Those Wacky Waspfishes (Family Tetrarogidae).
by Scott W. Michael

A cockatoo waspfish (Ablabys taenianotus) doing what it does best. Posing like a leaf! Photo by Janine Cairns-Michael.

More and more divers are exploring the muck. They are diving in coastal habitats that once were considered unfit to the recreational diver or photographer. But now, divers are aware that there are many wonderful organisms that live in these areas. One group of fishes that falls into this category is the family Tetrarogidae. These fishes are collectively known as waspfishes. They get their name from their venomous sting. They have sharp fin spines with an assocaited venom gland. In this Coral Realm you will learn more about this odd group of muck-dwellers.

We invite you to join our growing international community of members. It takes less than 5 minutes using our secure and privacy protected online application form and payment system. Join CoralRealm's international community and get this screen saver FREE! A must for any sea slug lover! This screen saver features 18 beautiful images of rare and exotic sea slugs from Indonesia. Includes amazing photos documenting mating and egg-laying behavior! All images are 1024 x 768. More Info... Click Here to become a member now! Need more information?   Select a link below: CoralRealm Member Benefits Member Comments and Testimonials