Name: Mandarinfish
Scientific Name: Synchiropus splendidus (Herre, 1927)
Family: Callionymidae
Group: Bony fish
Class: Fish
Size: 0-10 cm.
The mandarinfish lives on bottoms rich in slime and rubble, in protected lagoons or coral reefs. Here, disguised in the surrounding environment, it feeds on small invertebrates picked from the substrate, which it captures by rapidly projecting its jaws. Although it does not grow to more than 6 cm in length, the mandarinfish stands out because of its brilliant colours and the elaborate pattern that covers its body.
Photo by:
Luc Viatour (commons.wikimedia.org)
Oceanário Location
Living coral reef
