Grooved Razorfish

Fish > Syngnathiformes

The Grooved Razorfish (Centriscus scutatus) is an astonishingly eccentric marine fish belonging to the family Centriscidae. Celebrated for its knife-thin, razor-sharp body encased in rigid, translucent bony plates, this fascinating syngnathiform moves through tropical...

Short-spined Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Invertebrates > Starfish & Echinoderms

The Short-spined Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster brevispinus) is an intriguing, little-known echinoderm of the Indo-West Pacific. Unlike its infamous reef-destroying shallow-water cousin (Acanthaster planci), this multi-armed starfish inhabits deeper,...

Poison Ocellate Octopus

Invertebrates > Cephalopods

The Poison Ocellate Octopus (Amphioctopus mototi) is a fascinating, highly venomous benthic cephalopod inhabiting shallow coral reefs and sandy rubble flats across the tropical Indo-West Pacific. Known colloquially as the ‘two-spotted octopus’ or...

Yellow Pancake Batfish

Fish > Batfishes

The Yellow Pancake Batfish (Malthopsis lutea) is an extraordinary deep-sea batfish belonging to the anglerfish order (Lophiiformes). Inhabiting the perpetual dimness of continental slopes across the Indo-West Pacific, this bizarre bottom-dwelling fish is heavily...

Ornate Eagle Ray

Fish > Myliobatidae & Eagle Rays

The Ornate Eagle Ray (Aetomylaeus vespertilio), celebrated across marine biology as one of the most magnificent and elusive elasmobranchs on Earth, is a colossal batoid that glides like a celestial phantom across the warm waters of the Indo-West Pacific. Reaching...