The Right Blue: WW #41 - Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus)

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

WW #41 - Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus)

Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus)

[Click photo for larger view.]

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19 comments:

Chris in Happy Valley said...: Gorgeous shot, I've always loved the look of these fish. Also their name - so dark and exotic!; July 8, 2008 6:40 PM
CK-II said...: Nice shot, Bobbie! Happy WW! :); July 8, 2008 7:27 PM
ZJ said...: Looks sinister like its name, but still, a beautiful fish. Happy WW.; July 8, 2008 7:53 PM
Leonard Blumfeld said...: Stunning underwater world. I love the contrast of the black-and-white fish.; July 8, 2008 8:39 PM
Roger said...: That beautiful Bobbie!; July 9, 2008 2:37 AM
catsynth said...: The fish is quite bright against the dark background, nice contrast.; July 9, 2008 4:49 AM
Di said...: GORGEOUS!!!!; July 9, 2008 6:57 AM
tonya said...: Gorgeous shot!
Happy WW!; July 9, 2008 8:26 AM
tundratantrum said...: what a beautiful photo. I love the color of the fish and the corals.; July 9, 2008 8:31 AM
Randall said...: What part of the world is that beautiful fish found in?; July 9, 2008 11:13 AM
Beaches said...: Very nice photo!; July 9, 2008 1:50 PM
BNS said...: Thank you all for visiting, and for your nice comments.

I don't know how this fish got its common name, "Moorish Idol," but in the Hawaiian language, they are called 'Kihikihi' -- which roughly translated means curved or curvy. That matches with their scientific name, 'zanclus', which means sickle or scythe.

Moorish Idols are found throughout the Indo-Pacific region, and the tropical eastern Pacific. We do have them here in Hawaii, but I took this photo at Pulau Sipadan, Malaysia (the place I've been writing about most recently in The Right Blue).

I think Moorish Idols are one of the most elegant of the reef fishes.

Bobbie; July 10, 2008 7:02 PM
bernie kasper said...: Beautiful subject and image Bobbie, the colors are amazing, well done !!; July 11, 2008 8:02 AM
2sweetnsaxy said...: Beautiful! And even without the fish it would have still been a great shot.; July 12, 2008 7:19 AM
kml said...: The reef and the underwater life is just beautiful in this shot - the fish just makes it perfect!; July 12, 2008 3:57 PM
Vixen said...: That fish is amazing. I have to say, though, that reef looks a lot like my Fishboy is doing in our salt water tank. That stuff is so fantastic, I don't know how he does it. Of course, we will never get a fish like that (or that size). We will have to go out to the real blue for that. But in the meanwhile, we get to have something to look at that is beautiful; July 12, 2008 6:36 PM
BNS said...: @ Bernie - Thank you very much.

@ 2sweet - Thanks. I was happy with the way the colors came out on that shot.

@ Kathy - Thank you. The Moorish Idol is one of my favorite reef fish.

@ Vixen - Yes, there is nothing like seeing tropical fish in 'the real blue', as you put it.

Bobbie; July 13, 2008 11:27 AM
Indrani said...: Hey! How did I miss this?!
It is sooo beautiful!; July 15, 2008 5:05 PM
BNS said...: Thank you, Indrani.

Bobbie; July 15, 2008 6:43 PM

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