Jan 16 2009
Unidentified Swimming Objects
Amidst coral rubble above is a type of parrot fish. Why type is it? I don’t know. And I searched our three fish identification guides front to back three times shortly after taking this photo.
It’s a juvenile. In many species of fish, juveniles don’t have the coloration of the adult form. No, not to confound avid snorkelers and fish-watchers. One might conjecture that the reason is to keep the individual fish from being identified by members of their own species — identified as a sexual mature individual, and thus a potential competitor or mate.
An adult fish “doesn’t want” to waste time attempting to fend off or mate with a sexual immature fish. Likewise, a sexually immature fish “doesn’t want” to be chased and attacked by adults. Not if it has nothing to gain.
There are advantages to being unidentified.
Damn fish!
