Watch a rare record of a white violin dotted in the Gulf of Eilat

This morning, a volunteer from the Nature and Parks Authority documented free diving on the north coast of Eilat, a large bat fish, probably of the white-spotted violin type that is in critical danger of extinction.

From the observation, it appears that this is a rare documentation of this type of violin in the Gulf of Eilat

Ziv Reinstein

21/07/2022

Thursday, 21 July 2022, 16:33 Updated: 17:13

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A white violin dotted in the Gulf of Eilat (Photo: Doron Brash, RTG)

It is not every day that a rare animal is seen underwater, but a volunteer from the Nature and Parks Authority documented this morning (Thursday) a free dive on the north coast of Eilat in a large tai, probably a white-spotted violin.

The white-spotted violin is a marine creature from the violin family in the guitar series, which lives in the waters of the Indian Ocean but has also migrated to the Mediterranean.

It is a large guitar fish with large black eye spots on the bases of the chest, a unique black cross between the eyes and rows of small white spots on the upper body and a pointed nose.

The maximum size recorded for the species is 3.10 meters and it weighs 227 kg. It feeds on crabs, invertebrates and mollusks, sometimes small fish.

Adi Barash from the Shark Association in Israel, told Walla! Tourism,

Today in Eilat when he is looking for fish or a spawning place.

Violins are rare in our country, and are usually only observed in summer.

They are critically endangered in the world and withstand significant fishing pressure, mainly because of their size which can reach three meters.

This species is not dangerous to humans. "

First observation in the Gulf of Eilat.

White dot violin, this morning (Photo: Nature and Parks Authority, Doron Barash)

Lives in reefs and corals and hides in them

The species is found in the Red Sea and the western tropical Indian Ocean to South Africa and has also been reported in the Persian Gulf.

This fish is the largest of the Guitarists' series, and as its name implies it has a flat violin-like body or guitar, thanks to its chest fins and wide sheaf fins that are similar in shape.

Its color is gray-blue with white spots on the upper body.

The snout is pointed and the tail is thin but has lobes like those of a gram fish.

The fish lives on the sands and coral reefs and can hide in them in disguise.

It preys on small, invertebrate marine fish including oysters, squid, and various crustaceans.

Sometimes it swims up small river estuaries.

A spotted white violin does not lay eggs but spawns up to 10 young.

However, its reproduction is slow and its meat is in demand for food and is used in Chinese soups, and therefore its condition is endangered.

The Nature and Parks Authority asks if you have seen the beta, keep a distance of a few meters and allow it to move freely.

3639 * was reported to the Nature and Parks Authority's hotline for reporting an injured or distressed animal.

More on Walla!

Israel's Sharks: Meet our returning predators

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