Dragonet from Lembeh

It's about 4cm to 5cm long and was found in shallow 3 metres depth.

To me it looks similar to a Long Filament Dragonet (Callionymus keeleyi), except it doesn't have a long filamentous dorsal.

Gee Brian,

Nearly 'non-existent' DOF. . . . how many Inon's have you screwed on for this image?

Nice image of a well camoflagued fish.

Bruce

Gee Brian,

 

Nearly 'non-existent' DOF. . . . how many Inon's have you screwed on for this image?

Nice image of a well camoflagued fish.

 

Bruce

Thanks Bruce. It was so well camouflaged I wouldn't have seen it if it had stayed still. Just the two lenses but a lot of zoom.

I thought you were going to ID it for me. :-)

I thought you were going to ID it for me. :-)

I did. . . .

"It's a well camoflagued fish. . . ."

Bruce...

Might be a marbled dragonet, Synchiropus ocellatus.

Might be a marbled dragonet, Synchiropus ocellatus.

I don't think so when I compare it with images here http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?ID=7981

Also I'm not sure the range extends as far as Lembeh, Sulawesi.

However all suggestions are welcome, thank you for looking.

Yeah, it's hard for my uneducated eye to tell from photos. According to Kuiter/Debelius, Synchiropus ocellatus inhabits shallow reefs and its range includes Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia. Also, only the male has the very tall dorsal fin. Whatever yours is, you sure got a great shot of its face.

Yeah, it's hard for my uneducated eye to tell from photos. According to Kuiter/Debelius, Synchiropus ocellatus inhabits shallow reefs and its range includes Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia. Also, only the male has the very tall dorsal fin. Whatever yours is, you sure got a great shot of its face.

Perhaps the spines that stick out of it's head above the eyes are a diagnostic feature, you can see them a bit better in this profile shot. (D'oh, I should have posted it earlier).

Take a look at this Brian - http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=17464

Might be a Anaora tentaculata, or tentacled dragonet, identified by a "moderately long tentacle behind the eye".

Take a look at this Brian - http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=17464

 

Might be a Anaora tentaculata, or tentacled dragonet, identified by a "moderately long tentacle behind the eye".

Thanks, that sounds about right including the habitat. I didn't recall any "small leafy appendages on the body", but reckon there could be signs of that in the bottom left corner of my 2nd photo.