Smallest Fish: Round II

It would seem that the argument over which fish deserves the title of world's smallest fish is not yet over.

Here is the link:

Smallest fish compete for honours
By Rebecca Morelle
BBC News science reporter

THE CONTENDERS

There are now three contenders to the throne.

Paedocypris sp
Found in Indonesia and lives in the peat swamp of Sumatra. The specimen is a female

Schindleria brevipinguis
A male stout infant fish, which measures 7mm in total length. Lives in the Great Barrier Reef. The information was found in the records of the Australian Museum in 2004.

Photocorynus spiniceps

The last contender is a male angler fish. It was discovered in the Philippines and reported in the Journal of Icthyological Research September 2005(?). Its total length (snout to tail) measures around 6.2 mm. The fish is said to spend its whole life to its female counterpart. Because of this the P spiniceps has been labelled as a sexual parasite. Although is the relationship really parasitic? The fish does aid in reproduction. Maybe the relationship can be described as mutually beneficial or mutualistic.

As compared to a set of Filipino politicians, pundits and self-appointed messiahs who seem to be in general political parasites, feeding on the body politic of the Philippines.

THE DEBATE

The debate may take years and additional research should be done. Yes, It will probably take years before this is settled.

I guess the stage has been set-up for the debate between Ichthyologists as to whose fish is the smallest. Despite the debate it would be interesting to record and study the life cycle of these fishes.