lcolmer's Favorites

Beachcast specimen, very fresh on tideline. ~90mm TL

Can’t think of what else it could be

Terrible photo, due to having a fisheye lens on. Seen at about 10 m deep.

Similar to P. nigrodorsalis, but the distinct bands, beginning on nape lead me to P. binivirgata.

Found rock pool, length 20cm

c. 4 m TL

Observation and images courtesy of Imogen Youngs.

Copyright: Imogen Youngs

Seen in Waikawa Bay Marina. Sighting and photo credit Graeme Smith.

Hanging at the bottom of Lermontov wreck. At least 10 individuals, 36m. Could be a nursery?

I think?
A school of small fish near shore. Led by a couple older individuals.

Juvenile

Under an overhang.

Big guy about 1m long

Interesting to find one here. It was quite skittish. Maybe they are naturally found here, or perhaps have spread a lot out of the harbour?

~5 cm long
~3 m subtidal

Not sure if this is a stargazer
Possibly Crapatalus novaezelandiae

From stomach of a searun brown trout - about 5cm long

First time seeing one of these. Gorgeous

Found this fish lying sideways in the shallow water, looking quite unhappy. Any suggestions on this species? Thanks

Observation and images courtesy of Rebecca Connor.

Nice one at the edge of the reef near the sand flats.

~8 m subtidal

https://youtube.com/shorts/H9bPLTvIqZc

Scuba diving with @ shaun-lee.

Very skittish little fellas

45ft Enderby, West of Sandy Bay

Found by a member of the public on a Golden Bay beach and posted on social media.

Meal time for this one. A medium sized one with the beautiful gold colouration.
Not sure what the triplefin in the mouth is, maybe scaly-headed?

~14cm long
~4m subtidal

Maybe. First three photos are after I have tried to wash some of the sand and plankton off it. Found dead on high tide line. Moderate SW winds

Another one!

Maybe another one of these?

Small one zipped in front of me twice then vanished into the dark.

~10cm long
~8m subtidal

A school of Warehou at the fish spot

Originally thought this was Seriola dumerili, and published the record as such. It turns out this was incorrect, when IDed according to "The fishes of NZ" book (Te Papa)

Found trapped in a tide pool at Tahunanui. Released back to the sea.

Observation and images courtesy and copyright of Adam Hills, Nelson.

Little one near the big conger.

~6cm long
~1m subtidal

In 300m depth

I think it's just the common fish that swim around in the shallows but a couple were sitting still in some floating algae which was cool.

~3cm long

Lone guy stuck in a pool of water full of seagrass

How about this one?

I thought maybe Periclimenes yaldwyni, but looks like Palaemon?

Taken while spearfishing at Cape Runaway. Part of a school of 30-50.

Blue paua like

Yellow variation

Under a rock. I thought only A. fuscus has a pale line on the top of its head, but this specimen has way to many spines in the anal fin and only 3 lateral lines.

Thought the orange was pretty cool. It was in an overhang close to shore.

~1m subtidal

300mm Long approx.

Time approx,

Time approx,

Time approx,

Time approx,

In a really nice little cave.

Dark toadfish.

Image courtesy of Lindsay Chadderton.

found on White reef in Deep Water Cove on SE corner at 16m

NW side of White Reef at 12m, Deep Water Cove

found in 8m in Cavalli Islands

Found in boulder bank at about 24m on SW corner of Putahataha Islands.