100 Days of Reef Fish Transformer fish 9/10: watercolor paintings of juvenile and adult Pinnate Spadefish, Platax pinnatus. A beautiful baby transforms into a handsome, but totally differently shaped adult. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Transformer fish 8/10: watercolor paintings of juvenile and adult Midnight Snapper, Macolor macularis. A beautiful baby transforms into a handsome, but totally differently shaped adult. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Transformer fish 7/10: watercolor paintings of juvenile and adult Harlequin Sweetlips, Plectorhinchus chaetodonides. A beautiful baby transforms into a handsome, but totally differently shaped adult. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Transformer fish 6/10: watercolor paintings of juvenile and adult Smooth Trunkfish, Lactophrys triqueter. A beautiful baby transforms into a handsome, but totally differently shaped adult. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Transformer fish 5/10: watercolor paintings of juvenile and adult Spotted Drum, Eques punctatus. A beautiful baby transforms into a handsome, but totally differently shaped adult. Diving was canceled due to weather. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Transformer fish 4/10: Ribbon Eel, Rhinomuraena quaesita. This moray eel species changes color and sex as it matures. I’m front loading posts and doubling up paintings to keep my 100 day schedule while diving. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Transformer fish 3/10: watercolor paintings of Bluehead Wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum. I am headed out on a dive trip, so I’m front loading posts and doubling up paintings to keep my 100 day schedule. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Transformer fish 2/10: watercolor painting of a an adult Emperor Angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator, along with a repost of the juvenile. A beautiful baby transforms into a handsome, but totally different colored, adult. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Transformer fish 1/10: a Skunk Clownfish family, Amphipiron perideraion. Anemone fish are sequential hermaphrodites; they all start life as a male. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

“What we need are better stories. Stories that treat coral reefs not just as ecosystems, but as homelands.” This (and the papers it references) are excellent.

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 10/10: Shortnose Batfish, Ogcocephalus nasutus, uglier cousin of the more famous Red Lipped Batfish. My next set of ten will ‘Transformers,’ fish that change radically as they mature. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 9/10: Painted Frogfish, Antennarius pictus. Some frogfish are ugly in a cute way. Painted frogfish can have small, warty bumps and/or scabby patches and/or eye-like spots that mimic the texture of sponges. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 9/10: watercolor painting of a Painted Frogfish, Antennarius pictus. Painted frogfish can have small, warty bumps and/or scabby patches and/or eye-like spots that mimic the texture of sponges. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 8/10: watercolor painting of a Devil Stinger, Inimicus didactylus. This nocturnal ambush predator is a relative of the Stonefish. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 7/10: watercolor painting of a Horrid Stonefish, Synanceia horrida. This ugly fish looks like the rocky coral rubble it hides in, hence the common name. It is one of the most dangerous venomous fish in the world. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 6/10: watercolor painting of a Whitemargin Stargazer, Uranoscopus sulphureus. This ambush predator hides in the sandy bottom. Not only is it venomous, but it can also stun prey with an electric shock. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject I

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 5/10: watercolor painting of a Crocodile Flathead, Cymbacephalus beauforti. This ambush predator is a master of disguise. The pale, frond-like structures on its eyes help break up the iris for camouflage. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 4/10: Large-eye Toadfish, Batrachoides gilberti. This ugly fish hides under coral ledges on shallow reefs and sandy bottoms. The common name refers to a croaking sound it makes with its swim bladder. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 3/10: watercolor painting of a Humpnose Unicornfish, Nasa tonganus. This Indo-Pacific fish is not particularly ugly, but it does have a cartoonish, almost human profile. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 2/10: watercolor painting of a Common Remora (aka Suckerfish), Remora remora. While they are undeniably ugly, shark suckers are not vampires—they do not feed directly on the host. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Ugly Fish 1/10: Peacock Flounder, Bothus mancus. Although very young flounder look like normal fish, one eye migrates during development since it spends its adult life lying on its left side. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 10/10: watercolor painting of a Mushroomcoral Pipefish, Siokunichthys nigrolineatus. This tiny seahorse cousin is about 8mm (1/8th of an inch) in diameter. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 9/10: watercolor painting of a a Blue-spotted Cornetfish, Fistularia commersonii. This species can get as large as 1.5 m (5 ft). #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 8/10: Atlantic Trumpetfish, Aulostomus maculatus. This often fish swims vertically to blend in with sponges and vertical corals. Despite threats to its habitat, this species is resilient #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 7/10: Pacific Trumpetfish, Aulostomus chinensis. This long but slender ambush predator has been observed hunting cooperatively with larger predators such as grouper. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 6/10: Shortfin Pipefish, Cosmocampus elucens. This Western Atlantic pipefish lives in shallow seagrass and algae beds where its shape/color helps it hide #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 5/10: Double-Ended Pipefish, Trachyhamptus bicoarctatus. This Indo-Pacific pipefish can grow to be 50 cm (16 inches) in length, though most adults are much smaller. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 4/10: watercolor painting of a Banded Pipefish, Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus. Like true seahorses, the male broods the eggs rather than the female. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 3/10: Ornate Ghost Pipefish, Solenostomis paradoxus. This pipefish comes in a wide range of colors and patterns to blend in with crenoids, hydroids, or sea grass #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 2/10: Robust Ghost Pipefish, Solenostomis cyanopterus. Unlike true seahorses, female pipefish are the ones that brood the eggs rather than the males. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Syngnathiformes 1/10: Leafy Seadragon, Phycodurus eques. The ‘leafy’ parts of this seahorse cousin are used for camouflage rather than propulsion. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch #projectseahorse #iconicfishes #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses 10/10: Denise’s Pygmy Seahorse, Hippocampus denise. This is one of the smallest seahorses. It is smaller and smoother than the Bargibant’s Pygmy #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch #projectseahorse #iconicfishes #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses: 9/10: Bargibant’s Pygmy Seahorse, Hippocampus bargibanti. Baby Pygmies change color to match their homes, but the adults may not be able to. See image ALT for info #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses: 8/10: Bargibant’s Pygmy Seahorse, Hippocampus bargibanti. Unless disturbed, this little guy (less than an inch long) lives out its entire life on a single sea fan. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses: 7/10: watercolor painting of a Spiny Seahorse, H. histrix. This small Indo-Pacific seahorse is completely covered with thorns. The IUCN lists this species as vulnerable. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses: 5/10: watercolor painting of a pair of Longnose Seahorses, Hippocampus trimaculatus. Seahorses have elaborate courtship rituals. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses: 5/10: Longnose Seahorse, Hippocampus trimaculatus. This vulnerable Indo-Pacific seahorse makes its home on sandy bottoms near coral reefs. See alt for more info #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses: 4/10: Common Seahorse, Hippocampus kuda. This Indo-Pacific seahorse is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. The annual catch may be as high as 20 million per year. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses: 3/10: watercolor painting of a Lined Seahorse, Hippocampus erectus. It is another Western Atlantic seahorse, ranging from Nova Scotia to southern Venezuela. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses: 2/10: watercolor painting of a Longsnout Seahorse, Hippocampus reidi. The IUCN red list classifies this Western Atlantic seahorse as near threatened. #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch #projectseahorse #iconicfishes

100 Days of Reef Fish Seahorses: 1/10: Tiger Tail Seahorse, Hippocampus comes. For the next 10 days, I’ll be painting seahorses to support #projectseahorse and #iconicfishes #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Beautiful Reef Fish Day 10/10: Mandarin Dragonet, Synchiropus splendidus. The blue color of this fish is due to having a relatively rare blue pigment. Most other blue fish only look blue. See alt for info #sciart #coralreefs #marinelife #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Beautiful Reef Fish 9/10: watercolor painting of a Coral Grouper, Cephalopholis miniata. A colorful midsized predator, this fish is a hind rather than a grouper, in spite of the common name. #sciart #marinelife #coralreefs #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Beautiful Reef Fish 8/10: watercolor painting of a Fairy Basslet, Gramma loreto, a very small but brilliant Western Atlantic fish is cleaner fish (it eats parasites that infest other fish). #sciart #marinelife #coralreefs #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Beautiful Reef Fish 7/10: watercolor painting of a Red Lionfish, Pterois volitans. This strikingly colored fish is native to the Indo-PacifIc but invasive in the Caribbean, Western Atlantic, and Mediterranean. #sciart #marinelife #coralreefs #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Beautiful Reef Fish 6/10: Queen Triggerfish, Balistes vetula. The IUCN lists this Western Atlantic triggerfish as near threatened. Some countries protect its breeding grounds, but near Brazil, stocks have decreased by 90% #sciart #marinelife #coralreefs #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Beautiful Reef Fish 5/10: Moorish Idol, Zanclus corutus. The common name may refer to the reverence that fishermen in some parts of Southeast Asia have for these fish. #sciart #marinelife #coralreefs #dothe100daysproject #sundayfishsketch

100 Days of Reef Fish Beautiful Reef Fish 4/10: juvenile Emperor Angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator. This fish radically changes its color/pattern as it matures. #sciart #marinelife #coralreefs #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Beautiful Reef Fish 3/10: Copper Band Butterflyfish, Chelmon rostratus. These fish form long-term monogamous pairs. Thanks again, Uncle Scotter, @dinosaucerous.bsky.social for the suggestion. #sciart #marinelife #coralreefs #dothe100daysproject

100 Days of Reef Fish Beautiful Reef Fish 2/10: Flame Angelfish, Centropyge loricula. Their shape makes them agile, helping them to evade predators. Thank you, Uncle Scotter, @dinosaucerous.bsky.social for suggesting this lovely reef fish. #sciart #marinelife #coralreefs #dothe100daysproject