A
s usual, Anna did her homework.
Before we left for a two-week stay
in Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras,
she scanned the online database of
the Reef Environmental Education
Foundation (REEF) for fish species sighted around the
island in the past two decades. From the 416 fishes
recorded, she compiled a “hit list” of a half dozen
we had yet to encounter. It included such rarities as
the quillfin blenny, yellow jawfish, redcheek goby,
Caribbean whiptail stingray and ribbon blenny.
Her most intriguing entry was a seldom-seen little fish
endemic to the Bay Islands known as the filament blenny.
Additional sleuthing uncovered only a single photo of the
species. The image showed the outline of an extremely
long fore dorsal fin collapsed along the fish’s back. This
amazing piece of anatomy immediately got our attention.
Our goal is not just to find our target fishes but also to
photograph them for an upcoming edition of Reef Fish
Identification, which we publish in conjunction with our
partner Paul Humann. Capturing a good photo of any
of the six would be a coup, but as always we have our
sights set on them all; we even intend to get a shot of
the filament blenny with its dorsal fin extended.
During our first week in Utila we have the boat
pretty much to ourselves — a big advantage for
targeted species hunting. And our dive guide, Steve
Smith, a young Australian chap with the steady eyes
and steely determination of an accomplished hunter, is
up to the task. Right away he takes us to a mated pair
of yellow jawfish at 90 feet and points out a quillfin
blenny sitting on a sandy ledge. Between our two
target species he shows us a dainty pair of pipehorses,
a longlure frogfish and a large-eye toadfish hunkered
down inside its den. Things seem to be going too well,
and sure enough they are: The following morning the
wind begins to blow — not strong enough to keep us
out of the water, but stiff enough to keep us out of the
shallows where redcheek gobies reside beneath the
spines of rock-boring urchins.
The brisk blow sends us on a bumpy ride to the lee
side of the island, where filament blennies reportedly
shelter inside hiding holes on deep walls. Like other
fin-endowed members of genus Emblemaria, such
as sailfin and pike blennies, when they’re not out
foraging, fighting or scouting for mates the one-
inch fish occupy small holes with only their fore
bodies exposed. It’s not much of a target when you’re
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WINTER 2014
ENCOUNTERS
Hit List
T E X T A N D P H O T O S B Y N E D A N D A N N A D
e
L O A C H
