Photo Details

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Upload Date2018-07-28 17:27:08
Scientific NameHistiophryne psychedelica (Pietsch, Arnold & Hall, 2009)
Common NamePsychedelic Frogfish
LocationAmbon - Maluku - Indonesia
Diving CenterMaluku Divers
LensOlympus 14-42 mm
HousingOLYMPUS
StrobesSea & Sea YS-D2
Date Shot0000-00-00
Camera MakeOLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
Camera ModelE-PL3
White BalanceManual white balance
Exposure Time1/125
Aperture FNumberf/18.0
ISO Speed Rating250
Focal Length19/1
Settings
RemarksI had the opportunity to meet this specimen on a trip of friends to the remote island of Ambon, also known as the island of spices, located in the province of Maluku Indonesia. The trip is organized with the purpose of photographing this strange fish, which was discovered by science a very short time ago and is really very difficult to see, since it is endemic to the place and there are very few specimens that have been observed and the meetings are intermittent. We have seen it on the doors of a villa 10 meters from the beach and 3 meters deep, hidden in some rocks as it usually lives and camouflaged with its surroundings. Above our heads floated some small fishing boats and some garbage related to the small town of the nearby village. I happened to comment something about this exotic species. Also for a long time a few years ago I thought it was extinct. Psychedelic frogfish (Histiophryne psychedelica): The psychedelic frogfish was first described recently in 2009 by Pietsch, Arnold, and Hall in the scientific journal Copeia, where they described it as having "a remarkable pigment pattern of white swirling stripes", hence their use of the term psychedelic. The psychedelic frogfish has been known to reach a length of 15 centimetres (5.9 in). The skin of the psychedelic frogfish is flabby and fleshy, like other frogfishes. As a member of the order Lophiiformes, it has no scales. The skin covers the dorsal and ventral fins of the fish, which aid in camouflaging the fish. The skin may be covered in protective mucus. The psychedelic frogfish is different from many other anglerfishes in that it has a tiny luring appendage on its forehead. It has a relatively flat face with a mouth smaller than that of most anglerfishes. The coloring of the skin is a pattern of yellowish brown or peach colored stripes. This pattern covers the entire fish, including its fins, except for the hidden skin that is exposed when the lips are stretched forward, which is pale in color. At the margins, the skin can appear to be turquoise, although the exact nature of this coloration is unclear. Unlike some frogfishes, the psychedelic frogfish's color never changes, even if the habitat changes, and its offspring maintain that color as well. The fingerprint pattern, like the stripes on a zebra is unique to each individual. This allows researchers to easily track multiple psychedelic frogfish in the wild and still identify them from any angle. The fish's face is relatively flat. The camouflage allows it to blend in with its surroundings. The psychedelic frogfish has so far been positively identified only at Ambon Island, Indonesia. It has been found in coral rubble, where it may be camouflaged from predators, though the location is primarily considered a 'muck' dive with few corals in the area. The fish have so far been found in locations where the water is 5 to 7 metres (16 to 23 ft) deep, about 20 metres (66 ft) away from the shoreline. The coloration of the fish may be reminiscent of a number or hermatypic corals such as Symphyllia sinuosa, Leptoseris explanata, Pachyseris rugosa, Platygyra ryukyuensis, Pectinia lactuca, and Caulastrea furcata, all located in the Indo-West Pacific area. Female psychedelic frogfish laid a cluster of about 220 eggs. Like all members of the genus Histiophryne, the female wrapped its caudal, dorsal, and anal fins around the cluster of eggs, hiding it from view. As the fish had already spawned when it was observed carrying the eggs, the length of time to hatching is unknown. The psychedelic frogfish moves by walking on its pectoral fins over the seafloor, and has been observed using its fins to push off from the sea floor while at the same time shooting water through its gills to propel itself forward via jet propulsion. These modes of locomotion are quite common for frogfishes, although rare for other fish. The fish's diet likely consists of shrimp and small fish. Fish cannot be attracted using the illicium,like others Frogfish, as this spine is so reduced in size that it is unnoticeable externally. The psychedelic frogfish is relatively defenseless, but by hiding in these tight passages it is highly unlikely that any fish capable of swallowing it will be able to reach it. The combination of camouflage and the tight cavities in which it might hide makes it virtually impossible to find a psychedelic frogfish without overturning rocks and coral.[1] According to Andy Shorten, co-owner of the Maluku Divers diving facility where the fish was discovered, "Seeking out these fish is probably going to be like the Holy Grail of divers for a while." Pschedelic frogfish squeezing into a hole. The holes chosen are often so tight it may take a minute or two for the fish to maneuver into position, wriggling and pushing with its pectoral fins Discovery In June 1992, a shipment of assorted fishes from Bali, Indonesia, to the Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park revealed "something different"— two curious-looking anglerfish that became known as the "paisley anglers". They were in "very poor condition", and they died that same month. The specimens were preserved and sent to Pietsch for identification, along with a photo, although the photo was poor quality. However, after having been fixed in formalin and preserved in ethanol, their colors faded to a solid white, and their frilled faces lost their distinct frill shape. When the fish were analyzed, they were misidentified as cryptic anglerfish (Histiophryne cryptacanthus). These specimens were preserved and placed on a shelf. No one returned to them until their recent rediscovery in 2008. The species was first photographed in the wild during its second sighting in January 2008 by Buck Randolph, Fitrie Randolph and Toby Fadirsyair of Maluku Divers, located in Ambon, Indonesia. This quickly made headlines across American and Indonesian online newspapers, and the species was named one of the top 10 species discovered in 2009 by the International Institute for Species Exploration.Researchers were not sure how to classify it, since it was so different from any other known fish. The nearest genus, Histiophryne, had so many differences it was debated whether the fish deserved its own genus.[6] In fact, it was even considered that the new fish did not belong in the Antennariidae family. However, DNA tests, which are today's standard for making the final call on whether a species is new, proved that the fish belonged in the genus Histiophryne. Ichthyologists Pietsch, Arnold, and Hall collected a holotype from the Laha I dive site at Maluku Divers on April 2, 2008. They discovered that the fish, when fixed in formalin and preserved in ethanol, shrank 23[%] (especially the fleshy cheeks and chin) within four months and hardened considerably. The colors all faded to a solid white, but when viewed using a dissecting microscope, the stripes were again visible. These observations were consistent with the mysterious paisley anglers from Bali in 1992. This was subsequently tested on the two specimens saved from 1992, and the stripes could still be found using this method.