Squid. 4-5cm

Marbled Shrimp

Halgerda

This Halgerda sp. is from the photo archive of 2004 and was taken with a Sony P-150 point and shoot camera.

Sunday Night Sandy Bottom

Marbled Dragonet, Neosynchiropus ocellatus

Triplefin with Sea Lice

Robust Ghost Pipefish

Ghosty Squid

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Sunday at Dili Rock

Okenia brunneomaculata, 5mm

Okenia brunneomaculata, 5mm

How can we tell how big it is? We measure it!

Usually active only at night, this Bar-Tail Moray, Gymnothorax zonipectus, was out in full view today at Dili Rock.

Saturday Night at Sandy Bottom

What can I say about this guy? He's packed with protective, stinging anemone polyps.

Slug and Isopod

This tiny sea slug (right, 6mm) is not much bigger than the sphaeromatid isopod (left). According to our friend Leslie Harris, these isopods are primarily mild-mannered herbivores; the smallest ones are thought to scrape diatoms & detritus off sand grains.

The slug may be a juvenille Pleurobranchus, but this is only a wild guess.

The find-of-the-night!!! Cyerce elegans (9mm) found at 14 meters.

Bobtail Squid walking on the tips of its tentacles.

An incredibly cool squid with a glowing, iridescent red body. (12mm)

Clingfish on its host featherstar.

Need some help with an identification. Believe it or not, Diane found this same individual two nights in a row. It's only 5mm and walks with a stick-bug gate.

Crab Megalops

Unknown. Spotted two of these crab megalops last night. 5mm.

Sitting with a shrimp friend.

Find the Ctenophore Quiz

For Leslie. This decorator crab, Huenia heraldica, has quite a disguise, but check out the four tiny benthic ctenophores. They are not all easily seen. Click on the photo for larger view.
Can you find all four?

Hint: One is actually on the crab.

Check here for the correct locations.

Eyeball of a Mantis Shrimp.

I Feel So Used

For the second night now, this Lionfish has used my light to conduct a hunting expedition. He hangs out near an isolated cluster of coral along with the ornate ghost pipefish and a group of 6 or 7 juvenille bannerfish, Heniochus diphreutes. The group is now one smaller and the lionfish is probably waiting for me to come back tonight.

Male Clark's Anemonefish fanning his cluster of eggs.
See more details from this earlier post.

Hoplodoris?

Cerberilla ?

We think this animal is in the family Aeolidiidae, perhaps a juvenille species of Cerberilla. The individual was quite small (<1cm) but very fast, with cerata folded back over its body and long oral tentacles. We sent a message to Bill Rudman at the Sea Slug Forum requesting further information.

Fantastic Frogfish

This fantastic frogfish was fishing again last night. Notice the squiggly (technical term) lure attached just above the frogfish's mouth.

Baby Lionfish (8cm) with injury to the lower right portion of the head. Otherwise, it seemed healthy and very active.

Nick found this frogfish casting its lure last night at Sandy Bottom.

Strange Behavior

Saw some strange behavior from this Ornate Ghost Pipefish last night. A Lionfish (in the background) was hanging out near the small cluster of coral that is home to the Pipefish. As the Lionfish ventured off to hunt, the Pipefish tagged along, nearly touching the fin tips of the Lionfish. I actually saw the Lionfish eat another fish with the Pipefish closely behind, perhaps 2 meters away from the safety of the coral. The Lionfish was clearly aware of the Pipefish but didn't seem to regard it as food. They then returned to the coral together.

Fish Food

This photo was taken half a second before this fish became fish food. The Lionfish was very patient and I was just a little too eager.

Marbled Dragonet

From last night's dive.
Marbled Dragonet. Neosynchiropus ocellatus

Top 10 Dives

It simply doesn't get any better than Sandy Bottom, especially with a great spotter like Diane and a great illuminator like Nick. Tonight's dive easily makes it into the Top 10 Dives of all time. Everything was out: octopus, squid, lionfish, ornate pipefish, pipehorses, nudibranch, shrimp, crabs, and a few unknowns. Beautiful conditions as well, with a bit of light from a half moon and very little current. Same time tomorrow?

Baby Lionfish

Poor little snail has his proboscis sticking out looking for an escape.

Phycocaris simulans

Thanks to our good friend Leslie Harris from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County for identifying the little shrimp: Phycocaris simulans. Only 3mm!!

Pair of Ornate Ghost Pipefish.

Pelagic Ctenophore?

5mm.

Need a crustacean book.

Plocamopherus imperialis

This appears to be Plocamopherus imperialis. According to the Sea Slug Forum, this species can luminesce, producing flashes of light down each side of its body. Check out more details on the Forum.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Finally, the cyclonic weather that has kept us all out of the water for a few weeks has given way to calm breezes and flat seas. Thanks to Diane, Lendel, Greg and Nick for a breath of fresh air on this morning's dive at Sandy Bottom. The highlight was a pair of Ornate Ghost Pipefish hanging out at 13M.

Solenostomus paradoxus

Ornate Ghost Pipefish. Solenostomus paradoxus.

Close-up

Orangutan Crab Conference

There must have been an orangutan convention today at Sandy Bottom.
Diane claims to have seen at least 25.

Hitchin a Ride

This decorator crab was hitching a ride on the back of a Phylidia.

Solenostomus cyanopterus

Robust Ghost Pipefish. Solenostomus cyanopterus

Periclemenes brevicarpalis

And finally today, a beautiful Periclemenes brevicarpalis.

Nembrotha rutilans

Nembrotha rutilans

In the Act

Nembrotha rutilans, in the act.

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