Leaf scorpion fish

Scientific name : Taenianotus triacanthus

Small compressed scorpion fish, with high and long dorsal fin, often lifted up. Extremely variable colour, white, yellow, pink, green, brown or black. 10 cm. It stands still, with lifted dorsal fin, rocking and mimicking a seaweed moved by the current. It is an ambush predator. Easy to identify among the scorpion fishes, due to the compressed shape. Sometimes it is confused with the leaf fishes Ablabys taenianotus and Ablabys macracanthus: both have smaller head and mouth, and live in a different environment (sandy).

Associated organisms
Often hiding among corals and gorgonians. Algae and hydroids can grow on its skin, that it changes from time to time coming out as from a glove.

	Description	Author	Place	Size
	Yellow	MATTEO GUARDINI	Indonesia, Likupang	451 kB
	Hunting	DANIELE IOP	Indonesia, Bunaken	1350 kB