Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker

Image via Wikipedia

Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker? What on Earth? Did someone just pick some words at random from a bag and throw them together to make a name? Apparently not. The Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker is one of those odd little creatures that merge the utterly adorable with the downright ugly to create something marvellously intriguing.

Pacific Spiny Lumpsuckers are indeed from the Pacific, right at the very top along the shore from Japan and right around to northwest United States. It seems they quite like the cold. They're also spiny, with rows of little sticky-out bits all over. They actually look quite lumpy, but the last bit of the name doesn't come from having lots of little lumps. No...

The whole fish is one, big lump. They are absurdly, comically spherical. Their head appears huge, with great, big eyes looking around sweetly. They look so calm and satisfied, like they've just eaten a gigantic meal and are sitting in an armchair preparing for an almighty belch. Ha! It looks like a minimalist comic strip come to life! Amazing!

vichighmarine

Image by oddharmonic via Flickr

And then there's the "sucker" bit. On their underside, the pelvic fins have become a sort of sticky disc that allows them to remain attached to rocks and plants and such. Good thing, because these little blighters are about as good at swimming as they look. And they look like a rubber ball with eyes.

Pacific Spiny Lumpsuckers eat worms, crustaceans and molluscs, basically bottom dwelling creatures that don't move too fast. They also come in a spectacular range of colours. Really. No, really. You know what? I can't help but think of them as the Frogfish's baby brother. Awww!