13 photos - 4 species
Introduction
There are 20 genera and around 190 species.
The two most colourful species are the mandarin lyrefish found in the reef.
Almost all of them are bottom dwellers.
They grow to between 2 and 30 cm in length, depending on the species.
Dactylopus dactylopus
Fingered dragonet
Maximum length: 18 cm
Depth: 1 - 50 m
Found on sandy and muddy areas or sandy slopes and mud.
Burrows during the day.
When disturbed, the fish raises its fins.
Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi
Neosynchiropus ocellatus
Ocellated dragonet or Scooter dragonet
Maximum length: 7 cm
Depth: 1 - 25 m
Blotchy camouflage pattern on greenish to brownish body.
Fine blue dots on the head.
Found on sandy and rocky bottoms.
Solitary or in small, loose groups.
Moalboal Philippines
Synchiropus splendidus
Mandarinfish or Mandarin dragonet
Maximum length: 6 cm
Depth: 3 - 30 m
Difficult to find, lives in dense coral growth,
very close to shore and in murky waters.
Broad head, many spines, instead of scales they have a firm slimy skin
that smells so bad that some species are also called stinkfish.
To mate, the pair swims steeply upwards from the bottom, with their pelvic fins touching.
Photos 1 - 3: Moalboal Philippines
Photos 4 - 8: Lembeh Strait North - Sulawesi
Synchiropus stellatus
Starry dragonet
Maximum length: 5 - 9 cm
Depth: 5 - 40 m
It lives in shallow waters among algae and in coral reefs.
Virtually nothing is known about this fish in its natural habitat.
Even photos on the internet often show incorrect images.
According to fishbase, it inhabits protected coastal reefs on rocks covered with rubble or algae.
Body pink or straw-gold speckled on top with round silver spots
between characteristic dark sepia-colored star spots,
below silvery white with dark red spots.
Bangka island North Sulawesi