📄 Member Profile - Andrew Green Highlight A key component of the Australasian Fishes Project is, of course, the images. All the observations include images captured by underwater photogra...

Ever wondered how scientists find the fish that hide in plain sight? Andrew Green—Reef Life Survey founder and prolific observer—reveals his top tips for spotting and photographing elusive species, plus stories from a lifetime underwater. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

Orange and Black Dragonet (Dactylopus kuiteri) Orange and Black Dragonet from Inner Mooring, Low Isles on February 3, 2015 at 03:55 PM by Sue Churchill

Big news for Aussie fish lovers.
The Orange & Black Dragonet (Dactylopus kuiteri) has just been recorded in Australia for the first time—spotted at Low Isles, QLD! A brilliant example of citizen science in action. www.inaturalist.org/observations...

🕵️ 🔍 Fish Detective Game – Case #15: The Walking Wonder Can you solve the mystery? Which species of fish is it? There are 4 clues. Scroll down to reveal each clue. 🕵️ Clue 1 This species has a ...

Can you name this fish? It has a lure like a mini toilet brush and literally walks on its fins. Sounds like a prank, but it’s real! Check the clues and drop your guess in the comments. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus... #FishDetective #MarineScience #NatureIsWeird #australasianfishes

🤿 First Record of a Ningaloo Maskray in the Coral Sea! Highlight Sometimes, a single photograph can rewrite the distribution map of a species. This recently happened when @mitchell191 uploade...

Sometimes, one photo is all it takes to rewrite the map. Mitchell Heide observed a Ningaloo Maskray in the Coral Sea for the first time! Previously thought to live only in WA, this ray was spotted at Magnetic Island, Queensland—a massive range extension. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

👩🏻‍🔬 Dr Elodie Camprasse's TED Talk Highlight In June 2024, we featured Dr Elodie Camprasse in a journal post. Elodie is a marine ecologist with a passion for scuba diving, underwater photography...

We are thrilled to see Dr Elodie Camprasse taking her passion for marine ecology to TEDxCecilStreet this May.
Elodie will be exploring "The Heart Of It"—diving deep into why our oceans matter now more than ever. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

📄 Member Profile - Johanna Williams Highlight What began as a quiet morning walk along Adelaide’s Glenelg beach transformed into a profound mission for Johanna Williams following a devast...

How does a "newbie" to citizen science end up documenting a catastrophic marine event?
Johanna Williams shares her moving and inspiring story of resilience, community, and the power of really looking. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

Eyes Bigger Than Its Belly? A rare Weedfish encounter. Here at the Australasian Fishes Project, we're constantly amazed by the incredible discoveries made by our community. Recently, Ken Flanagan (@ken_flan) posted a terrific observation of two fish at Sa...

Eyes bigger than its belly? A rare sighting of a Southern Crested Weedfish trying to swallow an Ogilby's Weedfish at Sandringham Beach, Victoria! This amazing citizen science find by @ken_flan is a rare glimpse into intraguild predation. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

The Fish Detective Game! - Case #8: The Winged Walker 🔍 Fish Detective Game! – Case #8: The Winged Walker Can you solve the mystery? Which species of fish is it? There are 4 clues. Scroll down to reveal each clue. 🕵️ Clue 1 This species has fan-lik...

🔍 Fish Detective Game! – Case #8: The Winged Walker
Fan-like fins, big eyes, a spade-like snout, and bony armour… Can you crack the case? 🕵️‍♂️
Play now and test your fish ID skills 👉 www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#AustralasianFishes #FishDetective

Member Profile: Debra Baker (@quokka2)
From her catamaran Quokka2, Debra sails the world, diving into remote waters & documenting marine life for iNaturalist & the Australasian Fishes Project. Citizen science at sea! www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus... #AustralasianFishes

The Fish Detective Game! - Case #7: The Striped Suspect 🔍 Fish Detective Game! – Case #7: The Striped Suspect Can you solve the mystery? Which species of fish is it? There are 4 clues. Scroll down to reveal each clue. 🕵️ Clue 1 This species has a 'tr...

Got a keen eye for fish? 🕵️‍♀️ Solve the mystery in our latest "Fish Detective Game"! 🐟 We've got four clues to help you identify the "striped suspect." Think you can crack the case? Head over to the blog and drop your guess in the comments! #FishDetective www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

A Remarkable Range Extension: Lilac-tip Basslets at Key Biscayne Every now and then, an observation comes along that really stands out – and this one certainly does! A Lilac-tip Basslet, Pseudanthias rubrizonatus, was recently photographed at the Key Biscayne wreck...

This isn't your average fish photo! 📸 This stunning Lilac-tip Basslet was photographed ~1,200 km south of its known distribution in Western Australia. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

The Fish Detective Game! - Case #6: The Spotted Sentinal 🔍 Fish Detective Game! – Case #6: The Spotted Sentinal Can you solve the mystery? Which species of fish is it? There are 4 clues. Scroll down to reveal each clue. 🕵️ Clue 1 This species has larg...

🔍 Fish Detective Game! – Case #6: The Spotted Sentinel 🐠
Think you can crack the case? 🕵️‍♂️
4 clues. 1 mystery fish.
How many clues will you need?
👉 Join the game at www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus... #AustralasianFishes #FishDetectiveGame #CitizenScience

Sydney Harbour Fishes – Now in Print If you’ve ever snorkelled, dived, fished, or just dangled your feet off a wharf in Sydney Harbour, you’ve probably wondered about the incredible variety of fish swimming below. Now there’s a book that...

New fieldguide to Sydney Harbour Fishes – the most complete book on the harbour’s fish life ever printed.
700+ species • 2,500+ photos • A sensational collaboration between scientists & 350 citizen scientists. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#CitizenScience #SydneyHarbour

The Fish Detective Game! - Case #5: The Placid Predator 🔍 Fish Detective Game! – Case #5: The Placid Predator Can you solve the mystery? Which species of fish is it? There are 4 clues. Scroll down to reveal each clue. 🕵️ Clue 1 This species has a var...

🔍 Fish Detective Game – Case #5: The Placid Predator! Think you can crack the case? 🕵️‍♂️
4 clues. 1 mystery fish. How many clues will you need?
Play now on the Australasian Fishes Project: www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#FishDetective #iNaturalist #CitizenScience

Member Profile - Bob Edgar A Life Immersed in Nature: The Power of Curiosity, Citizen Science and Community There are many effective things we can do to satisfy our curiosities, but the top of the list is meeting people with si...

From bush tracks to coral pinnacles, Bob Edgar’s life is a masterclass in curiosity, community & citizen science. With 2,785 fish observations on iNat & decades of marine research, he’s helping shape understanding of our fish fauna. #AustralasianFishes www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

Get Involved: Your opportunity to volunteer for Fish Research Calling all citizen scientist volunteers! In a typical year I am contacted by two or three overseas researchers or university post-graduate students interested in conducting fish fieldwork in Australi...

🐟Volunteer for Fish Research!
Are you a diver, beachcomber, fish enthusiast or just want to help researchers? Join our initiative, connecting citizen scientists with fish researchers in Australia & NZ.
www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#AustralasianFishes #CitizenScience #MarineResearch

🕵️‍♂️ Fish Detective Game – Case #4: The Delicate Dancer
Can you crack the case?
Clear fins, a red eye-stripe, and a fancy tail… which fish is it? 🐟
🧩 4 clues await – how many will you need?
www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#AustralasianFishes #FishID #iNaturalist #CitizenScience

Spotted Oceanic Triggerfish - a new record for NZ An intriguing observation recently surfaced in the Australasian Fishes Project, potentially representing a new fish species for New Zealand. On June 21st, 2025, member @simonnicholas documented a Spot...

New fish for NZ! A Spotted Oceanic Triggerfish, Canthidermis maculata, was spotted at Tapuae Marine Reserve—possibly the first verified NZ record! Kudos to @simonnicholas for documenting his discovery on iNat. Citizen science at its best! www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

The Fish Detective Game! - Case #3: The Gaping Guardian 🔍 Fish Detective Game – Case #3: The Gaping Guardian Can you solve the mystery? Which species of fish is it? There are 4 clues. Scroll down to reveal each clue. 🕵️ Clue 1 This species lacks pect...

🕵️‍♂️ Fish Detective Game – Case #3: The Gaping Guardian
No pectoral fins. Big teeth. Tubular nostrils. Can you crack the case and name this mystery fish? Join the investigation! www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#AustralasianFishes #iNaturalist #FishDetective

Member Profile- Francois Libert Introduction For the most part, I tend to photograph fishes that live as close to my apartment as possible. In that respect, I am a remarkably lazy citizen scientist. I do go on occasional overseas ...

From Paris to Polynesia, @francoislibert brings the ocean to life—one dazzling fish photo at a time. His story spans continents, coral reefs & citizen science. A beautiful reflection on curiosity, conservation & the power of iNat. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#AustralasianFishes

The Fish Detective Game! - Case #2 - The Banded Bride 🔍 Fish Detective Game – Case #2: The Banded Bride Can you solve the mystery? Which species of fish is it? There are 4 clues. Scroll down to reveal each clue. 🕵️ Clue 1 First dorsal fin 🕵️ C...

🕵️‍♀️ Fish Detective – Case #2: The Banded Bride.
Can you crack the case?
4 cryptic clues. One mysterious fish.
How many will you need?
🔎 Clues include: banding, snout, clear fins... www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#FishDetective #iNaturalist #AustralasianFishes

Pygmy Thornback Skate: A Rare Inshore Encounter at Edithburgh Jetty An intriguing observation was made on April 5, 2025, under Edithburgh Jetty by Australasian Fishes member David Muirhead, @davemmdave. What appeared to be a small skate turned out to be something far ...

Pygmy Thornback Skate – Rare Shallow Sighting! Spotted alive at just a few metres depth under Edithburgh Jetty, this observation surprised experts. Could this be the first in-situ image of Dentiraja flindersi? Citizen science at its best! www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

The Fish Detective Game! - Case #1 - The Ledge Lurker 🔍 Fish Detective – Case #1: The Ledge Lurker Can you solve the mystery? Which species of fish is it? There are 4 clues. Scroll down to reveal each clue. 🕵️ Clue 1 Body colouration: This species...

🕵️‍♂️🐟 Fish Detective – Case #1: The Ledge Lurker. Can you crack the case?
🔎 There are 4 clues. How many will you need? Add your guess to the comments and join the marine mystery! www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#FishDetective #MarineMystery #AustralasianFishes #iNaturalist

The Fish Detective Game! 🔍 Welcome to the Fish Detective Game! Do you have what it takes to be a marine sleuth? Each fortnight, we post a new Fish Detective Case File. Each mystery species has been chosen from the Australasi...

Think you've got fish smarts? Play The Fish Detective Game and solve real marine mysteries from the Australasian Fishes Project! New Case File every fortnight — clues, fun facts, and a chance to be crowned top sleuth! www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus... #FishDetective #CitizenScience #MarineMystery

Member Profile - Samuel McLaughlin I have always felt that citizen science gives as much as it takes. Being a citizen scientist can be demanding. There is no doubt whether you are working on specific project like Australasian Fishes, o...

From Komodo Island to the Great Barrier Reef, Year 12 student Samuel McLaughlin (@samuel_mclaughlin) is making waves in citizen science. With over 11,000 fish IDs on iNat, he’s proof that passion and curiosity know no age. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#AustralasianFishes

A major algal bloom affected 4,500 km² of South Australian waters in early 2025, causing widespread marine mortality and impacting local industries. Learn about the causes, effects, and future risks in our latest @AustralasianFishes blog: www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

Blue Health in Action!
Explore how the ocean inspires art, science & serenity in NSW’s stunning new video series.
Featuring Australasian Fishes members @harryrosenthal & @jaynejenkins
Watch & feel the coastal connection: www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...
#AustralasianFishes

Member profile - Belinda Forbes Reflecting on what makes a leading scientist/citizen scientist, I have concluded that some people must be “hard wired” from birth to become a naturalist. I have friends who have taken this path, and n...

Meet Belinda Forbes (@gemfyre713)—naturalist, snorkeller, birder & citizen scientist with nearly 3,000 Australasian Fishes observations! From childhood field kits to flora surveys, her lifelong passion fuels science. Dive into her story. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus... #iNaturalist

Shock, horror! A northern range extension with a twist The first journal post for the Australasian Fishes Project went online back in October 2016. Since then, we've documented more than 250 records of fishes observed south of their 'official' distributio...

Shock, horror! A northern range extension — with a twist. Citizen scientist Gordon Black found a Velvet Leatherjacket 300 km north of its known range. But was it the furthest north? Not quite... Read the full fishy tale. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...

Onespot Snapper way down south In a surprising twist to our understanding of marine distributions, a Onespot Snapper, Lutjanus monostigma, — a tropical species—was photographed over 500 kilometres south of its known range. The obse...

A Onespot Snapper at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands - more than 500km south of its known range. A tasty surprise—and a scientific one too. www.inaturalist.org/projects/aus...