This is one of those creatures from the abyss. About 500-600mm plus in length, venomous spines around the pectoral fins and an apparent electric shock similar to the the Numbray. The Numbray is capable of producing 200V and yours truly has had the zap many times during nightdives as he swam into them in the dark, or sat on the sand without realizing.
Anyway, these guys Kathetostoma laeve (from memory) bury in the sand in deep water. I captured this guy alongside a coal ship wreck (S.S. Tuggerah), about 2km east off the Royal National Park in Sydney, in 150-odd feet of water. I had a quirky habit of lifting them out of the sand with my bare hand to get their photo. Other than the venomous pectoral spines and electric shock, they also have a nasty bite. I must have been narked. :D Also, these areas where the wrecks are lay in severe current prone areas and I had plenty of blue water decos of 30+ minutes on ascent, ending miles away from the boat. Thank God to whoever invented the inflatable surface marker buoys.
Nikonos III, 15mm u/w Nikkor, f/4 @ 1/30th, Fujichrome 100






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