Photos / Sounds
What
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
Dead - vehicle strike
Photos / Sounds
What
Leaf Scorpionfish (Taenianotus triacanthus)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
Anchor Bommie, Lady Elliot Island
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Blacklined Glidergoby (Valenciennea helsdingenii)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
The Nursery, Bowen Island. Seen as a pair - both darted into a burrow.
Looks like the most southerly record of this species on iNaturalist.
Image: Sabrina Velasco @sabvelasco
Photos / Sounds
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Scrawled Filefish (Aluterus scriptus)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
Juvenile. Mimicking detached sea grass, drifting/moving around with the snout down, tail facing the surface and using only the pectoral fins to control movement
Photos / Sounds
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Southern Pygmy Idiosepiid (Xipholeptos notoides)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
Found amongst detached sargassum floating 100m offshore. Photographed in a tank and then released
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Southern Bobtail (Euprymna tasmanica)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
Spotted just a couple of metres off the shoreline
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Southern Crested Weedfish (Cristiceps australis)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
Found amongst detached sargassum floating just off the shoreline. Photographed in a tank and then released
Photos / Sounds
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Yellow Crested Weedfish (Cristiceps aurantiacus)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
Small individual
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Southern Crested Weedfish (Cristiceps australis)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
Small individual ~45mm long. Found on the surface amongst a small clump of floating sargassum about 100m offshore (photographed in a tank and then released in the same place in the same sargassum clump)
I think it is either C. australis or C. argyropleura. The first dorsal fin originates directly above the centre of the eye which would suggest C. australis but there also appears to be a low membrane connecting the first and second dorsal fins (second image) which would suggest C. argyrolpleura from what I've been reading. Nasal tentacles have two short lobes.
Would love to hear from people more in the know on Clinidae! What a fascinatingly difficult family of fish.
I have more photos if there's any other features that would help but not visible in these pics
Photos / Sounds
What
Flathead Goby (Callogobius depressus)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
I'm thinking C. depressus just based off the flat head and looking at images online but I'm definitely out of my depth with this one. Saw several individuals during the dive, all were just poking their heads out from underneath rock ledges on sandy substrate like this one and all looked near identical in colouration
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Bastard Red Cod (Pseudophycis breviuscula)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
In about 5m water depth, estimated TL ~20cm. Identifying as P. breviuscula (vs L. rhacina) based on the lack of a white margin on dorsal, anal and caudal fins, and that the ventral fins are positioned well forward of the pectoral fins. Based on my reading, P. barbata doesn't come into water this shallow in the northern part of its range and tends to be paler, more grey in colour (?) - keen to hear thoughts from people who have experience with either of these Pseudophycis species as I've not seen either one before.
Photos / Sounds
What
Yellow Crested Weedfish (Cristiceps aurantiacus)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
Finally found one!
Photos / Sounds
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Ogilby's Weedfish (Heteroclinus heptaeolus)Observer
wild_lachieDescription
My best guess is Heteroclinus heptaeolus but I haven't found any images online of un-patterned individuals that are orange in colour - all the cleanskin ones seem to be greenish?
In the third photo showing the tail you can see two transparent ocelli - one above and one below the body within the dorsal and anal (?) fins
