Nature and more

typhlonectes:

Kyonemichthys rumengani • A New Genus and Miniature New Species of Pipehorse (Syngnathidae) from Lembeh Straits, Sulawesi, Indonesia  [2007]

Abstract:

A new genus and species of the gasterosteiform family Syngnathidae, Kyonemichthys rumengani, is described from a single 26.8 mm TL adult female collected in Lembeh Straits, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

It is one of the smallest members of the family relative to body mass, and resembles the pipehorse genera Acentronura, Amphelikturus and Idiotropiscis in having a short head and snout angled slightly to the axis of the body, dermal appendages and flexible tail lacking a caudal fin.

It differs from the three most notably in having fewer trunk rings (9, versus 11-15), more tail rings (51, versus 37-46), a posteriorly positioned dorsal fin originating on the eighth tail ring (versus usually originating on the trunk, but not posteriorly farther than the second tail ring) and a uniquely swollen trunk with a medial constriction.

(read more: NovaTaxa - Species New to Science)

Source: Martin F. Gomon. 2007. aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology. 13; 25-30. (www.wakatobi.com/fishID/articles/Gomon2007AQUA13_Syngnathidae.pdf)

photograph by W. Tan

Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker - Eumicrotremus orbis

Some people describe the Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker, Eumicrotremus orbis (Scorpaeniformes - Cyclopteridae), as a ping-pong ball with fins, and yes it seems to be that. 

Usually located in eel grass beds at night, these comical fish have a modified pelvic fin that works as a suction disk. This disk is used to attach the fish to rocks, shells and blades of eel grass. When disturbed, the fish hovers about, changing directions aimlessly like a tiny helicopter (they are very inefficient swimmers).

They are quite common, ranging from the waters off the Washington coast, up around the arc of the Aleutian Islands, to the Asian mainland and the northern islands of Japan, and in the Bering Sea. 

The largest recorded Lumpsucker was five inches in length, but the most of the lumpies that divers see are about the size of a quarter.

References: [1] - [2] - [3]

Photo credits: [Top: ©David Csepp - NMFS/AKFSC/ABL (NOAA Photo Library) (CC BY 2.0) | Locality: Auke Bay, Alaska, 2006]  -  [Bottom: ©Kathia Shieh (CC BY 2.0) | Locality: captive, 2009]

(Source: libutron)

Humpback Batfish - Platax batavianus

Platax batavianus (Perciformes - Ephippidae) is a species of batfish which inhabits continental reefs from Madagascar to Indonesia and Australia. Juveniles of this species, like this one in the photo, are black with vertical white lines on body and fins; this zebra-pattern serves well as camouflage when sheltering with crinoids.

Adults are quite different, silvery, with only a dark bar through eye and another (faint) bar just behind head.

References: [1] - [2]

Photo credit: ©Todd Aki | Locality: Lembeh, Indonesia (2014)

(Source: libutron)

”Lion Fish Blue” | Artist: Marcia Baldwin (2013)

Oil Painting

(Source: libutron)

Sea Horse by Artist Peter Williams (2010)

Watercolor on Paper.

(Source: libutron)

Koi Fish by Susanna Shap (2014)

Palette knife painting

(Source: libutron)

lifeunderthewaves:

red little beauty by lanz2002 Forsters Büschelbarsch (Korallenwächter) (Paracirrhites forsteri), Fury Shoals, Egypt April 2015

theoceaniswonderful:

sheepheadAug22-14 by divindk

California sheephead, Semicossyphus pulcher (Labridae) - Vulnerable

(via realmonstrosities)

asylum-art:

The Biggest and Brightest KOI Fish in the World… by LZF Lamps

 Measuring over three meters from head to tail and made entirely of wood, this spectacular light design by Valencia-based studio LZF Lamps is truly an achievement. The result of a long and exciting creative process that began back in 2009, the Koi Lamp is more of a sculpture than a lamp, made of dozens of veneer ‘scales’ and small wooden strips using a traditional Spanish woodcraft technique called ‘vareta’. This brilliant work of art will be revealed in all its luminous glory during Euroluce/Salone del Mobile 2015 in Milan from 14-19 April (Pavilion 11, Stand C22).

(via asylum-art)

astronomy-to-zoology:

Reticulated Hillstream Loach (Sewellia lineolata)

Also known as the Tiger Hillstream Loach, the reticulated hillstream loach is a species of river loach that is native to Vietnam.  Like other hillstream loaches S.lineolata is a rheophile, an animal that inhabits rapids, and is often seen clinging to rocks with its modified ventral fins. Reticulated hillstream loaches are active during the day and will feed mostly on algae but are known to eat small benthic invertebrates as well.

Phylogeny

Animalia-Chordata-Actinopterygii-Cypriniformes-Balitoridae-Sewellia-S.lineolata

Images: tropical-fish-pictures and Andy Foden

(via blasescience)

asylum-art:

胡少明- Hu Shaoming: 梦境·城系列

 A dream city sits atop a seahorse’s head   

Chinese sculptor Hu Shaoming uses steel components from everyday life:

The mechanical seahorse we see here appears submerged in water, crowned by technology.   Golden cities that hang upside down or steel towers that ride on a seahorse’s head.            

There are over 2000 individual pieces of architecture in this work alone, through which Shaoming reflects on the loss of traditional Chinese culture as a whole.

“When our eyes on the TV with a childlike nature, she is like a fairy tale fantasy creatures, pure beauty, like a dream. Although everything looks beautiful, but always broken fairy tale dream, that one day when human nature is dying away, the earth getting older, our star-studded supporting urban fairy tale dreams will slowly sank quietly die! We hope to arouse a sense of crisis to protect nature, 9.29 my latest work - "Dream”

(via motherofjudas)

fuckyeahaquaria:

Pink Paddletail Eel | Moringua raitaborua 

“Also called the Purple Spaghetti Eel, Moringua raitaborua is not only rare in the aquarium trade, but this curiosity is also rarely viewed once it’s added to the aquarium. It is very shy so it will keep itself hidden and spend most of its time burrowed in a fine sand substrate.This is a ‘true’ eel. It is a member of the Moringuidae family of ‘worm eels’ or ’ spaghetti eels’. It can get rather long, growing to just over 17 inches (44 cm) in length. But true to its name its body is long, thin, and ‘spaghetti’-like. Its head is so small that it is inconspicuous from the rest of the body. It eyes are small too and are covered with skin.” x

(by Bluegrass Aquatics)

(via speculative-evolution)

lifeunderthewaves:

Yellow Hairy Gobies by lynnwu It’s poppy yellow colour and eyes reflect strobe light in green or blue colour – makes it stand out and an attractive critter for Photographers, Videographers and normal divers alike.

“Underwater Photo Marathon 2015” Fish Category / 3rd prize

Paragobiodon xanthosoma (Gobiidae)

Striped Anglerfish - Antennarius striatus

Antennarius striatus (Lophiiformes - Antennariidae) is also referred to as Hairy Frogfish because of its filamentous skin appendages. It is an attractive frogfish, mainly because of its large and well visible worm-like lure which it likes to move a lot. 

The Striped Anglerfish is a subtropical benthic species, which lives in rocky, sandy, and rubble habitats as well as coral reefs. It can be found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa; in the western Atlantic Ocean, and also in the Indo-Pacific. 

Feeding behavior is quite unique in this group of fishes. They feed on crustaceans and various benthic fishes. When the frogfish detects its prey, it follows the movement of the prey item with its eyes. As the prey approaches, the frogfish begins to move its worm-like lure (illicium) in such a way that mimics the movements of the organism it resembles which in this case is a worm. The frogfish slowly prepares for the surprise attack on the prey by stalking it or just adjusting its mouth in anticipation. The prey is actually caught via the sudden opening of the jaws which increases the mouth size up to 12 times, pulling in the prey along with water in just six milliseconds. This water flows out through the gills while the prey is swallowed and the esophagus is closed with a specially adapted muscle to keep the victim contained. Frogfish can also expand their stomachs to swallow animals up to twice their own size-

References: [1] - [2] - [3]

Photo credit: ©Richard Ling (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) | Locality: Chowder Bay, Mosman, NSW, Australia (2010)

fuckyeahaquaria:

Orange Spotted Filefish | Oxymonacanthus longirostris

(Photo by Tatu Vaajalahti)

(via cyan-biologist)