Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai, Malaysia, Aug 2002 Page 2

Thorny sea horse.

This fish is a resident of the sea grass in front of Sipadan Water Village on Mabul island. Whilst Sipadan is known for turtles and pelagic life, Mabul and Kapalai are home to rare smaller creatures.

Thorny sea horse.

Ghost pipe fish.

Ghost pipe fish.

Double ended pipefish.

Spiny waspfish. This is a bottom dwelling member of the scorpionfish family, who ambushes smaller fish who mistake it for a leaf.

Frog fish (aka angler fish). This fish lives below seaventures disused oilrig, now providing divers accomodation 200 metres off Mabul island. There is also a resident black frog fish, but unfortunately he was too shy to come out of his home for a photo.

The eye of the frog fish.

Anemonefish.

Big eye.

Red big eye.

Juvenile striped eel catfish.

These fish form ball shaped schools as they move along hoovering the sand. The next photo shows a scorpionfish which was stalking this school and successfully managed to catch one, after lying very still and the fish swam directly over him.

Scorpionfish.This fish fed on the small striped eel catfish above.

Clown triggerfish.

Crocodilefish. Another ambush predator.

The eye of a crocodilefish.

Fish.

Fish.

Bannerfish.

Flying gurnard.

Contrary to it's name, this fish is actually too heavy to actually fly out of water. It uses it's wings when fighting and looking for a mate.

A small crab eye goby.

Moorish idols.