Mantis Shrimp

Xenocrab from Bob's Rock

More Masters of Camouflage

Here are two masters of camouflage. The first is Prosimnia semperi, an allied cowry that's virtually identical to the branching coral on which it lives. The second animal might be more difficult to see. It's Periclimenes amboinensis, a commensal shrimp that adapts its color to that of its host crinoid.

Ribbon Eel

This is a juvenile ribbon eel Rhinomuraena quaesita investigating my pointer (5mm) with its snout and lower jaw tentacles. As the juvenile matures, it will change color from black to blue to yellow at the same time it changes from male to female.

New Post

I know I've been delinquent in my duties to post something new. I'll try to catch up in the next day or so.

Melibe

Diane spotted this Melibe sp., possibly viridis or mirifica, (10cm) at Tasi Tolu. It's an unusually clear photo of a Melibe...they usually look like blobs of algae and are difficult to wrap your head around.

Unlike any other genus of sea slug, Melibe have a unique "oral hood" A used to catch small crustaceans. The hood, which is cast out like a fishing net, has rows of 'hairs' along the rim that filter the sand and detritus from the catch. The oral hood, as well as the rest of the Melibe, is quite transparent and it's possible to actually watch small crabs struggle as they are pushed back to the Melibe's mouth. B are, of course the rhinophones and C are cerata. These cerata can be 'sacrificed' and break off, giving the Melibe opportunity to escape when threatened. And finally, D is the fin-shaped posterior. Only a few sea slugs, including Melibe, have the ability to "swim". Swim might be an overstatement, but they do have the ability to jerk their bodies side-to-side and, with the help of this fin-shaped 'tail', move from place to place.

Laying Around

This is a sea snail (1cm), perhaps Cancilla interlirata (or some other Mitridae), laying eggs on the underside of a Udotea sp. algae. These algae are prolific at Tasi Tolu and play host to a variety of organisms. It might help to enlarge this photo to see the processes of the snail involved in laying.

Irresistible

Three Mimic Octopuses

There is absolutely no doubt: Tasi Tolu is the world's greatest dive site. Today we saw three mimic octopuses at about 20 meters.

Bob's Rock

I can't remember the last time we dived Bob's Rock...Tasi Tolu is just too tempting. But we had a couple of good dives there today with Rob, Sarah, Neil and Richard.

Nembrotha lineolata with its oral tube extended inside an ascidian.

Crabs on a Sea Pen

Thanks to Neil and Richard for joining Diane and me for a dive at Tasi Tolu this morning.

Loki Whip Goby

This is likely Bryaninops loki, which is found on many whip corals and fans. And it looks as if the goby has a coral polyp in its mouth.

True Colors

The top photo was taken on April 11th. Today I photographed the same frogfish - bottom photograph - in the same location.

Dawn Dive at Tasi Tolu

Thanks to Ron, Jason, and Diane for an absolutely amazing dive at Tasi Tolu this morning. Our efforts to climb out of bed at 0500 were rewarded with a bunch of critters, including three seahorses and this beautiful little octopus.

Leaf Scorpionfish

Blue Ringed Octopus

Here's another photo of the Blue Ringed Octopus.

Click to Enlarge.

Xeno Crab

This Xeno Crab (Xenocarcinus tuberculatus) was found on a whip coral at about 22 meters.

The Coral Triangle Initiative

Indonesia to Push for Common Fund To Help Preserve Region’s Coral Reefs

The Coral Triangle Initiative, or CTI, countries — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Solomon Islands — have currently earmarked a total of Rp 2.66 trillion ($250 million) for coral reef preservation but these funds remain under the control of each individual nation.

The leaders of the six CTI countries, along with representatives from the US and Australia, will attend the CTI Summit at the World Ocean Conference in Manado on May 11-15 to focus on "coral reefs, fisheries and food security".

Related resources:
Coral Triangle Initiative
World Ocean Conference (detailed agenda)

Allied Cowry Laying Eggs

Usually found feeding on the soft coral Dendronephthya, this allied cowry (Pseudosimnia) is laying a spiral of eggs around the branch of a Gorgonian coral.

Great Weekend at Tasi Tolu

We dived Tasi Tolu three times this weekend and were rewarded each time with new and interesting finds. This morning we joined Alex and Heather and found a colorful cuttlefish, juvenile pufferfish, and a couple seahorses!

Coral Transplant Surgery Prescribed for Japan

In the last decade up to 90 percent of the coral that surrounds many of Okinawa’s islands has died off.

Since 2005, the project has planted around 13,000 pieces of coral, at a cost of some $2 million. Only a third of the coral sprigs transplanted in 2005 have survived.

“Saving the reef is not something that we can do in three to four years,” says Mr. Hirosawa, a preservation officer at the Environment Ministry, “but more like 30 to 40 years.”

Check out the article in the NYTimes.

Another Crab on Sea Pen

I guess I just like this little guy.

Frogfish from Tasi Tolu

This frogfish has made its home between two feather stars on the anchor at Tasi Tolu. I encouraged him to come out for a photo today.