help identifying strange Bahama fish

[JonRohde]

Snorkling in 2-3 meter octacoral garden found a fish which I cannot locate with hours of searching the web. Its body looked a bit like a trunk fish - blue spots, dark and lighter banding around the body - darker around thorax, light abdomen, dark again tail. The most remarkable were the pectoral fins - nearly as long as the body (perhaps 14 inches) shaped with almost a scooped out portion near their base - anterior parts of the pectorals used to "feel around" and stir up and and then snout used to seek food. also had small rays or fins under "chin" on which he almost walked or pulled itself along the bottom. Dorsal 5-6 thin spines that moved quite actively. While it stopped activity when I swam up, it resumed and was not bothered as I followed and watched for 10 minutes or so. I dove close a couple of times and again it was not spooked but stopped feeding.

I have dived this area (North Eleuthera) for perhaps 20 years and never seen anything like this fish. Can anyone help me identify and find a picture>

many thanks - Jon

 

[herman]

A varity of searobin? File:Helidonichthys spinosus.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[electrix]

That is a very good description, I am sure someone will have it identified before the day is over. Lots of smart people here to help!

 

[Walter]

Sunds like a Sea Robin, but they walk on spines of their pectoral fins.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

File:Flughahn.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[JonRohde]

It was a flying gurnard! Interestingly, the book I found on Bahamian fish stated that "none has ever been reported seen in Bahamian waters". Well, there is no doubt I have seen one off North Eleuthera in about six feet of water and he matched the pictures very well.

thanks for the comments


Jon

 

[eleutheradiver]

Jon,

Have you seen any of these fish since then? I remember there were a couple sightings of a flying gurnard (perhaps the same one?) last summer... I saw it in some weeds behind the Rainbow tennis courts (~6 feet of water), and a friend saw it off of the point on the south end of Rainbow. No sightings yet this year though...