Banded Butterflyfish | ROLLING HARBOUR ABACO

QUEEN TRIGGERFISH

“REEF ENCOUNTER”: TEN CHEERFUL BAHAMAS REEF FISH

LAURA JESSON “Do you know, I believe we should all behave quite differently if we lived in a warm, sunny climate all the time. We shouldn’t be so withdrawn and shy and difficult…” (Brief Encounter 1945)

The quote is there both because it is particularly apposite for any withdrawn etc Brit with a toehold in Abaco, and because it explains or excuses the somewhat clumsy title pun… March has been dominated by (a) a trip to Abaco and (b) publication of “The Birds of Abaco”. Time for some cheerful finny fotos to end the month with, courtesy of diving belle Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba and her top-class camera work.

CHERUB FISH

ROCK BEAUTY

FAIRY BASSLET

BLACKBAR SOLDIERFISH

Hamlet (Shy) ©Melinda Riger @ Grand Bahama Scuba copy

SHY HAMLET

THREE-SPOT DAMSELFISH

BLUE TANG with BLUE CHROMIS

BANDED BUTTERFLYFISH

UNDERWATER BUTTERFLIES: BAHAMAS REEF FISH (8)

Butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) belong to a large worldwide family of small, colourful reef fishes. There are several sorts to be found in the Bahamas, of which 4 are shown below. These creatures resemble small angel fishes, and are invariably vividly coloured, strikingly patterned, or in many cases, both. Apart from that, the most interesting fact about them is that their species name Chaetodontidae derives from a Greek compound noun meaning ‘hair tooth’. This unsettling description relates to the rows of tiny, fine filament-like teeth inside their protuberant mouths. If I ever get a photo of a butterflyfish showing its teeth while feeding or yawning, I will add it here…

FOUR-EYED BUTTERFLYFISH