Southern Putsaai

In the shallow farsouthern waters of Rubiëra one can find large expanses of sponge reefs that form where waters too cold for corals bring lots of nutrients up from the deep. These reefs possess a huge array of wildlife that live in-, on- or off the sponges. A large number of invertebrates feed on the sponges themselves and can destroy entire patches of reef within a relatively short time if given the chance.

So naturally there are other animals that fulfill the role of cleaners and pestcontrol. So it is within these reefs that one of the strangest bunnyfish can be found.

Typically measuring no more than 20cm in length, the southern pustaai (Catharsichthys meridionalis) is a slenderly built fish that mainly swims by flapping its pectoral and pelvic fins while its tail trails behind. This allows it to effortlessly swim inbetween the sponges and even enter their opening to rid them off their parasites.

It has a long face that terminates in a thick lipped mouth that hides a sharp "beak" composed of fused teeth. While the rest of the fish might look aberrant compared to other bunnyfish, it is this trait that reveals the putsaai as a member of the Lamidocoeiida, the plated coeaaien.

Unlike many other plated coeaaien, putsaaien do not possess defensive spines and in fact lack the first dorsal fin altogether, which is most likely an adaptation for their lifestyle of swimming in tight spaces. 

While not necessarily social animals, they aren't completely solitary either. Rather it seems they are communal, typically living in sponges that they share with other members of their species, but going out on feeding trips alone.