Super Klipfish

Fascinating facts about the Super Klipfish

• Even though it looks like a typical rock-dwelling fish, the Super klipfish can grow to 30 cm (about 12 in) total length.
• Researchers have recorded this clinid down to at least 50 m underwater, showing it can thrive from shallow rock pools right into the subtidal zone.
• Its diet reads like a seaside buffet: benthic crustaceans such as amphipods, isopods and crabs, plus sea urchins, gastropods, polychaete worms and even other fish.
• The fish’s crest is a sexual dimorphism clue – males sport a tall dorsal crest formed by the first three spines, while females display a lower, rounded version.
• Color isn’t random: pale individuals often settle on sand, light-green ones on Caulerpa beds, dark-green on Codium, and red on red algae, matching their surroundings like a living camouflage.

At a glance

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