Family Pholidae

Gunnels

Selected Characters: Body elongate, compressed; dorsal fin long, contains only flexible spines; distance from snout to anal origin greater than half of body length; pelvics very tiny or absent.

This is a family of littoral fishes of the northern Pacific and northern Atlantic. They are typically found hiding under rocks and logs or in tidepools at low tide. The longest gunnel, at a maximum of 46 cm, is the Penpoint Gunnel. Most gunnels feed on small crustaceans and molluscs. There are about 14 species; six are found here. Although secretive, this family is common in Puget Sound.

Puget Sound Species

Apodichthys flavidus Penpoint Gunnel

Pholis clemensi Longfin Gunnel

Pholis laeta Crescent Gunnel

Pholis ornata Saddleback Gunnel

Pholis schultzi Red Gunnel

Xererpes fucorum Rockweed Gunnel