What fish is this?

It was photographed in the Red Sea outside Sudan.

http://homepage.mac.com/anders_peterson/pi...otoAlbum47.html

Some kind of Trunkfish

With tumors on it. Ewwww.

The "face" was extremely human-like.

I've never seen anything like it (I have seen trunk fish).

Can anyone give me a name?

/Anders

The closest I can find is the Largenose boxfish, which is uncommon, and found off East Africa. Rhynchostacion rhynorhynchus. Still appears to have growths, though.

Marli

http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSum...ary.cfm?id=8288

Even without "growths" it's not a perfect match.

I posted some more ptictures of the same fish at:

http://homepage.mac.com/anders_peterson/pi...otoAlbum56.html

If it has "growths" what would they be?

/Anders

Hi -- I checked with our fish people who said it's a bluetail trunkfish, Ostracion cyanurus. the end of the tail should have a white posterior edge but that's not visible in the photos and the pink "growths" are apparently normal for this fish.

Leslie

Thanks,

I would never have made that match with the pictures at FishBase. ;-)

http://homepage.mac.com/anders_peterson/pi...otoAlbum56.html

http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSum...ry.cfm?id=12743

I assume the individual I photographed would be unsexed with unusually large growths. FishBase states that the maximum size of Ostracion Cyanurus is 15cm. I really think the fish in my pictures is significantly larger than that (dare I say 30cm).

/Anders

I would never have made that match with the pictures at FishBase

You know what? Neither would I. Jeff (fish guy) felt O. cyanurus was the closest match in Randall's Reef Fishes of the Red Sea and that blue individual on Fishbase does have a pink growth below the lip. On the other hand, taxonomists have been known to be wrong and new or rare species are constantly popping up, especially in areas like the Red Sea. Guess you'll just have to go back & catch the darn thing so we can be sure what it is!

Leslie

<quote>

Hi,

What you have is a male Ostracion cubicus, see Randall's

'Coastal Fishes of Oman', page 399.

We would appreciate if we could show one of your photos in

FishBase. Ms Aque Atanacio will contact you for details.

Greetings

Rainer

Dr. Rainer Froese

Leibniz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften

IfM-GEOMAR

</quote>

I guess it's final now...

<quote>

I have actually sent your fish photo to Dr Randall for confirmation on the

id and he agrees with the name, but he commented it has a strange color

pattern. I have consulted him on the unusual growth on the head and when I

hear from him again, I will let you know his answer.

Thanks for allowing us to use one (or two?) of your pictures.

Greetings from FishBase,

Aque

</quote>

<quote>

I would think the 'grows' are natural and probably the

result of sexual selection (females prefer males who have

them).

Greetings

Rainer

</quote>