Wednesday, April 25, 2007

transitional species between fish and moth

All those who doubt evolution, look on this 'fith' - a transitional species between FIsh and moTHs - and despair! (click to enlarge)
Six legs?-check.
Wide wings? Check!
If you've seen a moth through a window, you'll notice the eerie similarities. If the body were a little less chunky, you wouldn't know the difference (maybe the gills and fishmouth might bother you a bit, but not much).

More seriously, anyone know anything about this fish? It has two pair of pectoral fins which separates it from older fish families, like salmon and trout, but that still leaves a huge number of species to distinguish it from.
I apologise for the glare from the tank. I just noticed it at a sashimi restaurant by the bus stop and had to shoot it.
UPDATE: friends at the talk origins google group have identified it as a sea robin, or close relative, the Red Gunard. Thanks, Mel, Dana and John.

2 comments:

John S. Wilkins said...

I'm not an expert, but it looks like a catfish of some kind.

kwandongbrian said...

Thanks John.

I think the barbels are too far back on the body. I usually expect catfish barbels around the mouth.
Also, this is a salt-water fish.

I'm not saying you're wrong, mind you, just that I'm skeptical. I'm a big fan of your posts on TO.