Psychedelic New Fish Species Found

Frogfish Bounces Like Rubber Ball Along Ocean Floor Near Indonesia

(AP)  A funky, psychedelic fish that bounces on the ocean floor like a rubber ball has been classified as a new species, a scientific journal reported.

The frogfish - which has a swirl of tan and peach zebra stripes that extend from its aqua eyes to its tail - was initially discovered by scuba diving instructors working for a tour operator a year ago in shallow waters off Ambon island in eastern Indonesia.

The operator contacted Ted Pietsch, lead author of a paper published in this month's edition of Copeia, the journal of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, who submitted DNA work identifying it as a new species.

The fish - which the University of Washington professor has named “psychedelica” - is a member of the antennariid genus, Histiophryne, and like other frogfish, has fins on both sides of its body that have evolved to be leg-like.

But it has several behavioral traits not previously known to the others, Pietsch wrote.

Each time the fish strike the seabed, for instance, they push off with their fins and expel water from tiny gill openings to jet themselves forward. That, and an off-centered tail, causes them to bounce around in a bizarre, chaotic manner.

Mark Erdman, a senior adviser to the Conservation International's marine program, said Thursday it was an exciting discovery.

“I think people thought frogfishes were relatively well known and to get a new one like this is really quiet spectacular. ... It's a stunning animal,” he said, adding that the fish's stripes were probably intended to mimic coral.

“It also speaks to the tremendous diversity in this region and to fact that there are still a lot of unknowns here - in Indonesia and in the Coral Triangle in general.”

The fish, which has a gelatinous fist-sized body covered with thick folds of skin that protect it from sharp-edged corals, also has a flat face with eyes directed forward, like humans, and a huge, yawning mouth.

[ibzjem]

Posted by twofoottwome at 9:57 AM : Feb 27, 2009

I agree. Document them and leave them alive in their natural habitat.

[ibzjem]

Posted by twofoottwome at 9:57 AM : Feb 27, 2009

I agree. Document them and leave them alive in their natural habitat.

[sleeplessdwarf]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7915634.stm

Looks a bit clumsy. :P

"... the fish's stripes were probably intended to mimic coral. "

I hope this was the reporter's slip, and not the biologist's. Evolutionary adaptation does not "intend" anything. It does "adapt", however, through random mutation and natural selection.

[twofoottwome]

it would be a really cool if we could leave things to their natural habitat - I saw a story yesterday where a biologist had 15 people help him catch (you know I mean kill !) a 300 lb. 15 foot long stingray...so much for the "study of" biology in action...everyone thinks you have to catch/kill/dissect something to learn about it - bravo though to Sea World for releasing a manatee after 26 years of profiting fom from it in captivity - but I have to wonder, was it concern for the animal for was it too expensive to feed and care for (being largest one ever in captivity)!!!

[displeased]

"Each time the fish strike the seabed, for instance, they push off with their fins and expel water from tiny gill openings to jet themselves forward. That, and an off-centered tail, causes them to bounce around in a bizarre, chaotic manner."

What a strange evolutionary trait. This is a really cool looking fish though. Their movements remind me of scallops. On my last scuba diving trip I thought I was being constantly attacked by scallops. They also propel themselves in what seems to be a similar chaotic manner.

[mitcho927]

Let me think...isn't that the area where we did all that nuclear testing under water? Of course there's going to be new species. DUHHHHH

[rf35]

This would be a cool addition to a coral reef tank. How big do they get?

[sockpuppet4]

Mello. Far out man. Cool. Can you dig it?

[ibzjem]

Posted by tmittelstaed at 1:36 PM : Feb 26, 2009

wow! and he is still living? Looks like he found the fountain (or ocean rather) of youth.

[sedean1]

OOOH! Pictures, more pictures please!!!

[tmittelstaed]

Your looking at a picture of your great, great, great, great, great, great,great,great,great,great,great,great...............
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.
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great, great, grandfather!