Well, there I am just drifting back and forth in the surge over a sand
channel near the Donut Hole on French Reef, Key Largo, last week, and I
see a piece of algae just above the sand that looks a little different
from the other pieces of algae rocking back and forth in the surge. I
keep watching and eventually notice that it is not, in fact a piece of
algae, but rather a fish, not more than 3/4 inch long. It gives itself
away by curling up and then straightening in a more animated way than
the real pieces of algae. Other than that, it's doing a damn fine job of
looking just like a piece of algae. The color is identical to the nearby
pieces, and the fins are mottled so that it looks like, well, a piece of
algae.

I had no camera with me, and I don't know that my Reefmaster could have
gotten macro enough on this dude to get anything worthwhile, so I'm
going from memory here, but it's a pretty strong memory.

I thought at first that it was some type of blenny, but the Humann book
showed me I was wrong about that. I started searching randomly and
finally found the green razorfish, which does apparently imitate algae
sometimes in the juvenile phase. But none of the photos looked just like
what I saw. I've done a web search, too, and green razor is still the
best I can do. Do any of you S. Florida people have a better idea? Ever
see one of these?

I wasn't narced, by the way. Max depth on that dive was 37 feet.

Sorry for the diving related post. I'll try for something politics
related next time (I don't drink or use guns, so I can't comment on
those...).

gc