shore Rockling.

What do you think ?

In my defence :nerd: I have had shore Rockling before and they always had dark green/brown plain flanks, dark fins and a rounder head.

Where as this had a flatter head, which is not that obvious in the photo and also orange fins and the Leopard spots, which as far as I know are uni - que to the 3 bearded variety or

Am a wrong, wrong, wrong, in which case I'm going to have to eat a lot of humble pie

Check it out

 

[Davy Holt]

Hiya,

I'm by no means an expert on Rockling as I've never caught any of the UK species but I would go along with it being a 3 Bearded

 

[dab hand]

To me it is a shore rockling, the coloration is mainly brown, whilst the three bearded is much more colourful, and has bloched markings, and the mouth does not extend beyond the eye as it does with the three bearded.
On second thoughts, the jury is out on this one. if it is a shore rockling, it is a big one. pity not a clear view of the head/mouth as that can easily seperate them, as the 3 bearded's mouth extends well back beyonrd the mouth. where on the shore one it it only just reaches the rear of the eye.

 

[Jon Law]

Some one else I know caught this at the same venue. This one I believe to be a Shore Rockling !

 

[cap'nhaddock]

In my opinion the mottled one, the first, is the 3 bearded, shore rockling are coloured like the second example if it had 3 beards only then it was most likely a shore rockling

 

[Daz Taylor]

My money is definately on the three-bearded species. The mottled coloration is typical of this species, while the shore rockling tends to be a plain brown/sand colour.

 

[Norrie]

Hiya, Yep, got to agree with the consensus, its a 3 bearded...I've had a couple in the last year or so....looks exactly like them......

 

[bigads]

Looks like a 3 to me............

 

[rockling]

Yep to me its a 3 bearded rockling tight lines

 

[joe roberts]

here's a proper 3 bearded .

right ugly swine.

 

[Cononfisher]

here's a proper 3 bearded .

right ugly swine.

Yeah, and so's that fish:roll1:

 

[steve w]

I'd say a 3 beard

 

[Barrelreef]

i'd go with a 3 bearded