Many-Spotted Sweetlips - Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides - juv.
photo by Uwe Schroeder - Ko Pee Pee Lae - Tam Na Pah - 1.3.2002

The pattern of this juvenile sweetlips is just in the transition state to the spotted pattern of adults. This pattern of the juvenile Many-spotted Sweetlips is thought to mimic unpalatable nudibranches and is a protecton from predation. Like other juvenile sweetlip species this fish often shows a undulating motion. This “dancing” motions are thought to hinder predators to sucsessfully aim at the fish.

< previous - [home] - up - next >

created : 29.3.2002 - updated : 30.3.2002 - minor changes : 23.12.2021  -  (c) Th.Gramanitsch - (c) image Uwe Schroeder