Cockatoo Waspfish

This fish can be up to 6 inches (15 cm) in length. The body compressed laterally, endowed with a dorsal fin starting from the top of the head until joining practically the superior base of the caudal fin. When the dorsal fin is spread, it looks like a crest resembling that of a cockatoo. The thorns of the dorsal fin are venomous. This fish mostly stays on the substratum and moves by means of its pectoral fins. Its color varies from cream to dark brown, with irregular spots.

This species occurs in the tropical West Pacific Ocean, from Malaysia to Japan and from Indonesia to Australia. Ablabys taenianotus lives at depths from 2 to 60 ft (0.6 to 18.2m) on sandy, silty or rubble bottoms, and also in fields of sea grass Zosteraceae.

This species is benthic and nocturnal. It is an opportunistic predator and ambushes passing prey while mimicking a crumpled, dead leaf or a drifting piece of seaweed. It allows itself to drift with the moving water in the way that an inert object would do. It may be found singly or in pairs. The fish feeds on small shrimp and other tiny crustaceans that pass near its mouth.