Can't seem to ID this fish

Hi all

I was wondering if anyone can help me with an ID for this fish. The following pictures are cropped frame grabs from some video I took, so this is about as good resolution as I can post.

I'm thinking it is some kind of juvenile, but other than that have no idea at all. It was 'drifting' across a sandy area, trying very hard to look like a dead leaf. Approximate size was 15-20mm.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Cheers, Simon

I think the common name is "rockmover wrasse" or "Dragon wrasse."

Cheers

James

Simon

I have got it down as a Peacock Razorfish - Iniistius pavo (Wrasse family - Labridae).

Yea you're right it's a juvenile rockmover wrasse.

Thanks for your help everyone but I'm still not 100% sure that it is either a juvenile Rockmover Wrasse or Peacock Razorfish.

Here are some links to photos of these that I've seen on the web

Juvenile Rockmover Wrasse

Juvenile Peacock Razorfish

It doesn't look like either of those really, although I did see this photo of a Juvenile Rockmover Wrasse which although a different colour is very similar in appearance.

Could it be a question of misidentification on the photos that I've see, or perhaps various different appearances from multiple stages of development? Looks like I still need some help to nail this one down completely!

Cheers, Simon

This is a picture of a Juvenile Rockmover Wrasse as I got it listed.

This is a picture of a Juvenile Rockmover Wrasse as I got it listed.

I agree with a previous poster that it's a juvenile razorfish (Iniistius pavo)

definitely looks like a juvenile razorfish, not a juvie rockmover...

nice find!

scott

Ok, i retract my statement, it's not a rockmover, but I dont think it's a razorfish either. Look at the stripe down the eye and the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin on only on the back third of its body, the razorfish has a dorsal fin along its entire dorsal side. I'll do some mroe research, if I can find my ID books. Where was this shot taken? That will help.

Thanks for your help so far everyone!

I've not been able to find any photos of any fish that look exactly like this one so far. I've been looking on the net and in ID books.

It was taken at Malapascua in the Philippines in May. I've only just got around to IDing all the wonderful critters I saw, but this one is proving the most difficult by far!

Cheers, Simon

ok, my final conclusion is Peacock Razor fish, at first I didn't think it was, but the ID book im looking in is a Hawaii fish ID book, if this was shot in the Phillipenes, it could very well have different colortion. And looking twice at the dorsal fin makes me think its the razorfish. You cant ID fish based on color in most cases, especially when they are found in different parts of the world. Hope that helps!

You know I'm still not 100% certain it is either of those fish. If anyone still wants to try and have a stab at IDing it I've uploaded some video which can be found here

Many thanks, Simon

Take a look at Teresa Zubi's fish page at http://www.starfish.ch/collection/coralfishes.html

Go down 3/4 of the page for images of juvenile and subadult Iniistius species including Iniistius pavo. Simon, it seems that your own image is a juvenile while the DeepSea image you linked is a subadult which accounts for the variation in color. Here's an adult http://research.kahaku.go.jp/zoology/Fishe...a/p153_01b.html

Many thanks for all your help. I guess we've cracked it this time.

Cheers, Simon