FISH Mystery solved...it gets to show you that the OCEAN still holding many secrets or surprises...
The
FISH Mystery is solved...
© Photo Lee Goldman -
Carpet Eel
Blenny Dottyback!
Hi
Gunther,
the mystery is solved! I have identified the fish I photographed at
Donsol. A very reclusive, cryptic fish that is not seen very often.
It looks like an ell, but it's not. It looks like a blenny, but
it's not. What is it? Of course, it's the Carpet Eel Blenny
Dottyback! Dottyback? Aren't they the small cryptic reef fish that
often have amazingly brilliant colors? Yes, that's them and this
guy is the 'blacksheep' of the family. Not only is he very cryptic
in their morphology, but at up to 45cm long, they are easily the
largest. Well, another new one for me and happy to say that after
almost 20 years of exploring the world's oceans, I can still be so
easily entertained :)! ...and YOU are so right Lee