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Taenianotus triacanthus
Leaf scorpionfish are about ten centimeters long. The color of this fish varies from green, red, pink, brown, ocher and yellowish to a ghostly white. The fish is almost as flat as a leaf and resembles a leaf in many other ways. Head and mouth are large. Through their eyes there is a dark line. The large dorsal fin starts just behind the eyes. The poison of the leaf fish is considerably weaker than that of the lionfish and stonefish. The skin often has blotches that enhance a camouflage effect. This fish has appendages around the mouth, and sometimes real algae and hydroids grow on its skin. The fish molts every 10 to 14 days, and can change colors after the molt
Taenianotus triacanthus is widespread from east African coast and the Red Sea to the tropical Indo-Pacific, up to the Galapagos Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, Hawaii and the coast of New South Wales. This species can be found in tropical waters on coral reefs, from shallow water to a depth of 130 meters
When they see you they tend to lie horizontal, and they swivel slowly up and down.
Spotted on Oct 2, 2012
Submitted on Oct 28, 2012
7 Comments
A great find every time!!
Thanks, ChrisP: these are fairly common in Philippines, but you have to notice them, since they mimetize very well.
Beautiful spotting!
Wow great find Marta :)
Thanks asergio & Maria dB: Indeed they say this is why is difficult to make pics of them. You focus on them when they are upright and by the time you press the botton they are again down :-)
Amazing!
Nice series, Marta, and interesting note on how they react when they see you.