Actinopterygii Collection (page 14)

Coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata) waits in ambush, hiding against a seafan (Annella sp.) hunting silversides (Atherinidae), with schooling bigeye snapper (Lutjanus lutjanus) behind

RF - Maldive anemonefish (Amphiprion nigripes) swimming above their host Magnificent sea anemone (Heteractis magnifica) on coral reef

Mexican Hogfish (Bodianus diplotaenia), Socorro Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago Biosphere Reserve / Archipielago de Revillagigedo UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site (Socorro Islands)

Two Denise seahorses (Hippocampus denise) on a seafan / gorgonian with a male pregnant, Indonesia, Sea of Flores

Great rockfish (Scorpaena scrofa) Vervece Rock, Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area, Costa Amalfitana / Amalfitana Coast, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Morey eel (Muraena helena) in seagrass meadow (Posidonia oceanica) Punta Carena, Capri Island, Sorrentine Peninsula, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Bignose unicornfish (Naso vlamingii) on reef, Fiji

Hermit crab (Dardanus arrosor), with Shoal of Ornate wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal, Atlantic Ocean

Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) accompanied by pilotfish (Naucrates ductor) swimming near the surface. Vulnerable. Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal, Atlantic Ocean

Snowflake moray (Echidna nebulosa) Green Island, Taiwan

Bargibants seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) Kenting Nationalpark, Kenting, Taiwan

Juvenile Flying fish (Cypselurus sp), Longdong, Northeast, Taiwan

Banded wobbegong shark (Orectolobus halei) resting on reef, Bullseye fish (Pempherididae) shoal in background. South West Rocks, New South Wales, Australia

Cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus) pair in Eelgrass (Zostera marina) bed. Newfoundland, Canada. September

Splendid toadfish (Sanopus splendidus), Cozumel Island, Caribbean Sea, Mexico. Endangered species

Shanny common blenny (Lipophrys pholis) male showing breeding colours looking out from a crack in shallow water. Swanage, Dorset, England, United Kingdom. English Channel. North East Atlantic

Healthy Staghorn corals (Acropora sp. ) with various reef fishes
Healthy Staghorn corals (Acropora sp.) with various reef fishes, including Moon wrasses (Thalassoma lunare), and Threespot dascyllus (Dascyllus trimaculatus)

Tompot blenny (Parablennius gattorugine) illuminated by a snooted flash. Swanage, Dorset, England, United Kingdom. English Channel. North East Atlantic

Orange garibaldi damselfish (Hypsypops rubicundus) in a giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) forest. Santa Barbara Island, Channel Islands. Los Angeles, California, United States of America

Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi) swimming over a coral reef, watched by a Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) surrounded by common sea fans (Gorgonia ventalina)

RF - A giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) scatters baitfish (silversides and cardinalfish) as it hunts on a coral reef. Yillet Islands, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Portrait of the face of a Spinyhead blenny (Acanthemblemaria spinosa) looking out from its home in a Starlet coral (Siderastrea siderea) on a coral reef

Clearfin lionfish (Pterois radiata) mating. The female (left) has just released a raft of eggs, which is visible between her tail and the red face of the male

Reef manta (Mobula alfredi) visiting a cleaning station on a coral reef with a school of Onespot snappers (Lutjanus monostigma)

Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) resting on sea floor and two juvenile Golden trevally (Gnathanodon speciosus). Marsa El Shouna, Marsa Alam, Egypt

Portrait of a Blackbar soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus) infected with Cymothoid isopod parasites. The large parasite between the eyes is a female, the smaller individuals are males

Pair of Rock beauty angelfish (Holacanthus tricolor) spawning at dusk. The larger male rubs against the flank of the female during the spawning rise

View through a cavern in a coral reef, with a Small grouper (Cephalopholis cruentata) in the distance. Snapper Hole, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies. Caribbean Sea

Warty / Clown frogfish (Antennarius maculatus) male portrait, Anilao, Batangas, Luzon, Philippines, March

View of steering wheel inside Bedford OYC water tanker 3 ton lorry, from another Bedford OYC truck, deep inside hold of wreck of HMS Thistlegorm

Sunbeams play through the roots of red mangrove trees (Rhizophora sp.), encrusted with marine life and home to schoolmaster snappers (Lutjanus apodus)

Yellowhead jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons) male rises up from its burrow and aerates the eggs he is mouthbrooding. East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies. Caribbean Sea

Slender filefish (Monacanthus tuckeri) hiding in the branches of a porous sea rod (Pseudoplexaura sp.) on a coral reef. Jardines de la Reina, Gardens of the Queen National Park, Cuba. Caribbean Sea

RF - A threespot damselfish (Stegastes planifrons) aggressively defending its algae garden on a coral reef. East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies. Caribbean Sea. Model Released

RF - Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni). Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. (This image may be licensed either as rights managed or royalty free.)

Conger eel, (Conger conger) on Teti shipwreck which sank on a stormy night on 23 May 1930, Komiza, Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea

Split level of Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) during migration; Adams River, British Columbia, Canada. October

Thousands of Pacific Sandlance (Ammodytes hexapterus) swim overhead, as a few rockfish (Sebastes sp.) swim in the distance

Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) migration, Adams River, British Columbia, Canada. October

Schooling rockfishes (Sebastes spp. ) with Bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana)
Schooling rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) with Bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana). Different species of rockfish often swim together in mixed schools, as here

Lions Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) with Blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) stealing food from the jellyfishs tentacles. Hunt Rock, Queen Charlotte Strait, British Columbia, Canada. September

Crescent gunnel (Pholis laeta) Shoal Bay, Discovery Passage, British Columbia, Canada. March

Synodontis maculipinna, catfish
Synodontis is the most widely-distributed mochokid genus. This specimen was collected from the Rufigi River near Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania and arrived at the museum in 1922

Echidna nebulosa, clouded eel
Ff. 172. Watercolour painting by George Forster annotated echidna variegata murona and made during Captain James Cooks second voyage to explore the southern continent (1772-75)

Galaxias argenteus, giant kokopu
Ff. 235. Watercolour painting by George Forster made during Captain James Cooks second voyage to explore the southern continent (1772-75)

Lutjanus fulvus, blacktail snapper
Ff. 213. Pencil sketch by George Forster made during Captain James Cooks second voyage to explore the southern continent (1772-75)

Blacktail comber (Serranus atricauda) portrait, Tenerife, Canary Islands

Coral heads surrounded by Blacktip cardinalfish (Apogon atradorsatus)and juvenile salemas (Xenocys jessiae), Rabida Island, Galapagos

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Actinopterygii, also known as ray-finned fishes, encompass a diverse array of aquatic creatures that inhabit our oceans and freshwater ecosystems. From the graceful Dugong feeding on seagrass meadows to the majestic Killer Whales hunting in synchronized pods, these species captivate us with their remarkable behaviors. In the vibrant coral reefs, we encounter the Hawksbill sea turtle gracefully swimming above its colorful home. Its presence serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between marine life and their intricate habitats. Moving towards warmer waters, we are greeted by the Tarpon's striking portrait in Eleuthera, Bahamas. This magnificent fish showcases its strength and beauty against a backdrop of crystal-clear waters. Venturing into Brazil's Aquario Natural, we witness the Piraputanga fish navigating an underwater landscape with grace and agility. Their vibrant colors blend harmoniously with their surroundings, creating an enchanting sight for any observer. The Young European eel elvers or glass eels remind us of nature's incredible ability to adapt. These translucent creatures embark on epic journeys across vast distances to mature into adulthood. Delving deeper into kelp forests off Australia's coast, we discover the Weedy seadragon male diligently carrying eggs through this mesmerizing ecosystem. Their unique appearance resembles mythical creatures from folklore but is very much real and awe-inspiring. Descending further into darkness lies Malacosteus niger or stoplight loosejaw—a deep-sea dweller emitting an eerie red glow amidst pitch-black depths. Its haunting allure reminds us that there is still so much left unexplored beneath our planet's surface. Emerging from great depths comes another enigmatic creature—the Oarfish—with its elongated body shimmering silver under sunlight while sporting a vivid red dorsal fin extending along its entire length. This rare sighting leaves us marveling at nature's ability to create such extraordinary beings.