Juvenile Smooth Trunkfish

This evening I saw something that made Jessee extremely envious: a juvenile Smooth Trunkfish. It's a tiny black and yellow-spotted fish about the size and shape of a pea! It's about the cutest dang thing that's ever been in the ocean. I had to call Jessee as soon as I could to tell her.

Juvenile Smooth Trunkfish

I made her guess what I'd seen. The conversation went something like this:

B: Guess what I saw!!
J: Oh my god, a Tiger Shark?!
B: Nope. Smaller.
J: Okay good. Give me a hint.
B: It's something you've always wanted to see.
J: A Kangaroo?
B: No. I don't think they swim.
J: Okay, give me another hint.
B: It's vastly smaller than a Tiger Shark - you could say, pea-sized.
J: You didn't! Awwww! I'm so jealous!
B: I did!
J: Awwww! ...uh, I have to go. I'm in a restaurant and I'm making a scene.

The juvenile Smooth Trunkfish barely have fins. They just sort of float around. We were able to scoot it out of its little hole and cup it in our hands for a close look. Its little mouth sticks out with little puckered fish lips. Smooth Trunkfish, odd-looking things themselves, are relatively common, but the juveniles are much less so and quite difficult to find, being that they are so small and probably spend most of their time hiding.

Adult Smooth Trunkfish

Video of Smooth Trunkfish