Mystery fish from Costa Rica

[Rick Murchison]

I don't know what it is... but if those are the prominent barbels I think they are, it isn't a wrasse
Rick
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Belay my last... they're pectorals after all... I believe we have Malacoctenus margaritae... the Margarita Blenny!
- or - the Glossy Blenny Malacoctenus zonifer...
I'm leaning towards margaritae based on the pectorals and the snout, but the eyes seem to point more towards zonifer.
Perhaps with that one photo I'd better settle for "Malacoctenus sp."

Rick

 

[Tjack]

In support of the Blenny id there were more blennies around Cano than I have ever seen anywhere. The long pectorals could splay out to look like whiskers I suppose?

 

[HerraduraDivers]

Tjack,
I am glad that you like the book.

Kelp Sculpin? Hmmmmm
Fishbase says: Distribution: North Pacific: Aleutian Islands, Alaska.
Quite far away from Cano Island and some diferences in water temp.

Could it be that you had the photo from a previous dive trip to Alaska on the memory card?
Another strange thing i noticed is the green "plant", it remember me to a plastic aquarium plant,
and i never saw something like that here while diving.
In the mediterrean sea are some kind of underwater plants and they look similar, but here?
Can you remeber where this "Plant" went or what it was?

Here some beautiful pictures from sculpins: Sculpin Species Index

And another Book to read: Pacific Coast Fishes: A Field Guide to Pacific Coast ... - Google Buchsuche

Have fun reading it.

Chris

 

[Tjack]

This was definitely at Cano Island, there was an amazing variety of Algies and Blennies out there.

 

[Kill4Gills]

I would have guessed some variety of sea robin, the "legs" are a pretty good giveaway.

 

[Rick Murchison]

It's a Malacoctenus sp... promise
See plates on pages 188 - 191 of Humann's Baja to Panama Reef Fish.
Rick

 

[Tjack]

Those are barbels, the pectorals are visible behind the barbels. Stumped?

 

[wazungu]

Not barbels, those are pelvic fins. yes, Malacoctenus, believe Rick.

ben
coralreeffish.com

 

[txteachers]

A little late...but if you still haven't identified it try going to Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) | Diving That Counts and post it on their forum.

 

[donnyb]

It has been ID'd. Rick is correct.