Growing to only 12cm, the Norwegian topknot is the smallest of the three UK species of topknot. The common topknot and Ekstrom's topknot being the other two. Unlike the common topknot which clings to harbour walls, upside down under boulders and in recesses in reefs and wrecks, the Norwegian topknot uses its ability to change colour to hide. It can change its markings into a variety of colours from drab browns to brilliant reds and pinks. It uses this ability to camouflage itself against a wide range of different background surfaces from sand to rock and algae.
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| This Norwegian Topknot has just moved making it stand out. |
In shape it is much more elliptical than both the common and Eckstrom's topknot and it has relatively large and well defined scales. I should have little problem with identification should I manage to catch one. According to divers there seem to be quite a lot of them around St Abbs Head so I'll be down there trying to catch one this year.
Tight lines, Scott.
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