The Rhinopias Scorpionfish
Even for Lembeh, finding rhinopias is a special occasion! Rhinopias don’t move around very much which means we can often visit our funny looking friends. Pictured is the Paddleflap Rhinopia (Rhinopias eschmeyeri) which must be one of the best common names in the animal kingdom. It is also known as Eschmeyer’s rhinopia/scorpionfish although this doesn’t conjure up quite the same image as a ‘flappy paddler’.
Regardless of the name, rhinopias are among the ‘holy grail’ critters for underwater photographers and the magic of Lembeh means we can find both weedy and paddleflap species here. While rhinopias are rare, these two species are the only ones normally sighted by divers as the other five species are restricted to specific geographical locations.
Rhinopias give the Ambon Scorpionfish a run for their money as the best-looking scorpionfish although with that upturned face you can’t help but feel they are constantly looking down their nose at you. Like other scorpionfish the rhinopias are ambush predators, lying in wait before opening its mouth very wide to suck in its prey. For this they rely on excellent camouflage but even these fish can feel uncomfortable with too much algae growing on them and they are able to shed the outer layer of skin to prevent too much building up!
This week we said goodbye to Conny who loved Lembeh so much she stayed for an extra week! After 17 days and a lot of training at Two Fish Lembeh Resort we wish her all the best with finishing her divemaster training in Bunaken. We also welcomed Dario, our latest Two Fish divemaster, who decided to see what all the fuss is about in Lembeh after training in Lembongan, Gili Air and Bunaken. He fulfilled his goal with lots of octopus and an ‘epic night dive’!
Do you want to join us for muck diving in Lembeh? Lembeh is home to an extraordinary abundance of rare and unusual marine life and it’s a mecca for underwater photographers – come and join us and see for yourself! Did you know we are just a short ride away from Bunaken? So you can enjoy muck diving and reefs in one awesome trip!
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