May Critter of the Month:
Pineapple Fish
(Cleidopus gloriamaris)
After some sightings on our Sunday Shore Dives, we decided to feature the Pineapple Fish as our Critter of the Month for May.
The Australian Pineapple fish is a beauty – as it’s name suggests, it kind of looks like a combination of a fish… and a pineapple! 🍍🐟
Juveniles are found in the shallows – generally under ledges and in caves. They have a red, luminescent organ on the lower jaw which emits light (thanks to light-emitting bacteria) – so if you ever see one of these guys at night, black out your torch so you can see it glow! It’s thought this is there to both attract and deter prey 💡🐟
They are found from Shark Bay through to the Great Australian Bight in WA, and grow to a maximum length of 28cm 🤗
There are a few Pineapple Fish around Perth at the moment… the best places to spot them are Woodman Point Groyne and Bulk Jetty 🥰