Tozeuma Shrimp...In Focus

Do you remember the post from June...Tozeuma Shrimp...Out of Focus, Or What?...? Well, it was supposed to be a trick. There are actually two Tozeumas in that photo: the larger in the foreground is blurry, but there is also a smaller individual in the back on the right. Very few of you yahoos noticed it, so here is a shot of the larger shrimp...in focus...taken a few days ago.

Juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips

Another shot from the night dive at Dili Rock...this is a juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips (~12cm). Most of the juvenile sweetlips we see are smaller and more difficult to photograph. They tend to flop and flail about. But this Harlequin was pretty chill, casually hunting for an evening meal.

Basket Stars

Thanks to Sara for dragging me out for a dive at Dili Rock last night. Of the cool creatures we found in our torchlights, I think these two basket stars (Gorgonocephalus sp.) are worthy of a post. After a bit of research, I found that there are 10-12 species of basket stars, that they are typically found in cold water, and that they are closely related to brittle stars, although much larger. These two are 25cm and 40cm respectively. The second photo below is of an individual that has lived in the same spot for at least seven years. Any guesses on the natural life span of a basket star? No googling.