Mystery fish from Costa Rica

[Tjack]

Ever find fish in your photos you dont recall seeing during the dive? This one is a real stumper, less than 1" long, photographed off Cano Island, Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

 

[donnyb]

Looks like a type of sculpin to me. I would start my search with that group.

 

[HerraduraDivers]

Hmm,
yes maybe a Grunt Sculpin: Grunt Sculpin

But he has some Barbels and this may be a hint that he comes from the Blennidae or Mullidae Family.

The foto taken from the front don't makes it easy to identify this fish.

Actually i and my Instructors don't have any idea of what kind of fish it is and we think that we never see him here.
This don't mean that it don't exist here, but usually we look for big(er) fishes because our customers request to see them.

Chris

 

[Tjack]

I am thinking Blennidae as well due to its size under 1" and eye rings. Definitely Sculpin-like though. And, yes, this was photographed at Cano Island, Costa Rica. It's coloration and location might indicate some relation with algie habitats?

 

[donnyb]

Not a grunt sculpin:
W.A.N.T. Photography

But it does have one of the sculpin-like forms, similar to this long-finned sculpin:
W.A.N.T. Photography

 

[Tjack]

Yes I can see the strong resemblance, not sure if the whiskers on the mystery fish are part of it or the bottom. I'm starting to lean more towards a sculpin, new species?

 

[HerraduraDivers]

Hmm,
the long-finned sculpin found by donnyb seems to be identical,
but the wiskers look like real wiskers and not somthing on the rock.
The difference between the Sculpins and the Mistery Fish are the wiskers,
the pattern on his mouth and that it seems that Sculpins like cold waters
and their distribution stops on northern Mexico.

Chris

 

[HerraduraDivers]

I think i got it:

Black Wrasse or scientific Halichoeres adustus

Discover Life - Labridae: Halichoeres adustus (Gilbert, 1890) - Black Wrasse
Halichoeres adustus (Gilbert, 1890) - Encyclopedia of Life (look at the the right photo on the upper line)

I found it in the Book "Peces de la Isla del Coco" with a nice Photo from it:
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=4030
The Book says: Distribution: Revillagigedo, Caño and Cocos Island.

Look also here: http://www.ots.ac.cr/tropiweb/attachments/suppls/sup53-2 Peces Isla del Coco/Guia ilustrada.pdf
There are only illustrations, but it's very informative.

Best regards

Chris

 

[donnyb]

I think i got it:

Black Wrasse or scientific Halichoeres adustus

Discover Life - Labridae: Halichoeres adustus (Gilbert, 1890) - Black Wrasse
Halichoeres adustus (Gilbert, 1890) - Encyclopedia of Life (look at the the right photo on the upper line)

I found it in the Book "Peces de la Isla del Coco" with a nice Photo from it:
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=4030
The Book says: Distribution: Revillagigedo, Caño and Cocos Island.

Look also here: http://www.ots.ac.cr/tropiweb/attachments/suppls/sup53-2 Peces Isla del Coco/Guia ilustrada.pdf
There are only illustrations, but it's very informative.

Best regards

Chris

All due respect Chris, but I don't see the match. The pectoral fins alone do not match. I think we should keep looking.

 

[Tjack]

The facial shape and spotting are similar but I have never seen a wrasse sitting on the bottom like this. Great link to the "Peces de la Isla del Coco" book Chris, thanks. This fish was tiny, hiding in the background, Kelp Sculpin?