Rhinopias are beautiful but super rare scorpionfish for divers to encounter on the reef. At Kalimaya Dive Resort we saw not one but six over several days diving the coast of Sumbawa.
Rhinopia (weedy scorpionfish), Kalimaya House Reef, Sumbawa, Indonesia © [email protected]
Rhinopia are high up on the wish list of any diver thart loves critters. They are very seldom seen on the reef, even in locations that are known as rhinopia hotspots. Kalimaya is one place to potentially see rhinopias, with Alor, Ambon’s Twilight Zone dive site and Bali’s Tulamben area other possibilities. Anilao and Davao in the Philippines also have sporadic rhinopia sightings. All that to say – it’s a big deal when you find one.
Rhinopia (weedy scorpionfish), Kalimaya House Reef, Sumbawa, Indonesia © [email protected]
So we had some remarkable luck diving the Kalimaya house reef – not one but two encounters with rhinopia and on both occasions, not just one rhinopia either. Both times there were two rhinopia. The first time the big red one and a smaller brown one. The second time – on the last dive of the trip – there were two of the big red rhinopia. On both dives the rhinopia were not together – they were several metres apart on the reef, as if they were enjoying having their own territory. (See my in-depth review of Kalimaya dive resort for a rundown of all the diving options and what the resort itself is like).
Two Paddlefish Rhinopias, Taja Ngao, Sumbawa, Indonesia © [email protected]
As if that wasn’t enough, a day earlier we had another encounter with two more rhinopia at Taja Ngao, one of the coastal dive sites a few minutes boat ride from the resort. These ones looked different to those on the Kalimaya house reef. They weren’t lacey or weedy like those on the house reef – instead, they had a smoother exterior.
Rhinopia burping (weedy scorpionfish), Taja Ngao, Sumbawa, Indonesia © [email protected]
This super helpful rhinopia identication page explains that the non weedy rhinopia are paddleflap rhinopia, while the weedy or lacey scorpionfish are actually two different types of rhinopia – I’d previously assumed they were interchangable names. The ones on the house reef appear to be weedy rhinopia with their intricate fronds.
Rhinopia (weedy scorpionfish), Kalimaya House Reef, Sumbawa, Indonesia © [email protected]
Even though the red rhinopia had been spotted on previous days on the house reef, it’s still like finding a needle in a haystack trying to locate it again. Rhinopias like to move, and they can move fast if they want. They propel themselves over the seafloor, and once they settle they blend in with their environment. So there’s little guarantee they are still where they were even a few hours apart.
Rhinopia (weedy scorpionfish), Kalimaya House Reef, Sumbawa, Indonesia © [email protected]
The light of the camera flash brings out their vibrant colours but in the water they are almost indivisible from their surroundings. Apparently many divers come to Kalimaya specifically for the chance to see rhinopias and don’t have any luck despite diligent hunting. Rhinopia periodically do a yawn which a photographer’s dream, but it may well be an expression of irritation towards being disturbed as much as just stretching its jawline.
Rhinopia (weedy scorpionfish), Kalimaya House Reef, Sumbawa, Indonesia © [email protected]
Our Kalimaya guide Alex did a classic circular search pattern from the last known location of the rhinopias within a huge patch of sea grass. It took 20 minutes and Alex’s efforts were well-rewarded – not one but two rhinopia. We repeated the same search on our final dive and were rewarded again but this time with two of the big red rhinopia. I found the second one by accident a few metres away from the first. (Something I would not shut up about when back on shore).
Rhinopia, Torpedo Alley, Komodo, Indonesia © [email protected]
I’d previously seen rhinopias at Torpedo Alley in Komodo’s Horseshoe Bay back in 2009 – it turns out they were a weedy rhinopia and a paddleflap rhinopia. (There was juvenile paddleflap rhinopia too – see the full Komodo liveaboard trip report for more details).
Rhinopia (weedy scorpionfish), Torpedo Alley, Komodo, Indonesia © [email protected]
I had actually been taking a nap as it was an afternoon dive. When legendary dive guide Gusti came back to the liveaboard from the dive, he woke me up and told me to come and see these three rhinopia together – and then dropped us right back in where they were. The best customer service ever.
Purple Rhinopia (weedy scorpionfish), Hin Daeng, Thailand, 2010 © [email protected]
The most unlikely appearance of a rhinopia was at Hin Daeng dive site in Thailand back in May 2010 as part of a 7 day Best of Thailand liveaboard. The rhinopia was perched on Hin Daeng’s limestone pinnacle and a resplendent purple. It’s the only time I’ve heard of them being seen in Thailand, especially on such a popular dive site.
