Their bodies have horizontal blue and yellow stripes
This is the head of a snakefish, otherwise known as a blunt-nose lizardfish. This species is found in the Atlantic Ocean, and more specifically this photo was taken off of West Palm Beach, Florida. These fish live on the bottom (benthic) and tend to cover most of their body with sand for camouflage. Snakefish usually leave their head and eyes exposed and remain motionless. In this way, they are often missed by predators, prey, and scuba divers.
What do snakefish look like?
These fish are typically less than 16 inches long at max length. The one in this photo is about 6 inches long. Snakefish have short snouts and a head that resembles a snake. Their bodies have horizontal blue and yellow stripes and vertical dark bars. They also have a dark spot on the upper end of the gill cover. As a diver, you can get pretty close to these fish if you approach slowly and avoid stirring up the sand. They tend to not move unless you make sudden movements in their direction. I was able to observe this snakefish from a few inches away without spooking it.
Close up
As you can see in this photo, the mouth of the snakefish is turned upward, and if you look closely you can see its sharp teeth. Snakefish also have teeth on their tongue! With this natural weaponry, it is no surprise that snakefish are carnivorous. This ambush predator will wait for an unsuspecting fish to swim right in front of it. Then it will simply launch from its concealment and make quick work of its prey.
I enjoy this photo because of the wild look of the eye. The center is a swirl of colors that catches your attention. Since this creature is confident in its camouflage abilities, you can really get close and see the details of the eye. Interested in other wild eyes? Check these out!
The snakefish is not seen to be at risk in terms of its conservation status. Snakefish are widely distributed across the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately, they are not targeted for fishing. These fish are very boney and not desirable to eat. However, they are caught as bycatch, and also sold in the aquarium trade.
Snakefish also have teeth on their tongue!
Check out other wild creatures from Blue Heron Bridge!
Did You Know?
Although snakefish can be seen in shallow waters, they can also live as deep as 1,300’!
0 Comments