Mandarin fishes inhabit shallow protected lagoons and inshore reefs. They occur in the Western Pacific from Ryukyu Islands to Australia, usually in small groups spread over small area in a depth range from 1-18m, max. size 7cm. Mandarinfish do not have scales, but a mucus layer for protection. It is not only a stinky slime they produce, but they also secrete a toxin to protect them against predators. Their dramatic colouration, known as aposematism, is a warning: unpalatability and toxicity - both prey and predator get to live longer. This specimen was encountered in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia 1°27'34.836 N 125°13'17.046 E at 4m depth by night Nature | Travel Destinations | Animal Wildlife | Horizontal | Asia
High Resolution JPEG Picture of Mandarin fishes inhabit shallow protected lagoons and inshore reefs. They occur in the Western Pacific from Ryukyu Islands to Australia, usually in small groups spread over small area in a depth range from 1-18m, max. size 7cm. Mandarinfish do not have scales, but a mucus layer for protection. It is not only a stinky slime they produce, but they also secrete a toxin to protect them against predators. Their dramatic colouration, known as aposematism, is a warning: unpalatability and toxicity - both prey and predator get to live longer. This specimen was encountered in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia 1°27'34.836 N 125°13'17.046 E at 4m depth by night [2191038923] stock photo
