Blue-Spotted Cornetfish

Fistularia commersonii

The blue-spotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii) is a remarkably elongated fish reaching up to 1.6 meters in length, though much of this is due to its extremely long, tubular snout and a whip-like tail filament that extends beyond the caudal fin. Its body is slender and slightly compressed, colored greenish to brownish on the back with scattered blue spots and lines, and silvery below. This species is a stealthy predator that feeds on small fish and shrimps, sucking them into its tubular mouth with a rapid expansion of its jaw. A clever hunting strategy involves shadowing larger, non-threatening fish such as parrotfish or groupers, using them as mobile blinds to approach unsuspecting prey. Originally an Indo-Pacific species, it invaded the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal and has become one of the most successful Lessepsian migrants, spreading rapidly across the Mediterranean since the early 2000s. Divers commonly see them hovering motionlessly near reef edges or gliding slowly over coral formations, often in small groups.