Ceratosoma tenue

 

UnderWater MRI

 

Batfish

 

Melibe viridis

We found two distinct species of Melibe this morning at Tasi Tolu, including three individuals that I believe to be Melibe viridis. Although we have seen relatively small species of Melibe in the past (perhaps juvenile viridis), this is our first encounter with the larger Melibes. While we observed, one of the individuals caught and ate a small crab. It seemed to take about 10 seconds for the Melibe to work the live crab into its 'mouth' before continuing its hunt.

According to the Sea Slug Forum:

Species of Melibe feed on shrimps, crabs and other small crustacea which they catch by waving the inflated oral hood over the substrate like a metal detector. When the sensory papillae touch a crustacean the hood rapidly closes, trapping the prey inside where it is gradually manipulated back to the 'mouth'. Species of Melibe lack a radula, prey remaining alive in the gut until killed by digestive juices.

Just a few weeks ago I commented somewhat sympathetically on sea slugs' incredible ability to endure the stinging, biting, and otherwise annoying microscopic 'wildlife' they encounter. But these Melibe seem more like formidable predators, unlikely to be deterred by a pesky syllid.



 

Commensal Shrimp on a Sea Cucumber

 

Crinoid Squat Lobster

 

Cowfish

 

 

Perfect Camouflage

 

Porcupine Puffer

 

Oxynoe viridis (15mm)

 

Jorunna funebris - Mating

The visability at Tasi Tolu was no more than a few meters this morning, but these two mating Jorunna funebris were hard to miss. The larger of the two was easily near the maximum size for the species at 5cm.
 

Caprellid sp. - Ghost Shrimp

There are at least 20 ghost shrimp in the first photo, ranging in size from 2mm to a monsterous 15mm. Diane, of course, spotted them today at Maubara (10 meters).

Click on the photo to enlarge!

Unknown Nudi at Tasi Tolu

Diane "Freak Eyes" Francisco is back in the house! Among her finds last night was this amazing nudibranch (10cm at 15m). I have sent a message to the Sea Slug Forum requesting help with the identification.

Ornate Ghost Pipefish

Bobtail Squid eating a shrimp

 

Philinopsis pilsbryi

This Philinopsis pilsbryi (3cm) was atop, and I suspect preparing to eat, another Philinopsis species.

 

Another Seahorse at Tasi Tolu!

Mr. Nick Hobgood was the spotter of this fantastic seahorse at Tasi Tolu tonight. It was about 7cm and found at 12 meters. Nice work Nick! 

 

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.