Crocodilefish (Cymbacephalus beauforti)

The Crocodilefish or Cymbacephalus beauforti is a very odd saltwater fish that gets it name from its crocodile like appearance as you can see in the pictures.  Also known as the Crocodile Flathead, and the De Beaufort's Flathead, these fish are members of the Scorpaeniformes order which makes them close relatives to Stonefish and Scorpionfish.  These strange creatures are often found on the muddy bottom in the Western Pacific in places like Indonesia, the Philippines and around the Great Barrier Reef as well.

Crocodilefish are green or grey in color with blotches that help them look nearly invisible on the ocean floor.  Like the Stonefish, this fish is an ambush predator that lies in wait, when an unsuspecting fish or crustacean wanders by it gobbles it up with impressive speed.  Lucky for us these fish are not very large only growing to about 20" (50cm) in length.

You can check out the Crocodilefish in action in the video below... 

If you have any questions or additional information about the Crocodilefish leave us a comment!