Hide and seek on the reef

Many species try to hide on the reef.  Often, little fish hide to avoid being eaten.  But predators also hide, to get closer to unsuspecting prey. The spotted scorpionfish is a highly camouflaged predator (about a foot long) that lies motionless, trying to blend in with the environment.

The above photo is about as much of the spotted scorpionfish as we ever see.  Along the sand you can make out its tail and pectoral fin, with the head facing right.

This fish is facing left.  It looks as though vegetation is growing on it.  Below, I have highlighted the same fish with red, to help outline where it ends and where the coral/rock background begins.