Velvet fish/scorpionfish in Mabul?

Hi there,

would you pls help me identify this little fella we found on Mabul during a night dive.

resting on a sandy patch less than 10m deep near Borneo Divers jetty, totally frozen even when approached.

the fish is not more than 7cm (3 inches) long.

I first thought of a juvenile leaffish but teh face doesn't look like a leaffish, then I thought it was maybe a velvetfish although its tailfin seems longer and more prominent than a velvetfishThe face is really similar looking to a lionfish though it doesn't have any of the long spines around its side fins... I'm quite sure it's a scorpionfish related specie but I could be totally off too...

Any clue?

.

Nice, my initial thoughts, due to the pelvic fins, would be a waspfish or something. But havent got my resources on me to look through, will do tomorrow but sure Marli or someone will have answered it by then.

Happy Hunting

Olly

Best match I can find is a young longspine waspfish, Paracentropogon longispinis. But the coloration is usually redder and the face of yours looks rather narrow. Got a side view?

My money's on a velvetfish. I have seen a few different ones and the shape of the snout is longer than a waspfish. The fin pattern is pretty distinctive. As for a specific species, no clue, but here's a similar one from South Australia with a similar pattern on the pectorals.

Velvetfish

Cheers,

Marli

I agree on Velvetfish too, my bet is a Phantom Velvetfish, Paraploactis kagoshimensis.

Cheers,

Jim.

Thanks everyone.

Unfortunately, all the images I got are very similar no side view. I must admit it was the end of the dive, I was a bit hurried to come up, and my limited skills coudln't make it asl photogenic as I wanted! My bad.

From what I remember seeing Marli's reply is pretty much spot on. I had seen the Phantom Velvetfish on Teresa Zubi's website but I put this hypothesis on the side since the tail fin looks too short with the Phantom specie while it is quite developped on my critter.

Marli's specie seems closer on the fins respect, though I'm not sure about the specie distribution (from South Australia to Borneo? coudl it be?).

I'll check if I have more meaningful images (Not sure I have any.. quite certain I don't, but well...).

Thanks again!

Luko

........Marli's specie seems closer on the fins respect, though I'm not sure about the specie distribution (from South Australia to Borneo? coudl it be?).......

 

Luko

Not impossible, after all Histiophryne cryptacanthus are found at Edithburgh Jetty too.

Cheers,

Jim.

Here's something similar from an earlier thread:

Fish from Anilao

Cheers,

Marli

Here's something similar from an earlier thread:

Fish from Anilao

 

Cheers,

Marli

thanks for pointing the link, it's definitely a velvetfish however I do not feel it is the same specie as the one from Anilao, provided from your link, when I'm looking at its snout. I have enclosed another photo (looking very similar o the first) + an enlarged crop of the fish front part, maybe it should be of some help.

For information matters, in case anybody who replied is still interested with this specific Id.

In the meantime I had written to the famous UW naturalist Neville Coleman who kindly sent me his reply, many thanks for it. It looks like it wasn't that easy to identify, hence the various suggestions, he even contacted Rudie Kuiter for that matter. (btw looks you were right jimswims)

I am copying his mail, I believe it's no problem for Neville nor Rudie.

Dear Ludovic,

 

many thanks for your submission. However, it was very difficult to actually find any reference to. As such I asked Rudie Kuiter and he has come up with a solution.

 

FAMILY: PARAPLOACTIDAE

 

COMMON NAME: VELVETFISH

 

SCIENTIFIC NAMES: Paraploactis sp.

 

REMARKS: This is actually a velvetfish. Genus Paraploactis and species most likely kagoshima. Being so small and cryptic, these are rarely seen and the one I found during the day was nearly all black. The species has white on the lower jaw and a large white area on the side of the abdomen.

 

Best wishes

Neville

Nice to be correct; it isn't always so.

Cheers,

Marli

p.s. Found a juvie Lembeh velvetfish on a night dive at Nudi Falls...all of 1 inch. The staff did not believe me..the lips and snout were the giveaway. Have not dealt with photos as yet.......

For information matters, in case anybody who replied is still interested with this specific Id.

 

In the meantime I had written to the famous UW naturalist Neville Coleman who kindly sent me his reply, many thanks for it. It looks like it wasn't that easy to identify, hence the various suggestions, he even contacted Rudie Kuiter for that matter. (btw looks you were right jimswims)

I am copying his mail, I believe it's no problem for Neville nor Rudie.

Nice to be correct; it isn't always so.

 

Cheers,

Marli

p.s. Found a juvie Lembeh velvetfish on a night dive at Nudi Falls...all of 1 inch. The staff did not believe me..the lips and snout were the giveaway. Have not dealt with photos as yet.......

Marli.

Did your juvenile Velvet fish resemble this one? Photographed aboard the AAII last year in Raja Ampat.About 2' inches in length. found underneath a ledge during a night dive. It was identified for me as such by Made the DM aboard, after being unable to find it in any of the ship's fish ID books.

Thanks

Cindy

Sorry that I didn't see this until now. What a cool fish. I think it is a waspfish juvenile from the shape of the head and dorsal. No clue which one.

Cheers,

Marli