THORNY SEAHORSE !

Although this may be a common species in other locations, we have been looking for a seahorse of any type in Timor for years. Finally today we found this beautiful thorny seahorse, Hippocampus hitrix (8cm) at Tasi Tolu (18 meters).

Zebra Moray

Lendell spotted a pair of Zebra Moray Eels (Gymnomuraena zebra) in just 4 meters of water at Tasi Tolu today. I found this species in two books in the UWET library and both say that the Zebra Moray is very shy and almost always nocturnal, hunting the reef for small fishes and shrimps. Although both books also say it is difficult to approach, one of the individuals we saw today was swimming on top of the reef and seemed somewhat unphased by our presense. 

I'm Crunching Your Head

 

Allied Cowry

Godiva rachelae,not quadricolor

Nick and I found these two Godiva sp. (25mm, 20M)nudis at Tasi Tolu today. I sent a message to Bill Rudman at the Sea Slug Forum to verify that this is Godiva rachelae, not quadricolor.

Squat Lobster

 

Whip Coral Shrimp

This amazing whip coral shrimp (12mm) was found at Tasi Tolu (20M) on Thursday night's dive. As I was watching, the shrimp caught this little 'bug'. I'm not sure whether it was speared or just caught up in the shrimp's hairy tentacles.

Soft Coral Crab

 

I was reviewing photos of my first dives at Tasi Tolu in May and found this cool scruffy octopus.

Just another shot of the Pygmy Seahorse from Tulamben.

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Juvenile Scorpionfish

Juvenile Scorpionfish (35mm). The scorpionfish was on a barrel sponge covered with thousands of evenly spaced shrimps which must have been no more that 1mm in length.

Dili Rock and Tasi Tolu

A murky dive at Dili Rock followed by an exploration east at Tasi Tolu. This tiny crab (2-3mm) was my find of the day at Tasi Tolu.

2-3mm Crab on soft coral. Tasi Tolu, 20M.

Lendell found this beautiful Ceratosoma tenue just up the slope at 17M, Tasi Tolu.

Leave it to Diane to find this miniscule cowery (5mm).

Monster Xenocrab. 3cm. Tasi Tolu 20M

Cowery. Tasi Tolu 20M

Cowery. Tasi Tolu 20M

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Phyllodesmium longicirrum, Dili Rock, 13

Glossodoris cruenta

According to the Sea Slug Forum, this is Glossodoris cruenta. Like Platydoris cruenta its name comes from a Latin word for 'bloody' or 'spotted with blood'. There have been a couple sightings of G. cruenta in the Solomon Islands over the last few years. Dili Rock. 27M

Tasi Tolu

Thanks to Nick, Lendell, Kate, and of course Diane for a fantastic reintroduction to Timor diving.

Cerberilla ambonensis - Mating

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Polycera sp.

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Crinoid Shrimp

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Chelidonura hirundinina (1 cm)

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Commensal Shrimp in Crown of Thorns

Mantis shrimp with egg mass.

Moray eel with lots of friends

Ornate Ghost Pipefish.

Kate and Lendell. Kate is the one with suspicious eyes!

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Scruffy Frogfish

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Boxer Crab

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Seahorse !

17 Meters at Seraya.

Batfishes

Mantis Shrimp

Chromodoris with monster gills.

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