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Animal picture of the day: a sun-colored weedy scorpion fish

Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
March 26, 2012
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Mongabay.com features a Picture of the Day several days a week

Weedy scorpion fish is a new addition the New York Aquarium on Coney Island. Photo by: Julie Larsen Maher/WCS.
Weedy scorpion fish is a new addition the New York Aquarium on Coney Island. Photo by: Julie Larsen Maher/WCS.





This bright yellow weedy scorpion fish (Rhinopias frondosa) is the newest member of the Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) New York Aquarium. Weedy scorpion fish are found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean and in a wide variety of colors.

Although beautiful, the weedy scorpion fish's spines pack a venomous punch. Fortunately, its venom is rarely fatal for humans but is used to cause marine predators to back-off. Weedy scorpion fish are adept hunters using camouflage to spring on unsuspecting prey.



Weedy scorpion fish off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Photo by: Jens Petersen
Weedy scorpion fish off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Photo by: Jens Petersen.















CITATION:
Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com (March 26, 2012).

Animal picture of the day: a sun-colored weedy scorpion fish.

http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0326-weedyscorpionfish-pod.html









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