Speckled Shrimpfish

Aeoliscus punctulatus

The speckled shrimpfish is a slender, elongated fish reaching up to 15 cm in length. Its body is pale green with small black spots and a distinct brown lateral stripe. The fish's body is flattened with a keel on the ventral surface, covered in bony plates, and it has a long tubular snout used for feeding on planktonic prey. This species is known for its unique swimming posture, maintaining a vertical, head-down position, which helps it blend in with sea urchin spines and coral branches. Speckled shrimpfish are found in the coastal waters of the Indo-West Pacific, ranging from East Africa to the western Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Maldive Islands. They inhabit seagrass beds and coral reefs, often associating with long-spined sea urchins and branching corals. These fish are typically seen in small groups, drifting among their preferred habitats at depths of up to 40 meters. Encounters with speckled shrimpfish while diving can be intriguing due to their unusual posture and group behavior. They are harmless to humans and are sometimes kept in public aquariums. The IUCN lists this species as Data Deficient.