Bandtail Scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis neglecta) by Samantha Craven
Scorpionfish are ambush predators. Their exceptional camouflage allows them to wait in hiding until prey swim past, and which point they lunge forward and basically inhale them!
Baby mola mola, so shiny and cute. Via
karlayst: Mola by sailroue59 - A baby Ocean Sunfish, Mola mola.
We still don’t fully understand the reproductive practices of Mola mola but suggested spawning sites include North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, and Indian Oceans (narrows it down, doesn’t it?!).
Females can produce a whopping 300 million eggs at a time, more than any other known vertebrate.The eggs are externally fertilized in the water column. Newly hatched sunfish larvae are only 2.5 mm (0.098 in) long. They grow to become fry, and those which survive grow many millions of times their original size before reaching adult proportions.
Adults, with their enormous size and tough skin have few predators (that include sea lions, orcas and some sharks), but the babies are prone to predation from bluefin tuna and mahi mahi.
Sunfish fry, with large pectoral fins, a tail fin and body spines uncharacteristic of adult sunfish, resemble miniature pufferfish, their close relatives.Young sunfish school for protection, but this behaviour is abandoned as they grow.
Jawless Fish - Class Agnatha
They feed by suction (parasitic and scavenging), have cylindrical and elongated bodies, have no true fins or scales, have one nostril, and have a cartilaginous skeleton. Pictured is the mouth of a lamprey eel, a migratory agnathan (they live in both fresh and salt water).
Anemonefish eggs, all with eyes. Taken in Anilao, Philippines.
Giant Frogfish (Antennarius commersoni) by Samantha Craven
The unusual appearance of the frogfish is designed to conceal it from predators and sometimes to mimic a potential meal to its prey. For the scaleless and unprotected frogfish, the camouflage is an important defense against predators. Some frogfish can also inflate themselves, like pufferfish, by sucking in water in a threat display.
Frogfish generally do not move very much, preferring to lie on the sea floor and wait for prey to approach. Once the prey is spotted, they can approach slowly using their pectoral and pelvic fins to walk along the floor.
Rhinopias Scorpionfish (Rhinopias aphanes pictured)
Beautiful andunusual Rhinopias scorpionfish, sometimes also known as popeyed scorpionfish, live in the Indian and Western Pacific oceans mostly on rubble, sand and small coral reefs. They may vary considerably in color and design of appendages depending on their environment. It is widely accepted that specimins found in rocky, algae rich waters are covered in weed-like appendages, and those found in deeper soft-bottomed waters containing soft corals and sponges are more smooth in appearance.
Image and info source
Paddle Flap Scorpionfish [Rhinopias eschmeyeri] by Samantha Craven
Frogfish (Family Antennariidae)
Are a kind of anglerfish. They highly vary from species to species, and are well adapted for camouflage. Rather than typical dorsal fins, the front-most of the three fins is called the illicium or “rod” and is topped with the esca or “lure”. Some of them resemble fish, some shrimp, some polychaetes, some tubeworms, and some simply a formless lump. Frogfish generally do not move very much, preferring to lie on the sea floor and wait for prey to approach. Once the prey is spotted, they can approach slowly using their pectoral and pelvic fins to walk along the floor. Many species have adapted elbows in their pectoral fins (see above!) They enable the frogfish to walk and climb more easily. They are damned-cool sit-and-wait predators.
Trumpetfish
They are characterized for their long bodies and upturned mouths. They are often seen hovering with their heads pointed downward, this allowed them to hide easier while searching for prey.
