#bryaninops amplus

[wakatobidiveresort]

Whip Coral Gobies have a transparent body with orange to golden marks and live exclusive on the sea whips, often in pairs. They rarely move, instead relying on their camouflage to keep them protected, which makes the patient Photographer able to approach closely and experiment. (Photograph: Frank Owens)

[whatsbelowthesurface]

Bryaninops amplus (White-line sea whip goby) on sea whip Oil Rig Wreck E, Brunei, 15m

This is one of my favourite photos! I got lucky with this one; I was gently brushing a sea whip (gorgonian) aside when a dart of silver caught my eye.

These gobies are tiny; this little one can't have been more than 3cm long. B. amplus is closely associated with gorgonians, and this one was good at scooting around to the far side of its sea whip when I ventured too near!

Classification Animalia - Chordata - Actinopterygii - Perciformes - Gobiidae - Bryaninops - B. amplus