Extremely rare fish spotted in Curacao

[gustele]

As one of the volunteers of Stimana, the foundation for Marine Archeology in the Netherlands Antilles, I dive regularly in the harbor on the historical wreck of the Mediator (for more information see Mediator / Welcome to the Curacao Diving Paradise - Curacao Diving Paradise).
Today we got permission to dive at another location near the Pontoon bridge. There you can find several artefacts from the 19th century (bottles, pipe-heads and -stems, etc.). But today I found something completely different. At first it looked like a chicken or dove with a beek and wings. But at closer inspection I saw fins at the wing tips and a mouth underneath the beek. Later I found out that it was a Batfish and more specifically a Polka-dot Batfish. According to Paul Humann Reef Fish Identification (Florida, Caribbean and the Bahamas) this kind is not reported in the Caribbean. Apparently that is no longer the case.
Some pictures are attached and more pictures from this dive can be found at Picasa Web Albums - John - Annabay (near....

Don't try to dive for this fish in the harbor. Diving there is forbidden except with permission from the harbor authorities. There is a high fine for diving without the proper permission.

 

[Rynomar]

Great find, are you sure that it is not the Shortnose Batfish? Regardless, that is a really cool fish to spot.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

What an amazing find! That is the strangest thing I have ever seen. So cool you got such great shots! Thanks for sharing them.
I have very fond memories of Curacao. My son and I snorkled over the wreck of the tugboat. We were there on a cruise and my son had been talking to a young woman online. We met up with her and her cousin who took us on a tour of the Island. I kept in touch with her online for years but lost her when she was in the Netherlands at university. What an amazing place. So the Pontoon bridge would that be the one where we were told to meet "On the Other Side"?
Unfortunately I wasn't well, having come down with the shipboard cold and my eyesight wasn't great without a prescription mask but I remember the most incredible vibrant blue fish. I honestly think that experience had a lot to do with me starting to dive and everything to do with why I bought an underwater camera... primary goal get a picture of a blue fish! lol

 

[alashas]

Wow, gustele, what an amazing discovery, and what an unusual creature! Great photos, too! They are all fascinating, but this one really caught my attention, and reminded me of the beginning of the old Superman shows: "Is it a bird, is it a plane, no, it's batfish!"

Keep on diving one Sunday every month in the harbor, who knows what you will find next?!

thanks, again, alashas http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/

 

[gustele]

Shortnose batfish or Polka-dot batfish; identification is not easy but I lean towards the Polka-dot batfish because of the dots on the back and tailfin. But it is indeed the strangest fish I have ever seen.

 

[Curacao Sunshine]

Speaking of strange.....
What is in the photo on your posts, Gustele?
Sunshine

 

[dogenia]

It's the cookie monster!!!!!!!!!!

Hey sunshine when are you gonna make soome more candy. I'm diving with some scubaboarders and OEW tommorow. I'll honk when I drive bye.

Don

 

[gustele]

Sunshine, I like to take pictures of strange things under water. The picture next to each post reminds me of the head of a large Dinosaur. It is a close-up of a clam shell covered by a encrusting sponge.

But it is not only strange things I take pictures of. Here is a beauty that I found during my dive this Sunday at Playa Kalki:

In real life this cleaner shrimp is about 1 inch.

 

[alashas]

Wow, gustele, great macro shot!

bring 'em on! alashas http://honeymoon2.smugmug.com/

 

[dogenia]

Aha a challenge has been issued. I'm diving Sponge Forest and Watamula tommorow with OEW. I'll do my best to bring back some good shots.