Strange Creature From Lion Island Reef

[Day's Fishin]

This came over the side while fishing the small reef of Lion island. Any ideas?

You can see the small gill at the start of the slender head and the mouth is very small with no teeth that we could see.

Edited November 14, 2010 by Day's Fishin

[gje]

Absolutely no idea what that is & must be the strangest thing I have seen for a long time. Did you put it back ? Wonder if it would interest the Aust.Museum ?

Cheers, Scoop

[Jimmy10]

Its not a mantis shrimp is it? AKA prawn killer, doesnt really look like anything else i have ever seen

[Day's Fishin]

Hi Scoop, yes we did put him back with no damage. If no one can shed some light on him I will send the picture, date, time and any other information they require.

Regards Jeff

[Day's Fishin]

Hi Jimmy, no not a mantis shrimp, no pincers or crustacean like head. This guys head was more in the seahorse style head and his back was smooth.

Regards Jeff

[boattart]

I usually use this link http://archive.amol.org.au/collection/hostedwebs/fish/key/couplet0.htm to identify unusual fish which hasn't helped much here possibly need to search wider.

Otherwise send a photo to the Australian Museum as I'm sure they will find it interesting to search.

[Andy Loops]

that really is a strange looking creature - let us know what the museum comes back with.

[Catchin Jack]

Did you happen to get a photo of the other side of it?

[Day's Fishin]

Did you happen to get a photo of the other side of it?

Hi Leo. no pic of the other side as I wanted to get it back into the water without keeping it out to long. The other side was smooth to the touch and didn't seem to have scales and was the same colour.

Regards Jeff

[musty]

This came over the side while fishing the small reef of Lion island. Any ideas?

You can see the small gill at the start of the slender head and the mouth is very small with no teeth that we could see.

Reminds me of an aardvark for sum reason! LOL

Ive caught some wierd and wonderful things in my time... THAT Sir i have never seen.

thanks for the pics and look forward to hearing about what it could be.

Musty

[sniper]

At times I have hooked these strange things I believe they are a shark egg posibly a portjackson shark egg.

[cajun]

Definitely not a PJ eggcase.

I too am very interested in what the museum has to say.

[Black Bandit]

Definitely not a fish.

It is an invertebrate - some type of sea pen.

Cheers

[Hodgey]

Definitely not a fish.

It is an invertebrate - some type of sea pen.

Cheers

Nice work mate! Google images provides photos of similar looking critters, with the apendage at the front appearing to be the way they anchor themselves to the sea bed.

[Day's Fishin]

This came over the side while fishing the small reef of Lion island. Any ideas?

You can see the small gill at the start of the slender head and the mouth is very small with no teeth that we could see.

Thanks guy's, I knew I could count on Fishraiders to come up with a name for the little critter! It's in the sea pen family.

Regards Jeff

[MrB_Max]

Probably this type

http://www.botanybaywatch.com.au/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Marine.SeaPen-SarcoptilusGrandis