Frank
The worlds leading expert on the ID of these fish, Dr. Victor Springer, Senior Scientist Emeritus, National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution, Vertebrate Zoology Division of Fishes, can not ID it Victor thinks it is a new species of the Istiblennius (Rockskipper) and is why I asked Heinz for more info. So, Victor could get more of a handle on it, as to where it was caught and the conditions. See post #17
Victor Springer
Vic Springer, Division of Fishes, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, NMNH
donk :smack: Forgive me. I have been banging in walnut flooring for the past 2 weeks and tired. Actually I have two of his books. Just didn't put the two together from my google search.I was think'in of giving Scott a call but he is hardly ever at home and slow at answering e-mail.
However, we finally have a positive ID on this fish. It turns out that the revision of this fish was done by Springer, V.G. and J.T. Williams in 1994. This fish scientific name is Istiblennius rivulatus (Rüppell, 1830) a common Rockskipper to that location of the Red Sea.
Frank
Randall? I am not familiar with him
WOW, you are not ? He is a fish God like Scott but in the scientific world. Jack (John) Randall has written more on fish than you can shake a stick at If it was not for Jack there would be no FishData Base. He has like ~700 publications and is the worlds leading expert on coral reef fish systematics/taxonomy. He is one of Scott's and Tony Vargas best friends.
Do you live in a cave old buddy
John E. Randall - Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
Amazon.com: Randall fish: Books
I too questioned it when I saw the picture. NOt only that but I am pretty sure the location does not add up either.Frank
That is the same pic I looked at when Heinz first posted, among others but said no it can't be, as the strips are vert and not hor and no big white band right under the eyes and above the eyes So, I gave up And I still give up. I see no resemblance.
Nice Rocks
Walnut flooring ?? That must cost 3 arms and an leg
Hi buddies,
perhaps I should briefly describe my impressions on this ID! I think the ID, at least concerning the assignment to the species, is correct. There are no really good pictures of this kind so far, all images I could find are from Randall and only good to count the spines of the fin's LoL. Colors and patterns are as difficult to see on these pics. The animals are, at least I have the impression, all dead, but dead fish show little or no colors. A real ID, at least with these pictures is impossible.
I trust the experts here first. Perhaps there will later another ID, but until then I will apply the first-called