About Ablabys taenianotus (Cuvier, 1829)
Ablabys taenianotus is a fish that reaches a maximum length of 6 inches, or 15 cm. Its body is laterally compressed, and it has a dorsal fin that runs from the top of the head almost to the upper base of the caudal fin. When spread, this dorsal fin forms a crest that resembles a cockatoo's crest. The spines of its dorsal fin contain venom. This fish stays primarily on the seabed, and it moves using its pectoral fins. Its color ranges from cream to dark brown, marked with irregular spots. This species is found in the tropical West Pacific Ocean, ranging from Malaysia to Japan and from Indonesia to Australia. It lives at depths between 2 and 60 feet, or 0.6 to 18.2 meters. It can be found on sandy, silty, or rubble bottoms, and also in meadows of Zosteraceae seagrass.
