The HYPOPLECTRUS species of the Hamlet/Seabass-Serranidae Family, are beautiful reef decoration fishes, some ichthyologists (fish specialists) considere all of them to be variations of only one specie, Butter Hamlet; but to my eyes and taste, they are all gorgeous!!
Before Hurricane Wilma came by, seven sub-species used to be found together in only one reef area, Chankanaab boulders; not anymore though, for the last two years have not seen the seven species again there, some of them not even in other reefs.
MASKED HAMLET (Hypoplectrus sp.)
Notice the black mask like "El Zorro" extends triangularly down from it's eye, when the lower dorsal fin is display looks gorgeous because is big and blue, the body is almost the color of the butter Hamlet, the only one member of this subspecie(?) used to be found in Cardona reef, a reef not visited by many divers because is shallow and short.
After hurricane Wilma in 2005 we could not find it anymore there, but surprisingly seems like it moved it's residency because now we have found another right on top of a famous formation that is a deep dive on the Island, too bad for divers who like to go "down deep" man!, they are missing all these great looking creatures.
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