''Rhinopias frondosa'', the weed fish, or popeyed scorpionfish, is a benthic marine fish which belongs to the family Scorpaenidae or also known as the Scorpionfishes family.
Similar species: Mail-cheeked Fishes
By Albert Kang
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Uploaded Dec 2, 2019. Captured Nov 21, 2019 08:49.
comments (8)
There were many divers surrounding it and I was waiting for my turn.
Its a popular fish and usually found on the deeper side, this one was around 32 meters, which means we don't have much bottom time to spend with it, especially when there are many divers taking turns taking pictures! Posted 2 years ago
The Weedy Rhinopias (Rhinopias frondosa) is a scorpionfish that lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and can be found at depths of up to 90 meters.
They have magnificent camouflage—their colors and appendages vary depending on their environment. Rhinopias found in rocky, algae-rich waters are covered in weed-like appendages, but those found in deep, soft-bottomed habitats have fewer appendages. As far as color, they can be red, white, yellow, or purple!
They don’t swim very often, but move naturally with the gentle swaying of the current, thus taking their camouflage one notch higher on the awesome scale. They literally mimic strands of algae swaying in the current! They spend so much time in one place that they accumulate parasites and algae on their skin. But, the fish routinely shed their outer layer of skin in order to combat this problem. Like most scorpionfish, the weedy Rhinopias is a nocturnal, ambush predator. They rely on their camouflage to ambush unsuspecting fish.
Oh, and they are highly venomous. Scorpionfish have venomous spines and stings can be fatal to humans. Thankfully, these fish are not aggressive and only sting when threatened. So, play nice and don’t touch if you ever see one. {Spotted in the Philippines by JungleDragon moderator, Albert Kang} #JungleDragon #Weedyrhinopias #Rhinopiasfrondosa
https://www.facebook.com/jungledragonwildlife/ Posted 2 years ago