Exuberant Underwater Life
Whitetail dascylus
Dascyllus aruanus.
Whitetail dascylus
Dascyllus aruanus. On a small staghorn coral tablet. Very lively little fish. Sunabe.
Whitetail dascylus
IMG_1974_1.jpg 2009-07-22
Pink Anemonefish
Amphiprion perideraion. Sunabe.
Tomato Anemonefish
Amphiprion frenatus. Keramas
Tomato Anemonefish
Keramas
Alexander's damsel
Pomacentrus alexanderae
Reticulated dascylus.
Dascylus reticulatus. Pooping!
Another pretty damselfish
Sunabe.
Barhead damsel
sunabe
Barhead damsel
Neoglyphidodon thoracotaeniatus
Yellowtail damsel
Near Iki jima.
Yellowtail damsel
Near Ike jima
Turtlehead snake
Sunabe
Turtlehead snake
It's comming right at me. Emydocephalus annulatus. This is esentially a marine cobra, but they're always nice to me and
Sea Cucumber
IMG_1868_1.jpg 2009-07-22
Sea Cucumber
IMG_1934_1.jpg 2009-07-22
Sea Cucumber
IMG_1719_1.jpg 2009-07-22
Sea Cucumber
IMG_1862_1.jpg 2009-07-22
Sea Cucumber
IMG_1957_1.jpg 2009-07-22
Sea Cucumber
IMG_1941_1.jpg 2009-07-22
Cornetfish
Fistularia commersoni
Black wrasse
Halichoeres melanochir, Sunabe seawall.
Who am I?
Some juvenile wrasse?
Grouper with parasite
Look at the reddish thing near the tail fin!
Lionfish face
Pterois volitans
Who am I II?
Sunabe. ~ 2 cm.
Falgtail grouper
Getting cleaned
Flagtail grouper
IMG_1980_1.jpg 2009-07-22
Spotted coral grouper
IMG_1982_1.jpg 2009-07-22
Sea fans
Near Tsuken jima
Roboastra luteolineata
On the base of a sacrophyton soft coral, ~8m, Sunabe.
Aegires citronella
This species of nudibranch mimics a sponge of teh same color.
Coral close up
Acropora?
Scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis papuaenisi
Anthias
Pseudanthias squamipinis, male. Twin rocks, Kerams.
Blackspt butterflyfish
Chaetodon speculum. Twin rocks, Keramas.
Tripplefin blenny
On a coral.
Blenny
In a coral.
Small goby
Keramas
Parasite!
This blenny has some kind of parasite (the two plack sausage-like things) attached to its side. Ouch!
Blueband goby
Valenciennea strigata
Blueband goby
These ~ 10 cm long fishes were swimming in a sandy patch besides a reef in the Keramas.
Blueband goby
One of them would always pick up a bit of sand and eat the edible material in there, while the 2nd one would watch out.
More Ocean Beauty
Christmasn tree worm
In a hard coral. Kayo beach.
Sea weed
Kayo.
Anemonefish & friends.
Kayo.
Starfish.
In the beautiful sea grass meadows in Kayo.
Another sea grass szenery.
Kayo.
Anoemonefish.
P7050094.JPG 2009-07-05
Minute shrimp.
I turned a starfish around and saw a very small (3 mm) shrimp running around its underside.
Minute shrimp II.
It didn't want to leave its starfish host.
Minute shrimp III.
I love the rainbows on this picture. I hope the shrimp enjoyed them as well. Is it symbiontic? Parasitic?
Anthias and Redtoothed Triggerfish
Aguni, one of Okinawa's outer islands.
Purple anthias.
Aguni
Ingo & sea fan
Aguni.
Sea fan
Aguni. Huge!
Sea fan
and cleaner wrasse.
Reef szene
Zampa.
Soft coral
Zampa
Lionfish
Zampa
Frogfish.
Antennarius sp. Maeda.
Frogfish II.
IMG_1409_1.jpg 2009-07-06
Frogfish III.
IMG_1395_1.jpg 2009-07-06
Pickhandle Barracuda
Desalination plant, sunabe.
Pickhandle Barracuda
They're coming right at me!
Pickhandle Barracuda
IMG_1613_1.jpg 2009-07-14
Reef szene
Desalination plant, Sunabe.
Red!
Dendronephtya soft corals and Finnish diver.
Sea cucumber
IMG_1719_1.jpg 2009-07-14
Koamohara's fangblenny
Endemic to Japan
Lionfish
IMG_1734_1.jpg 2009-07-16
Ocean catfish
One of only a few species of catfishes which liev in the ocean.
Ocean catfish II
Always very active, in schools of ~100 animals.
Pacific doublesaddle butterflyfish
IMG_1748_1.jpg 2009-07-16
Okinawa Summer Scuba
Blackfin Dartfish
Ptereleotris evides
Blackfin Dartfish
Ptereleotris evides
Threadfin dartfish
Ptereleotris hanae. This fish darts into a crevice if threatened, hence the name.
Shrimpgoby
Amblyeleotris steinitzi.
Shrimpgoby
Amblyeleotris steinitzi.
Shrimpgoby
Amblyeleotris steinitzi. This goby lives in symbiosis with a shrimp. The shrimp digs a burrow, the goby looks out for pr
Shrimpgoby
Amblyeleotris steinitzi.
Orange spotted goby
Maiden goby. Digs his own burrow, hasn't found out how to keep a shrimp!
Crinoid on Gorgonian
Manzamo
Minute shrimp
on bubble coral, ~ 8 mm
Minute shrimp
IMG_1275_1.jpg 2009-06-21
Oyster
Manzamo
Sea fan
Manzamo
Sea Fan
Manzamo
Sea Fan
Manzamo
Halfmoon triggerfish
Sufflamen chrysopterum, juvenile. ~ 2cm. A very easily scared fish!
Yellowmargin triggerfish
Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus
Soilderfish
IMG_1238.jpg 2009-06-21
Thornback cowfish
Lactoria fornasini. Manzamo.
Last Dance at Manzamo
Hypselodoris apolegma
~ 35 m.
Hypselodoris apolegma
~ 35 m.
Pseudanthias squamipinnis
Scalefin anthias. Female.
Pseudanthias squamipinnis
Scalefin anthias. Female.
Dascyllus trimaculatus
Groups of these fishes feed on plankton in the open water, a few meters away from the wall at Manzamo @ ~ 10 m.
Hemitaurichthys polylepis
Pyramid bufferflyfish. One of the few bufferflyfish which feed in the open water, and in goups, not in pairs.
Coradion altivelis
Highfin coralfish. Depth: 40 m. Much deeper than it occurs according to Allen et al.'s "Reef Fish Identification".
IPearly Oyster
.
Pterois volitans
~ 10m depp.
Pterois volitans
~ 10m depp.
Oahu
Hawaiian monk seal
Monachus schauinslandi, endemic, endangered. Waikiki aquarium.
Some ginger, I think.
beautifull
Beautifull
also couldn't find it in my guidebook
View from above Honolulu
IMG_0222.jpg 2009-05-15
Archerfish
Toxotes jaculator, Waikiki aquarium.
Hawaiian fresqwater goby
Waikiki aquarium.
Banjan tree
IMG_0235.jpg 2009-05-15
Lyton arboreum
Honolulu
Flowers
IMG_0252.jpg 2009-05-15
Lyton arboreum
IMG_0266.jpg 2009-05-15
View from Diamond head
Honolulu
Diamond head
IMG_0306.jpg 2009-05-15
Hawaii
Ohi'a
Metrosideros sp.
Metrosideros sp.
Metrosideros sp.
Green sand beach
southern part of Hawaii
Iron rich rock
Kilauea iki
IHawaiian moutain apple
Kalani
Noni
Kalani
View of Kilauea iki
Volcanoes natl. park
Lava crust
Kilauea iki
South Point
Southernmost point of the USA
Ancient Hawaiian temple
Kalani
Wild orchid
IMG_0460.jpg 2009-05-15
Fern
Vulcanoes natl. park
Fern
IMG_0430.jpg 2009-05-15
Sediment
Near green sand beach
Vulcanic gases
Kilauea iki
Crack in the ground
Kilauea iki
Green sand beach
nice spot!
Coastal view
I like the clouds
Fungus infection ?
on a leaf
A rock
in the forrest
Cool tree
northern part of Hawaii
More gases
Kilauea iki
Sediment ground
near green sand beach
high iron vulcanic rock
Kilauea iki
Mimosa
Kalani
Buddah
Kalani
Hawaii Underwater
Dophins
off Kona
More Dophins
they swam with us for 30 minutes
This guy liked me
.
Tail fin
.
Cruising
.
More Dophins
.
Cubozoan?
Black water night dive
?
Wired stuff at night
Some dude, riding on larger plankton
Close up from the last image. If you know what animal this is, please email me.
Some cnidarian?
Not sure
Other cnidarian
.
Cnidarian
This was really one of the most unusual dives I had ever done. 15 m deep, in 1000+ m of water, at night.
Tinker's butterflyfish
Chaetodon tinkeri. Endemic to Hawaii. Only found > 30 m, feeds on soft corals.
Tinker's butterflyfish
Chaetodon tinkeri.
Tinker's butterflyfish
Chaetodon tinkeri.
Tinker's butterflyfish
Chaetodon tinkeri.
Tinker's butterflyfish
Chaetodon tinkeri.
Chaetodon multicinctus
Multiband butterflyfish, endemic to Hawaii.
Chaetodon lunula
Racoon butterflyfish, quite abundant in Hawaii.
Chaetodon miliaris
Miletseed butterflyfish, endemic to Hawaii.
Chaetodon miliaris
Miletseed butterflyfish, endemic to Hawaii.
Antennarius commerson
Commerson's frogfish.
Antennarius commerson
Commerson's frogfish. Yawning!!!
Antennarius commerson
Commerson's frogfish.
Antennarius commerson
Commerson's frogfish.
Rockmover wrasse
Novaculichthys taeniourus. Juvenile.
Rockmover wrasse
Novaculichthys taeniourus. Juvenile.
Rockmover wrasse
Novaculichthys taeniourus. This fish turns over coral rubble and looks for invertebrates to eat.
Rockmover wrasse
Novaculichthys taeniourus.
Rockmover wrasse
Novaculichthys taeniourus.
Rockmover wrasse
Novaculichthys taeniourus. Here it has found an urchin.
Chromis agilis
quite common in Kona
Centropyge potteri
Potter's angelfish. Endemic to Hawaii.
Turtle
.
Thalasoma dupperey
Saddle wrasse. Endemic to Hawaii.
Xanthichthys auromarginatus
Gilded triggerfish. Male.
Xanthichthys auromarginatus
Gilded triggerfish. Female.
Xanthichthys auromarginatus
Gilded triggerfish. These triggerfish swim in the water column and feed on plankton.
Xanthichthys auromarginatus
Gilded triggerfish.
Aulustomus chinensis
Trumpetfish
Aulustomus chinensis
Trumpetfish
Manta birostris
at night
Manta birostris
at night
Cirrithops fasciatus
Redbarred hawkfish
Cirrithops fasciatus
Redbarred hawkfish
Paracirrhites arcatus
Arkeye hawkfish
Paracirrhites forsteri
Hawkfish
Paracirrhites forsteri
Hawkfish
Canthigaster jactator
Hawaiian white spotted toby. Endemic to Hawaii.
Halichoeres ornatissimus
Ornate wrasse
Cleaning
Labroides phthirophagus (Hawaiian cleaner wrasse) cleaning Dascyllus albislella (Hawaiian dascyllus).
Cleaning
Labroides phthirophagus (Hawaiian cleaner wrasse) cleaning Chaetodon thompsonii (Thompson's butterflyfish).
Cleaning
Labroides phthirophagus (Hawaiian cleaner wrasse) cleaning Parupeneus sp. (goatfish).
Cleaning
Labroides phthirophagus (Hawaiian cleaner wrasse) cleaning Parupeneus sp. (goatfish).
Calotomus carolinus
Stareeye parrotfish
Flatworm
Common species in Hawaii
Chelinus sp.
Wrasse
Parapercis schauinslandii
Redspotted sandperch. On the wreck of the "naked lady" ~ 30 m.
Okinawa Scuba April 2009
Corythoichtys ocellatus
Maeda
Corythoichtys ocellatus
Orange-spotted pipefish
Glossodoris sp.?
Phylidia sp.
a big one, ~15 cm, @ 30 m, Maeda.
Apogon sp.
Apogon exostigma
Narrowstripe cardinalfish, night coloration
Apogon sp.
A goby
waiting to be IDed.
Trapecia sp.
inbetween hard coral fingers
Stenopus hispidus
Cleaner shrimp
Camposcia retusa
decorator crab. These crabs put sponges on their bodies to camouflage themselves.
Flatworm
IMG_0084.jpg 2009-04-17
Another flatworm
IMG_0069.jpg 2009-04-17
next flatworm
IMG_0072.jpg 2009-04-17
Aegires citrinus
Sunabe desalination plant, at night.
Phylidiealla pustulosa
a nudibranch, Sunabe.
Berthella martensi
nudibranch
Tambja morosa
a nudibranch. Desalination plantm Sunabe.
Tambja morosa
IMG_0099.jpg 2009-04-17
Tambja morosa
IMG_0106.jpg 2009-04-17
Tambja morosa
Feelers, close up.
Tambja morosa
Gills, close up.
Sepia latimanus
IMG_8661.jpg 2009-04-17
Sepia latimanus
IMG_8660.jpg 2009-04-17
Sepia latimanus
IMG_8652.jpg 2009-04-17
Scorpaenopsis papuensis
IMG_8692.jpg 2009-04-17
Gymnothorax fimbriatus
Fimbriated moray, Sunabe, at night.
Gymnothorax fimbriatus
Fimbriated moray, Sunabe, at night.
Epinephelus sp.
sleeping
Baracuda
IMG_8679.jpg 2009-04-17
Orchids
Orchid
Spider on a sea-rose leave
Orchid
IMG_8423.jpg 2009-04-04
Orchids
IMG_8431.jpg 2009-04-04
Orchids
IMG_8558.jpg 2009-04-04
Dlagonfry
IMG_8459.jpg 2009-04-04
Orchid
IMG_8511.jpg 2009-04-04
Pandanus tree
IMG_8468.jpg 2009-04-04
Pandanus
IMG_8479.jpg 2009-04-04
Fern tree sprout
IMG_8522.jpg 2009-04-04
Water buffalo
The water buffalo rules!
Orchids
IMG_8553.jpg 2009-04-04
Orchids
IMG_8543.jpg 2009-04-04
Scuba Okinawa February 2009
Black spotted puffer
Arothron nigropunctatus
Turtle head snake
Emydocephalus annulatus
Turtle head snake
Emydocephalus annulatus
Turtle head snake
Emydocephalus annulatus
Spreckled Sandperch
Aeolid nudibranch
Near the Manza Beach hotel
Aeolid nudibranch
Sunset wrasse
Thalasoma lutesnces. Terminal form.
Molusc
Which one? I am not sure! Some gastropod?
Flatworm on sea star
Thysanozoum nigropapilosum on Choriaster granulatus. Manzamo, 15m, at night
Octopus
Octopus sp. Which one? ~10 cm body length. Wall at Manzamo, ~20 m depth, at night.
Octopus
Octopus sp.
Octopus
Octopus sp. What does the white ring around the eye mean?
Octopus
Octopus sp.
Turbastrea
IMG_0024.jpg 2009-02-28
Lined surgeonfish
Acanthurus lineatus
Pseudobiceros
Flatworm
Yonaguni '09
Crinoids
The currents in Yonaguni are very strong, to the liking of many crinoids.
Blacktooth triggerfish
Odontus niger.
More crinoids
IMG_9689.jpg 2009-02-15
Parrotfish
This parrotfish wants to move to Sunabe where there is less current.
Pete and Jerry
Their bubbles move almost horizontally! There are some strong, strong currents in Yonaguni.
Weired plankton
Unidentified species. ~ 20 cm.
Anthias
Pseudanthias squamipinis.
Soft coral
Whip coral
.
Crinoids
.
Doug thinks ...
"Does the crinoid hate freedom?"
Hard corals
In one of them, the priests of an ancient civilization have etched their hieroglyph for a sex act so unspeakable I can't
Hard coral
Almost!
I did not take a picture of a hammerhead shark, but I took a picture of a cute Japanese dive guide, who drew a picture of
Bannerfish
Heniochus sp.
Plastic hammerhead
IMG_9860.jpg 2009-02-15
Shrine to the regulator
in the diveshop
Mountain shrine
IMG_9886.jpg 2009-02-15
Cliff walk
IMG_9883.jpg 2009-02-15
No Fish!
Turtle-headed sea snake
Emydocephalus annulatus.
Turtle-headed sea snake
Emydocephalus annulatus. Head close-up.
Turtle-headed sea snake
Emydocephalus annulatus.
Turtle-headed sea snake
Emydocephalus annulatus.
Turtle-headed sea snake
Emydocephalus annulatus.
Turtle-headed sea snake
Emydocephalus annulatus. Inbetween soft corals.
Turtle-headed sea snake
Emydocephalus annulatus.
Turtle-headed sea snake
Emydocephalus annulatus. This snake eats fish eggs, which it searches out inbetween the rocks and corals. Often the tail
Turtle-headed sea snake
Emydocephalus annulatus. Note the flat tail, adapted for swimming.
Octopus
Octopus cyanea. Note the small pipefish underneath the syphon.
Octopus
Octopus cyanea.
Octopus
Octopus cyanea.
Octopus
Octopus cyanea.
Sunabe Sepia Special
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
True story: A cuttlefish and a sea snake meeting. No battle ensued, the cuttlefish ignored the snake, and the snake like
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
Sepia latimanus. Unusually large individual (~ 60 cm).
Sepia
Sepia latimanus. Same individual.
Sepia
Sepia latimanus
Sepia
This one is trying to get something from inside a crack in a rock.
Shelly Beach
Hair
Me & my camera
Cardinal fish
Apogon sp., in front of spotted Wobegong, Orectolobus maculatus. Shelly beach, 6 m.
Old wife
Enloposus armatus. The whole family is endemic to Australia. 5 m, swimming around in the kelp.
Eastern Blue Grouper
Achoerodus viridis. . Is really not a grouper, but a wrasse. 1 m length, very curious and friendly fish.
Eastern Blue Grouper
Achoerodus viridis.
Eastern Blue Grouper
Achoerodus viridis.
Eastern Blue Grouper
Achoerodus viridis.
Eastern Blue Grouper
Achoerodus viridis.
Mado
Atypichthys strigatus
Wrasse with Eastern Cleaner Clingfish
Cochleoceps orientalis
Wrasse
IMG_9338.jpg 2009-01-03
Eastern Cleaner Clingfish
Cochleoceps orientalis
More Sydney Underwater
Mado
Atypichtys strigatus. ~ 10 cm. These fish, closely related to butterflyfishes, occur in schools above the kelp and are a
Yellow-finned Leatherjacket
Meuschenia trachylepis
Sergant baker
Aulopus purpuristratrus
Sergant baker
Aulopus purpuristratrus
Leafy seadragon
Pyllopteryx teniolatus. 25 m, North head. What an amazing, unusual fish. Related to seahorses.
Leafy seadragon
Pyllopteryx teniolatus
Leafy seadragon
Pyllopteryx teniolatus
Leafy seadragon
Pyllopteryx teniolatus
Leafy seadragon
Pyllopteryx teniolatus
Triggerfish
I could not find out which species exactly this is. A juvenile?
Triggerfish
These occur in small schools and are very curious. They checked out my camera strobes and these cuttlefish.
Cuttlefish
Male and female
Cuttlefish
Male and female
Maori Wrasse
Ophthalmolepis lineolatus. Single or in pairs, an active swimmer, abundant in the kelp
Slightly spotted stingaree
Urolophus paucimaculatus
Slightly spotted stingaree
Urolophus paucimaculatus
Sydney Underwater
White's seahorse
Hippocampus whitei
White's seahorse
Hippocampus whitei
White's seahorse
Hippocampus whiteiI
White's seahorse
Hippocampus whitei Note the independently rotating eyes.
Sweetlip?
IMG_8761.jpg 2008-12-23
Sweetlip?
I couldn't ID this fish yet. 30 - 40 com, many of them were laying around sluggishly on the small wrecks in Chowder bay.
Sloth goby
Istigobius hoesei
Tiger pipefish
Filicampus tigris. These animals occurred quite frequently in the sand, next to small patches of seaweed, in ~6-10 m.
Tiger pipefish
Filicampus tigris.
Dwarf lionfish
Dendrochirus brachypterus. In Chowder bay, there are many sunken metal structures. This small fish sat on one of them.
Octopus
IMG_8938.jpg 2008-12-23
Octopus
IMG_8978.jpg 2008-12-23
Octopus
Close up of the arms
Octopus
IMG_8815.jpg 2008-12-23
Leatherjacket
These small filefish were active in small schools, 1 m above the bottom.
Stingaree
Urolopus paucimaculatus
Stingaree
This fish swam for a few meters in the open water, before settling down in the sand again.
Sole
IMG_8865.jpg 2008-12-23
Cuttlefish
Close up on the eye.
Cuttlefish
Sepia sp.
Cuttlefish
two males
Cuttlefish
Male (left) and female.
Cuttlefish
Two males fighting over a female.
Cuttlefish
Banded body pattern (aggression?)
Cuttlefish
IMG_8901.jpg 2008-12-23
Half banded seaperch
Hypoplectrodes maccullochi
Crested Morwong
Ceilodactylus vestitus. 15 m.
Red rockcod
Scorpaena cardinalis
Old wife
Enoplosus armatus. Who comes up with fish common names? These fish, Australian endemics, occur in small schools around w
Old wife
Enoplosus armatus.
Old wife
Enoplosus armatus.
Porcupinefish
IMG_8970.jpg 2008-12-23
Fourstripe cardinalfish
Apogon doederleini
Fourstripe cardinalfish
Apogon doederleini
Fan-belly leatherjacket
Monocanthus chinensis. An active and common filefish, length about 20 - 30 cm.
Fan-belly leatherjacket
Monocanthus chinensis
Fan-belly leatherjacket
Monocanthus chinensis
Eastern Hulafish
Trachinops taeniatus. Small schools of these fishes, of different sizes (aprox. 2 to 10 cm) can be found in small crevic
Mosaic leatherjacket
Eubalichtys mosaicus. Juvenile.
Mosaic leatherjacket
Eubalichtys mosaicus.
Amsterdam trip
Clouds over Japan
Siberian river
Arctic ice
near Franz Josefs land
Siberian mountains
Amsterdam by night
Sea gulls
in the Amsterdam city center
More gulls
Crazy dog
This is how things look if you sample the goodies this city has to offer.
Interresting tree
Tilburg
Insect eating plant
Hortus
Butterfly
The butterflies kept landing on this girl's hands, and she let me take pictures of her with the insects.
Butterfly
De Hortus, Amsterdam botanical garden
Butterfly
I love the reflection in the jar the insect is sitting on.
Amsterdam by night
IMG_8559.jpg 2008-12-09
Trippy Amsterdam by night
Dutch light
http://www.dutchlight.nl/
More dutch light
Dutch light and birds
Kansai Airport
This is the weirdest, most unnatural landscape I have ever seen. A huge artificial island. At night they have this sign
Clouds reflecting on the airplane
IMG_8655.jpg 2008-12-09
Okinawa ultramacro extravaganza
Vir philippinensis
in bubble coral. This minute (<1 cm) shrimp hides in this coral all day long.
Vir philippinensis
IMG_8168.jpg 2008-11-02
Thor amboinensis
in bubble coral. Also a very small shrimp
Atriolum sp.
a tunicate
Clavelia sp.
another tunicate. about 8 mm long.
Clavelia sp.
IMG_8174.jpg 2008-11-02
Christmas tree worm
Spirobranchus sp.
coral hermit crab
Paguritta sp.
Zebra lionfish pectoral fin
Dendrochirus zebra
Zebra lionfish
IMG_8151.jpg 2008-11-02
Twospot Lizardfish
Synodus binotatus
Chromodoris sp.
IMG_8108.jpg 2008-11-02
Aegires citrinus
in Sunabe
Jewelled blenny
Salarias fasciatus. Hiding in rock crevices, 5 m, Sunabe
Coryphopterus duospilus
twospot goby. Sunabe
Sacrophyton
a soft coral
Acropora sp?
hard coral
Palau 2008
Palauan Flag
Moon over the ocean
Ocean Hunter III
At sunset.
Shark, Sea fan, Diver
Ulong channel
Karen looking at a sea fan
IMG_7216.jpg 2008-10-18
Soft corals
Dendronephtya in the foreground. Plus a golden damsel, and an air bubble with corals reflecting in it.
Blue holes
IMG_7378.jpg 2008-10-18
Blue holes
IMG_7380.jpg 2008-10-18
Barrakudas
Sphyraena barracuda
Napoleon wrasse
Chelinus undulatus, at the blue corner.
Napoleon wrasse
IMG_7553.jpg 2008-10-18
Napoleon wrasse
IMG_7557.jpg 2008-10-18
Sea fan
with Christophe behind it.
Soft corals
IMG_7601.jpg 2008-10-18
Gray reef shark
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos. This sums up the Palau dive experience: lots of fish, and sharks on every dive. What a fanta
Blacktip reef shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus. These sharks were attracted to our boat by the kitchen waste. I ate the same lunch as this fi
Blacktip reef shark
IMG_7617.jpg 2008-10-18
Gray reef shark
in the ackground: Odontus niger, red-tooth trigger fish. There were also many of these. Blue corner.
Blacktip reef shark
IMG_7618.jpg 2008-10-18
Narrow barred spanish mackerel
Scomberomus commerson. About 1 m long. Blue corner.
Nautilus belauenis
These primitive relatives of octopus and squid live in depths of several 100 m. they were caught with a chicken as bait
Nautilus
After the photo session, the animals were released in deep water away from the reef so that they could descend unharmed
Huge sea fan
IMG_7861.jpg 2008-10-18
Saddle grouper
Cephalopholis sexmaculata
Trevallys
Carangoides sp.
Bluestripe Snapper
Lutjans kasmira. Blue corner.
Bluestripe snapper
posing for photos
Jellyfish
IMG_7892.jpg 2008-10-18
Jellyfish
These jellyfish thrive in a lake in Palau which has sea-water, but is not directly connected to the ocean.
Jellifish and Karen
IMG_7935.jpg 2008-10-21
Jellyfish
IMG_7947.jpg 2008-10-18
Jellyfish
IMG_7909.jpg 2008-10-18
Buoy #6 wreck
unindentified Japanese submarine chaser
wreck
covered with dendronepthya soft corals
wreck
covered in anemones, soft corals, a crinoid
Giant clams
Giant!
Bigeyes
IMG_7172.jpg 2008-10-21
Clam
This shows how huge these clams really are.
Filipino fish hugger
Our dive guide Eddy.
Camouflage grouper
Epinephelus polyhekaidon
Turtle
IMG_7446.jpg 2008-10-21
Yellow masked angelfish
Pomocanthus xanthometopon
Palauan meeting house
Baii, in Babeldoab
Meeting house detail
IMG_7122.jpg 2008-10-18
Meeting house
touristy version, still cool paintings
Meeting house detail
IMG_7130.jpg 2008-10-21
Meeting house detail
IMG_7129.jpg 2008-10-21
Jungle river
Babeldoab
Estuarine crocodile
Crocodilus porosus
My guide Stin
great guy!
Mangroves
on Pelilu. There were lots of mosquitoes there!
Mangroves
Pelilu
US tank
In Pelilu. On this island in Palau's south, a bloody battle raged in 1944, and there are still ample war remains left.
Japanese canon
Pelilu
Japanese cave
in Pelilu.
Japanese cave
IMG_8188.jpg 2008-10-18
Mangrove crab dinner
Pelilu
Rock islands
IMG_8310.jpg 2008-10-18
Rock islands
We stopped there on the way back from Pelilu. This is the most beautifull place I've ever been to.
Coconut palm seeding
Pelilu
Rock island
IMG_8305.jpg 2008-10-18
Boatride
IMG_8293.jpg 2008-10-21
Jungle
Ulong island
Coastline
Pelilu. Note the anemone in the foreground
Yap September 2008
Narita airport sunset
on my way
Pajama cardinal fish
Sphaeramia nematoptera
Black belted cardinal fish
Archamia zosterophora
Yelloweye cardinalfish
Apogon monospilus
Pajama cardinal fish
All of these cardinal fishes were hovering above the coral fingers on this shallow reef, only 2, 3 m deep, in schools of
Mandarinfish
Synchiropus splendidus. These fantastic little fishes live in a shallow reef, between finger corals, and come out at dus
Mandarinfish
IMG_6686.jpg 2008-10-18
Mandarinfish
Mating! The male is the larger one.
Dive boat
I like how the light plays on its side.
Manta board
At the Manta Ray Bay hotel, they know every manta personally.
Wooden Manta
IMG_6870.jpg 2008-10-18
Manta
Manta birostris
Manta
Eric Hanauer, world-renowned underwater videographer, leaves his shadow on this Manta. What a nice symbolism! I wish all
Manta
Gofnuf channel
Manta dance
IMG_7019b.jpg 2008-10-18
Manta and snapper
The snapper is seeking cover to hunt
Manta
IMG_6985.jpg 2008-10-18
Manta and cleaners
The manta rays come to the cleaner stations to have parasites and dead skin removed by the cleaner wrasses.
Shark feed
the bait fell off the rope, right onto me. Ups.
Gray reef sharks
they're coming right at me!
Blacktip reef shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Gray reef shark
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Sharks
a sign of a healthy reef ecosystem
Gray reef shark
IMG_6960.jpg 2008-10-20
Blacktip
IMG_6910.jpg 2008-10-20
Blacktip reefshark
IMG_6941.jpg 2008-10-20
Red snapper
out to snap you! Lutjans bohar.
Yap beach bungalow
in Maap, in the north of Yap
Beach
IMG_7100.jpg 2008-10-20
Palm trees
IMG_7109.jpg 2008-10-20
Toad
These animals were introduced to Yap by the Japanese, and the Yapese call them by their Japanese name, "Kairu".
Small animals around our house
Caterpillar
on the house wall
Caterpillar
species? Who knows? If you do, email me!
Gecko
in the kitchen sink
Mantis
on the front door
Manzamo and Sunabe
Mantis shrimp
Odontodactlyus scyalarus
Mantis shrimp
My dive buddy Ingo found this beautiful crustacean in a crack at ~8 m on the wall in Manzamo.
Mantis shrimp
It first retreated in its cave, then came out, ran 50 cm across the reef, and back into its cave.
Mantis shrimp
IMG_6204.jpg 2008-09-06
Turbastrea hexcoral
with polyps closed.
Turbastrea
with open polyps.
juvenile Damselfish
Inbetween turbastrea corals. I like the shadows the corals throw on the little fish.
Echinogorgia sp.
with brittle star
Large whip goby
Brianinops ampus, on soft coral
Siphonogorgia sp.
I think. Soft corals are difficult to ID.
Turbastrea faulkneri
Manzamo, 35 m
Basking star
detail of the outer portion of the arms. Manzamo, 30 m, at night.
Cleaner shrimp
Stenopus hispidus
Decorator grab
IMG_6118.jpg 2008-09-06
Cowrie
IMG_6146.jpg 2008-09-06
Cowrie
length ~15 cm. Crawling on the reef-top, at night.
Pencil urchin
Heterocentrotuc sp. Manzamo, reef top.
Big-scale soilderfish
Myripristis berndti
Phylidiella pustulosa
a nudibranch
Chromodoris coi
Sunabe seawall, 8 m
Chromodoris coi
IMG_6307.jpg 2008-09-07
Phylidium varicosa
Sunabe seawall, 10 m
Valencienna puellaris
Orange dashed goby
Valencienna puellaris
Sunabe. These fishes are very shy, and retreated into a hole in the sand a few seconds after I took this picture.
Amblyeleotris stenitzi
in front of his hole in the sand ...
and gone inside
half a second later. But who digs tehse holes?
a shrimp
digs the holes, and the gobies keep a sharp eye on the big fish in teh environment.
Shrimp goby and shrimp
IMG_6354.jpg 2008-09-07
Amblyeleotris periophtalama
this species of shrimpgoby is rarer in Okinawa than A. stenitzi.
Ptereleotris hanae
Threadfin dartfish
Synodus binotatus
Twospot lizardfish. These always lurk around on some stones and wait for their prey. Nice teeth.
Monotaxis grandoculis
Humpnose bigeye bream, juvenile, I think. Sunabe.
Turtlehead snake
IMG_6391.jpg 2008-09-07
Osctracion cubicus
Yellow boxfish, juvenile. This small fish was very shy and hid under a coral ledge.
Flounder
IMG_6402.jpg 2008-09-07
Same flounder
oh flounder, you are so flat. Very hard to spot.
Crossosalaris macrospilus
Tripplespot blenny, I think. Sunabe, 6 m.
Plotosus lineatus
Striped catfish.
Plectropomus maculatus
Spotted coral grouper
Scorpaenopsis papuensis
Papuan scorpionfish. But I found it in Sunabe, Okinawa, not in Papua New Guinea.
Iniistius pavo
Peacock razorfish. dove into the sand 1 second after I took the picture. Sunabe, 20 m.
Pomacentrus bankanensis
Speckled damsel, a charming little damselfish. These are found abundantly under the soft corals in sunabe.
Fisheye lens pix
Portrait of the artist as a young man
with my Canon EOS400D, in the Hugyfot housing, two Inon Z-240 strobes.
Soft coral garden
Sinularia, Nepthea, 10 m, Sunabe
Soft corals, sponge, crinoid, clam
Manzamo, 35 m. What an abundance of invertebrate life!
Turbastrea
a hexeacoral, and some soft corals in the background, 32 m, Manzamo.
Rejan
swimming along the wall in Manzamo, behind a whip coral and a subgorgid sea-fan, populated by crinoids.
Sea fan
Subgorgid? Plexaurid? Some octocoral species are difficult to ID without looking at the sclerites in detail. Manzamo, ~
Sea fans.
Manzamo, ~ 35 m.
Dendronephthya
6 m, Sunabe
Dendronephthya
7 m, Sunabe. These beautiful striking red corals are found on the upper edge of the reef wall, which goes down to ~18m
Invertebrate fireworks
This section of the reef at a depth of 40 m at Manzamo is my favorite place in all of Okinawa. No people, but an amazing
Neoglyphidodon nigroris
Yellowtail damsel, juvenile. The adult is light brown with a yellow tail, the stripes disappear.
Cahetodon rafflesi
Laticed buterflyfish, Maeda, 3m.
Pomacentrus alexandrae
Alexander's damsel. Common on Okinawa.
Pomacentrus lepidogenys
sCALY DAMSEL
Amblyelotris wheeleri
Gorgeous shrimpgoby. Shares a burrow with a shrimp. Maeda, 20 m.
Planax tereia
Longfin spadefish, eye. Maeda, Okinawa, ~10 m. These fish are fed by divers (not an ecologicaly good idea) and became ve
Chromodoris elisabethina
Maeda, 10 m.
Manzamo sunset
The most spectacular sunset I've seen in a long time. I took this picture while still in the ocean, with the camera in t
June Okinawa scuba pictures
Longfin spadefish
Platax tereia, twin rocks, Keramas, at ~20 m. Very curious fish.
Phyllidia elegans
I think. Phiyllidia sp. for sure.
Chromodoris willani
IMG_5448.jpg 2008-06-30
Barred thicklip
Hemigymnus fasciatus, a wrasse, Keramas.
Papuan scorpionfish
Scorpaenopis papuanenis. Maeda.
Oxymonacanthus longirostris
Harlequin filefish, hovering among acropora coral polyps.
Lionfish
Pterois volitans, Maeda
Lionfish
IMG_5460.jpg 2008-06-30
Pufferefish eye closeup
Diodon sp.?
Puffer
Canthigaster valentini
Honeycomb grouper
Epinephelus merra. Under rock overhangs, Keramas. ~ 15 m.
Aeoliscus strigatus
Shrimpfish. Schools of these hover over the reef, head down, and pick up small food items. They often sleep together in
Fire dartfish
Nematelotris magnifica
Yameyama blenny
Encesius yameyamae. The Yaemeyamas are the southern islands of the Ryukyu archipelago.
Yameyama blenny.
Note the eggs in her body!
Giant muray
with cleaner wrasse, at 30m, twin rocks, Keramas.
Cleaner shrimp
IMG_5617.jpg 2008-07-04
Shrimp
nucturnal. Need to look up the exact ID of this one.
Hermit crab
IMG_5613.jpg 2008-07-04
Scorpaenopis papuaensis
I think
Cleaner shrimp
at night, Maeda
Kume-jima
The boat
which brought us to Kume
Majestic scenery
waves from below
Sunset wrasse
Thalassoma lutescens
Coral cover
Acropora, encrusting coral
Tombara
A rock, with a lot of surge, about 2 km offshore from Kume, with spectacular diving below.
Whitetip reefshark
Triaenodon obesus
Whitetip reefshark
Triaenodon obesus
Whitetip reefshark
Triaenodon obesus
Rainbow runner
Elagatis bipinnulatus. These fishes densely schooled and raced around in a circular fashion. Amazing!
Gorgonian
Gorgonian
Gorgonian
Anthias
Pseudanthias pleurotenia
Anthias
Pseudanthias pleurotenia
Purple anthias
Pseudanthias tuka
Hawk anthias
Serranocirrhitus latus
Hawk anthias
Hawk anthias
beautifull!
Bigeye
Priacanthus sp., found in a cave
Leopard blenny
Exalias brevis
Redspotted blenny
Blenniella periophtalamus
Small Xenid crab
very small!
Randall's shrimpgoby
Amblyelotris randalli. Found under an overhang. That's where Rndall must have left him.
Pyramid butterflyfish
Hemitaurychtis polylepis
Minute shrimp
waiting in this crack to be IDed
baby Lionfish
Pinstriped angelfish
Genticanthus watanabei, female
Surgeonfish
Acanturus sp, with cleaner wrasse
Giant muray
with cleaner wrasse
Yelloweye filefish
with cleaner wrasse
Yelloweye filefish
with cleaner wrasse. Lots of cleaner wrasses!
Yelloweye filefish
Cantherines dumerili
Hair!
Hair in the wind
Sand island
Dreaming on the beach
Volcanic rocks
Formed by lava convection
More scuba pictures from Okinawa
Juvenile cardinalfish?
Apogon sp?
Semicircle angelfish
Pomocanthus semicircularis
Octopus cyanea
Eye close up
Harlequin shrimp
on bubble coral
Bryanopsis yongei
Whip coral goby
Trimma tevegae
Cave goby. This fish is ~ 2 cm
Turtlehead snake
feeds on fish eggs
Parrotfish
Scarus sp.
Under Water Spring 2008
Slingjaw wrasse
Epibulus insidiator
Mulloidichthys sp.
Goatfish
Scolopsis monogramma
Monogram monocle bream Sunabe Seawall
Pteragogus eneacanthus
Cockerel wrasse. Not supposed to occur in Okinawa according to Allen.
Nematelotris magnifica
Fire dartfish Odokaigan, Itoman, Okinawa
Friends
Parupeneus macronemua (Longbarb goatfish, bottom) and Halichoeres margaritaceus (weedy surge wrasse, top)
Friends close up
Epinephelus merra
Honeycomb grouper Odokaigan, Itoman, Okinawa
Dendronephthya sp.
Sunabe seawall
Nardoa franti
Starfish. Note the injured arm and the regrowth.
Encrusing soft coral
waiting to be IDed
soft coral close-up
the polyps are ~ 1 mm each.
Sepia latimanus
cuttlefish
Sepia
Semper Sepia
Apogon sp.
Cardinalfish
Rhinopias frondosa
This is a really rare and unusual fish, a type of scorpionfish. Found in Sunabe, East coast of Okinawa.
Rhinopias frondosa
I am the Rhinopias, and if you are a small fish, I will eat you!
Rhinopias frondosa
Canthigaster coronata
Ate too much???
Gorgonian
Maeda, @ 31 m
Scolopsis ciliatus
Whitestreak monocle bream
Thelenota ananas
A big sea cucumber
Bubble coral
Apogon sp.
Cardinalfish
Ecsenius yaeyamaensis
Yaeama blenny Kadena marina
Ecsenius yaeyamaensis
Acanthaster planci
Crown of thorns starfish. A predator of corals. Dorsal surface.
Acanthaster planci
detail
Nudibranch
Risbecia sp.? Keramas
Yellyfish
Turbastrea coral
With fussiliers and white-bely damsel 32 m, Manzamo
Halgerda malesso
Nudibranch. Very rare! Keramas.
Didemnum mole
Tunicate
Pseudanthias pleurotaenia
Squarespot anthias, male, only found below 25 m, "toilet bowl, Manzamo, Okinawa
First Canon Rebel Pictures
Sepia
Sepia sp. latimanus? pharaonis?
Sepia
Canthigaster valentini
banded Toby
Canthigaster coronata
crowned Toby
Chaetodon auripes
Asian butterflyfish
Parapercis hexophtalma
Spreckled sandperch
Thalassoma luteans
Sunset wrasse
Yap Rays and Sharks
Manta birostris
These elegant giants can be seen in the Mil channel in Yap almost every day.
Manta
After a short boat ride, one drops down and sits in the sand next to a cleaner station.
Manta
On most days, the waiting divers are rewarded with a Manta encounter.
Manta
24
more Manta
Manta and sun
Manta with a diver
Whitetip reef shark
Triaenodon obesus
Manta at a cleaner station
Manta
Manta
Manta
Gray reef shark
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Gray reef shark
Gray reef sharks
Blacktip reef shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Blacktip reef shark
Blacktip reef shark
Gray reef shark
Blacktip reef shark
Blacktip reef sharks
Blacktip reef shark
Ulithi
Pacific Missionary Airline
plane that brought me to Ulithi
The atol from above
fantastic!
another great aerial view
Falalup
approaching the airstrip
sea turtle
the family pet
rusty bulldozer
not wreck-diving, but wreck tide-pooling
Taro
jummy
dragonfly
flower
a chicken
eating a coconut.
hermit crab
trying to read some data from this disc.
globalization
at work. Trash, from indonesia, china, japan, the us, washed ashore. Shame on, humanity!
hermit crab
Island vegetation
Me & Andrew
with octopus-attractant
Traditional men's clothing
Traditional women's clothing
Tuba
That's how the tasty coconut beer, tuba, is made.
Thirsty islander
hoping for tuba.
coconut crab
chewing beetle nut.
Men's house
A good place to hang out. A place for visitors to stay.
Wanses
cool dude.
old and new
ways to travel the ocean
Island on the way home
And soooo much water around it and sky above it.
The ship's bell
of the "Micro Spirit"
amazing clouds
over the Micronesian Pacific ocean
more clouds
The world can only be justified as an aesthetic phenomenon. -Nietzsche
Yap
Men's house
in the "lost village", a village not inhabited anymore after an inter-village feud a long time ago.
Papaya
Beetle nut
fresh from the tree. I miss chewing these.
Flower
Another flower
Along the mangroves
Most of Yap's coastline is covered with healthy mangroves.
House
Mangrove kajaking
more groovy mangroves
mangroves
mangrove ark
another beautifull flower
big stone money
men's house
Nautilus shell
beetle nut chewer
Yapese men's dance
sunset
Another sunset
The Manta Ray Bay Hotel's
restaurant ship at night
Yap Ocean
Trevallys
Carnax sp. a school in the Miil channel
Tim
Micronesian dive guide. The guides were very knowledgeable about the marine life and relaxed.
Trevallys
Trevallys
Trevallys
On the southern Tip of Yap
Soft coral
I need to brush up my invertebrate ID knowledge.
Hard coral
Yap had a healthy coral cover, little bleaching.
Coral globe
Coral tower
ca. 1 m diameter
Table corals
Sea cucumber
this species is abundant in Yap. commes out at night.
Snapper
Lutjanus sp.
Pufferfish
Arothron hispidus and Ralf
Snapper
Lutjanus sp. 2
canals of a hyroglyph shrimp
etched into a coral. The tiny shrimp lives in the canals.
WWII war plane
most likely a Japanese Mitzubishi zero. I prefer warplanes to be on the ocean-floor, coral encrusted.
Soilderfish
Diver
diving
Wall
in the south of Yap
Tear drop butterflyflyfish
Chaetodon unimaculatur
Blackside hawkfish
Paracirrhites forsteri juvenile, resting on corals
Leafy scorpionfish
Pink anemonefish
Amphiprion perideraion
Pink anemonefish
Pink anemonefish
La Jolla Cove
Kelp
La Jolla Cove, Sun 10-28.
Sheri
under water
Kelp bass
Kelp bass
Kelp bass
more Kelp bass
Kelp
Okinawa under water summer 07
Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides
Harlequin sweetlip
Amphiprion clarkii
Clark's anemonefish, at home in the anemone.
Planax tereia
Longfin spadefish. Note the cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus.
Planax tereia
There is a resident schol of these at Cape Maeda.
Pomocanthus semicircularis
Semi-circle angelfish, Maeda
Scorpaenopis papuensis
Papuan scorpionfish
Arrow crab
On gorgonia
Taenianotus triacanthus
Leaf scorpionfish
Taenianotus triacanthus
Phyllidia sp.
A nudibranch. Common in Okinawa.
Gorgonian
and computational neuroscientist
Wall at Cape Manzamo
Sea fan
and another computational neuroscientist
Crinoid on Sea-fan
both of which awaiting IDing
Bryaninops sp.
Wire coral goby, with yet another computational neuroscientist in the background.
Loliginid squid
On Ginowan reef, on the anchor line.
Laticauda sp.
Sea snake
Parupeneus trifasciatus
Double bar goatfish, I think.
Pterois volitans
Red lionfish
Sea cucumber
which I'll ID soon
Paraluteres prionurus
Blacksaddle filefish
Scorpaenopis papuensis
Another individual, at Manzamo.
Sea urchin
which will also be IDed soon
Soft coral
Sunabe
Choris girard
Yellowtail choris
Octopus cyanaea (?)
I found this individual in Sunabe, 10 m deep.
Octopus 2
It obviously noticed me, but crawled out of its crevice.
Octopus 3
And within a few minutes changed its body color ...
Octopus 4
more and more
Octopus 5
and its body texture as well.
Octopus 6
This is maybe 10 minutes after picture 1.
Octopus 7
Another chaneg in color and texture.
Dendrochirus zebra
Zebra turkeyfish
Kona Classic
Soilderfish
active at night, school under coral during the day.
Hawkfish
Very common in Hawaii.
Acanthaster planci
Crown of thorns starfish. This image won the beginner-macro category.
Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
Ringtail wrasse
Bryaninops amplus
Whip coral goby
Aulostomus chinensis
Trumpetfish
Aulostomus chinensis
Trumpetfish. different coloration at night.
Gymnothorax flavimarginatus
Yellow-edged moray. picture taken at night
Scorpaenopsis diabolus
DEvil scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis diabolus
a very patient photo subject!
Scorpaenopsis diabolus
Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
Yellowfin goatfish. These fishes rest in groups during teh day
Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
and feed at night, using their chemosensory barbs.
Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
They used the shaddow of our boat to hide.
Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
Chaetodon lunula
Raccoon butterflyfish. These fish were waiting for divers to scare away
Chaetodon lunula
... the seargant majors, and then they rushed to eat their eggs.
Chaetodon lunula
Chaetodon lunula
P5071571.JPG
P5071571.JPG 2007-05-07
Aetobatus narinari
Spotted eagle ray
Manta birostris
Manta ray. The largest living ray species, a filter feeder.
Manta birostris
Canthidermis maculata
Spotted oceanic triggerfish
Canthidermis maculata
we found these near an open-ocean buoey. This picture won 2nd place-beginner macro.
Canthidermis maculata
Aluterus scriptus
Scrawled filefish, with some bubbles
Balistes polylepis
Finescale triggerfish
Balistes polylepis
This individual found an urchin, turned it over and ate it.
Novaculichthys taeniourus
Rock-mover wrasse, busy moving coral rubble & looking for food underneath it.
Octopus cyanea
hiding
Some kind of Jack
will ID soon
Carcharhinus longimanus
Oceanic white-tip shark, with pilotfish. A large (~2m) and elegant shark. Conservation status rated as vulnerable.
Forcipiger flavissimus
Longnose butterflyfish
Sepia latimanus
Sepia latimanus
As we found it, @ a depth of 10 m, 7 pm (after sunset), seemingly relaxed. Est. total length of the animal was 40 cm.
A brown blob appears
more brown blobs
and rings appear as the animal tries to evade me & my camera.
distinct brown stripes
by now we were at a depth of 19 m
the skin texture also changes
yet another pattern
brown/white insted of brown stripes
My interpretation:
The sepia was using disruptive coloration to avoid detection and further chasing by me.
Jonaguni
Bannerfish
Heniochus acuminatus
Big-eye trevalley
Carnax sexfasciatus
The Jonaguni Monument
Is it man-made or modified? Or just a highly regular natural rock formation?
Monument
I think that a human modification is very likely.
Monument
Monument
Monument
A stone-gate.
Monument
Monument
Plus a nice yellowmargin triggerfish, Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus
Monument
"Aquaeduct"
Monument
"Turtle". Or maybe a altar of some kind?
Monument
Monument
Baracudas
Sphyraena barracuda
Baracudas
Sunabe Seawall
Triggerfish
species? I can't ID this one. Any ideas?
Yellowtail choris
Choris grimard
Spreckled sandperch
Parapercis hexophytalma
Starfish
Blackfin dartfish
Pterelotris evidens
Flagtail grouper
Cephalopholis urodeta
Titan triggerfish
Balistoides viridens
Flagtail grouper 2
Flagtail grouper being cleaned
Cephalopholis urodeta, and Labroides dimidatus
Sea crait
Laticauda laticauda
Soft coral
close up
Sunset
The Blue Mountains
Three sisters
Blue mountains
P1010085.JPG 2006-11-18
Dario and Krishna
Ho Ho Ho Chi Mihn!
one of the three sisters
underneath one of the 3 sisters
underneath one of the 3 sisters
Flower
Tree bark
Banksia leaf
Termites
Workers and sexual individuals
Termites
P1010122.JPG 2006-11-18
Termite mount
Magpie
More blue mountains
P1010127.JPG 2006-11-18
Grasshopper
BLUE mountains
around sunset
blue tounged skink
I think
Hinchinbrook
ferrie
about to drop me off on Hinchinbrook island
On the beach
Sand balls
made by the sand blubber crabs
sand blubber crab
beach scene
more beach
creek
creek 2
cold, clean water
Flag of camp Klaus
Motorhead!
Spider
I took this picture at night, with my camping headlamp as the only light source.
Mulligan falls
plant life
Flower
PA210080.JPG 2006-10-21
Zoe bay
along the path
Millipede
Scenic view
flower
Banksia
Zoe falls
Zoe falls 2
this is where my hiking boot went down
Zoe falls 3
Rain forest
Rocky, cloud-covered peak
in the middle of Hinchinbrook island
File snake
on the beach. This is an aquatic snake
lizard
Rainbow skink, I believe
Flower
Spiny tree
Lots of these to be found in the rainforest
Strangling fig
strangling a tree
Creek
Some crocs had been seen there recently
Epiphyte
On a fallen tree
drier, higher altitude forest
rain forest
Banksia
A natural Jacuzzi
Freshwater shrimp
found in these rock pools
waterfall
up close
rocky shoreline
King of the jungle
mangrove tree flowering
in Nina bay
tree fungus
mudskipper
mudskipper
another mudskipper
mangrove roots
fellow hikers
sunset over Hinchinbrook island
Me and Pete
drinking buddies on the beach
Green tree frog
In the shower in the backpacker hostel in Cardwell!
Green tree frog
Green tree frog
Gecko
In the kitchen of the same hostel
Mantis
Cape Tribulation
tree frog
Noah creek
mudskipper
in the sandy part of the mangroves
mudskipper
another mudskipper
next mudskipper
I like mudskippers, as you can maybe tell
coastline
A lot of reeftop got exposed at low tide.
stick insect
unidentified insect
grasshopper
freshwater turtle
I love this picture, how the turtle peaks trough the very clear water, reflecting the canopy.
freshwater turtle
green ant nest
These ants use leafs to build their nests.
sunset
empty insect mould
sand blubber art
on the beach. Cape Tribulation, were Cook shipwrekced in 1770, in the background.
more sand blubber art
cloud waterfall
fantastic weather show. One day, the clouds hit this mountain ridge from the West and flowed over it.
Stick insect
male
Stick insect
female. The females are brown and much larger.
Black Egret
Crocodile!
Tropical rock crab
Tip of Cape Trib
Stick insect
male
Stick insect
Forest
Aboriginal nut-cracker
100 to 300 years old!
dry waterfall
Noah creek
Tree roots
Very spiny palm tree
Cassowary plum
According to the guides "Cassowary acid". Get's the bird real high.
Jeweled spider
Jeweled spider
leafy stick insect
bred in the Cape Trib insect museum
leafy stick insect
Pandanus stick insect
Also bred in the insect museum
self
Looking and feeling like a Queenslander
Sleeping bird
right behind my tent
Mangroves
home of my friends the mudskippers
Coastal forest tree
a spiny one
another spiny tree
Croc warning
Mount sorrow
Strangling fig
Standing in the forest after killing it's tree.
Cape Tribulation
Cricket
Longhorn beetle
little head snake
mildly venomous
Iguana
When afraid, they climb a tree.
Mangroves
Spiny leaf
Spiny palm
Colors in the rainforest
View from mount sorrow
after quite a steep hike up.
Mount sorrow view
Amethysthine Python
mount sorrow
Python
Strangling fig
Cassowary poop
Rain forrest tree roots
PB030572.JPG 2006-11-03
Stick insect
Mangroves
Spectacled flying fox
injured, in the bat research center at Cape Trib.
Flower
long-legged fly
fly
white orchid
mud crab
mud crab
in the mangroves
bird's nest
Stick insect
Stick insect
Mantis
Sydney
Frieda
some type of god
Dario
drinkin mate
Krishna
smiling
Tree
Royal national Park
Coastline
Royal national park
more coastline
Royal national park
Sydney harbour bridge
Sydney opera house
Tropical Pelican
Sydney zoo
Echidna
in the Sydney zoo
Tuatara
A reptilean at the very base of the phylogenetic tree, a living fossil.
Chameleon
Sydney zoo
San Clemente Island
Jack mackerel
Trachurus symmetricus, juveniles. We found amazingly huge and dense schools of these fishes on 2 of the 3 dives.
Jack mackerel
The animals were so abundant, that they sometimes darkened the ocean underneath them.
Jack mackerel
Jack mackerel
Jack mackerel
incredibly dense schools!
Jack mackerel
Bluebanded goby
Lynthrypnus dalli These fish were very abundant at the dive sites.
Blacksmith
Chromis punctipinnis
Garibaldi
Hypsypos rubicundus, with a sheephead, Semicossyphus pulcher, swimming trough the kelp.
Garibaldi
Garibaldis
Garibaldi nest
Garibaldis
Brown gorgonian
Muricea fruticosa
California spiny lobster
Panulirus interruptus
California spiny lobster
Kelp
Dense Kelp
Kelp growth
More Kelp
Even more beautifull kelp
Snail on Kelp
Maybe a blue ring topsnail (Callistoma annulatum)
Giant Kelpfish
Heterostychus rostratus
California golden gorgonian
Muricea californica
Small rockfish?
not sure
California scorpionfish
Scorpaena guttata
California scorpionfish
Warty sea cucumber
Parastychopus californicus, with sea urchin, Centrostephanus coronatus
Treefish
Sebastes serriceps
A nice wall
Near the black cavern
Kelp bass
Paralabrax clathratus
San Clemente island
as seen from above the water
Sunset
After a great day of diving
Hummingbirds
Feeding Hummingbird
late afternoon, in front of my studio, Pacific Beach.
Hummingbird Chick
in our courtyard.
Hummingbird Chick 2
More Scripps Canyon
Red Gorgonian
Lophogorgia chilenis
Red Octopus
Octopus rubescens, with blacksmith, Chromis punctipinis
Rockfish
Sebastes sp.
Wolf Eel
Anarrhichthys ocellatus, known as "Paul Wolfeelwitz". I don't think he is a neocon, though, otherwise I'll spear him
San Diego Dorid
Dialula sandiegensis
Baptidoris mimetica
Thanx to George for the correct ID. Another nice nudibranch.
Diaulula nobilis
Hudson's Dorid
Acanthodoris hudsoni
Crab
Cancer sp. Crab people, taste like crab, look like people!
Sponges ...
On the Scripps Canyon wall.
Lobster
Panulirus interuptus, and spanish shoal, Flabellina iodinea
female Sheephead
Semicosyphus pulcher, and rockfish, Sebastes sp. in a crevice overgrown with some sponge.
Treefish
Sebastes serriceps
Treefish 2
With a male sheephead in a crevice.
Red gorgonian
and spanish shoal
Spanish shoal
P5100057.JPG 2006-05-10
Red Octopus
Octopus rubescens, a small individual, ~10 cm
Ruby and NOSC tower
Painted Greenling
Oxylebius pictus, with sea cucumber, Paynactis californica
Painted greenling
Oxylebius pictus, on strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Cabezon
Scorpenychthis marmoratus, on the NOSC tower. Propably guarding his nest.
Cabezon
same individual
Red Gorgonian
Lophogorgia chilensis
Invertebrate overgrowth
Sponge: Halyclona sp. ?
Seniorita
Oxyjulis californica
Okinawa
diver and coral
Hi Greg! Kerama Islands, a one hour boat ride away from Okinawa.
stone coral cover
Keramas
White tip reef sharks
Triaenodon obesus, in a cave. Keramas.
White tip reef sharks 2
Blackfin hogfish
Bodianus loxozonus, Keramas
coral patch
with Dascylus trimaculatus and Pseudanthias squamipinnis (Goldie)
coral patch 2
A cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) can be seen.
sea fan
Saddleback anemone fish
Amphiprion polymnus, in club-tipped anemone, background: sea-fan. Keramas.
Sea fans
Keramas.
One of the Kerama Islands
Humpback Whale!
On the boat trip from the Keramas back to Chatan.
More Humpback Whale!
Soft Corals
Chatan seawall. The dive site was only 100 m away from the coastal town Chatan.
Soft Corals 2
Chatan
Soft Corals 3
Chatan.
Unicon Fish
Naso unicornis. Chatan.
Sea Snake
Chatan.
Sea Snake 2
Sea Snake 3
Cornetfish
Fistularia commersoni. Chatan.
Cornetfish 2
Soft Corals 4
Chatan.
Sea cucumber.
Mouth tentacles searching for food.
Pufferfish or Spotted burrfish
Chilomycterus reticulatus. Hiding behind a soft coral, Chatan. This fish can inflate itself for protection.
Pufferfish 2
Catching this fish to make it puff up imposes a significant stress on this animal and can remove it's protective mucus!
Soft Coral 5
Soft Coral 6
Soft Coral 7
Clown Triggerfish
Balistoides conspicillum, soft corals. The crazy patterns are "disruptive coloration" to confuse predators.
Black Saddled Toby
Caligaster valentinii
Orangespine Unicornfish
Naso literalus. This fish has 2 orange scalpel-sharp spines at the base of the tail, hence the name.
Morish Idol
Zanclus cornutus
Broadstriped Cardinalfish.
Apogon angustatus. Hides during the day, feeds on plankton at night. The males protect the fertilized eggs in theirmouth
Pennant Bannerfish
Heniochus chrystosomus, with panda butterflyfish, Chaetodon adiergastos.
Pennant Bannerfish
with a soilderfish and a goat fish.
La Jolla Cove nite dive pix
Hermissienda
Hermissienda crassicornis
Kellet's Welk
Kelletia kelletii
Spider Crab
Loxorunchus grandis. A very large individual! The body was about 30 cm across!
Spider crab
I am glad it did not pinch a finger of mine off!
California spiny lobster
Palundirus interuptus
Barred surfperch
Amphisticus argenteus
Barred Surfperch
Kelp Rockfish
Sebastes atrovirens
Scripps Canyon
Scripps Canyon descent buoy
on a sunny day with clear water
the bouy again
is it a spaldingi?
No, it's too large and it swims, it must be a Spalding.
Scripps Canyon
With the best viz I have ever seen
Painted greenling
Oxylebius pictus, on the canyon wall
Red gorgonian
Lophogorgia chilensis
more red Gorgonian
Lophogorgia chilensis
Swell shark
Cephaloscyllium ventriosum, and a goby who rather gets out of the way
Blacksmith school
pver Scripps Canyon
and another Red Gorgonian
P2260025.JPG 2006-02-26
Sheephead
Semicossyphus pulcher, female.
red Gorgonian
Tube dwelling anemone
Pachycerianthus fimbriatus
Black eye goby
Coryphopterus nicholsi
Red gorgonian
and painted greenling
White spotted porostome
Doriopsilla albopunctata
Doriopsilla albopunctata
different angle
Painted greenling
Brown gorgonian
Muricea fruticosa not sure about ID
Black eye goby
La Jolla Shores and Wreck Alley
squid eggs
from the squid run 3 1/2 weeks ago? LJ shores
blackeye gobie
Coryphopterus nicholsi LJ shores
tunicate and nudibranch
nudibranch: Ricketts' Aeolid, Cuthona rickettsi ? tuncicate: ?
tbe dwelling anemone
Pachycerianthus fimbriatus LJ shores
Navanax
Navanax inermis. Preys on other ophistobranchs, and was found next to one.
where is the fish?
rock sole?
horn shark
heterodontus francisi, about 20 cm. LJ shores
painted greenling
Yukon
bat star
Asterina miniata. Yukon
Spanish shoal
Flabellina iodinea. Ruby
Strawberry anemone
Coryncactis californica, Ruby
Painted greenling
Oxylebius pictus. Ruby
Black surfperech
Embiotoca jacksoni, Ruby
Yukon and Ruby
White plummed anemone
Metridium farcimen Ac. to Gotshall, the S edge of it's distribution is at Sta. Catalina island, to the N of here. Yukon
anemone cover 1
more Metridium farcimen and club tipped (strawberry) anemone, corynactis californica. Yukon
anemone cover 2
Yukon
Painted greenling
Oxylebius pictus, at his home in the Yukon. Swords to ploughshares! Battleships to reefs!
another O.pictus
on anemone cover, Yukon
more M. farcimen
Yukon
C. californica
anemone cover, Yukon
Blacksmith
Chromis punctipinnis. One out of an aggregartion of ~ 100 over the Yukon.
anemone cover 4
Yukon
O. pictus 3
on anemone cover on the Yukon
C. californica cover, Ruby
The Ruby, allmost at the same spot but sank earlier, had no M. farcimen corals.
C. californica
Ruby
giant spined star
Pisaster giganteus. About 25 cm in diameter, which makes it a small individual.
red gorgonian
Lophogorgia chilensis, on the Ruby. The surge was quite significant at this spot.
warty sea cucumber
Parastichopus parvimensis. ~ 20 cm, on the Ruby
very nice anemone cover
C. californica, Ruby. Used the "under water macro" mode of the Olympus 7070.
more very nice anemone cover
C. californica, Ruby
Blacksmith
C. punctipinnis, Ruby. On the Ruby were also large aggregetaions of them.
red gorgonia
L. chilensis, Ruby
giant spinned starfish 2
P. giganteus, Ruby
L. chilensis
on the side of the Ruby, at another spot with lots of surge.
more L. chilensis
a small "garden" on the deck of the Ruby.
Hawaii hiking pix
Polynesian Warrior
AAAAAGGHHH!
Kealakekua bay
View down on the West coast of Hawaii. Captn. Cook was killed in this bay.
Flower on lava
Captn Cook Monument
The Captn was killed here by the Hawaiians after some dispute over a boat.
Hilina Pali
View over the lava fields. I hiked all across them towards the left edge of this shot! This is the East coast of Hawaii
Ahu
The lava piles mark the path
Hilina Pali
More lava fields. I can tell you that they were quite a hot place!
Flower
with grasshopper
Trail
down to the Hilina Pali
lonely tree
With Wille zur Macht, otherwise it wouldn't grow there!
Halape
at the campground on the coast at the end of the Hilina Pali trail.
little island
off the campground
pahoehoe lava
Camp Klaus
more lava fields
nice pahoehoe flow
crater rim tail
crazy Hawaiian nano-lizzard
fern
also on the initial part of the crater rim trail
Kilauea crater
only a 10 min walk away from the lush rain forrest seen in the previous pix!
vulcanic gases
comming out of a crack
caution!
haha
sulfur deposits
inside Kilauea crater
Halemaumau crater
inside the Kilauea crater. This was a lake of hot lava till 1924.
another fern
also refusing to give up despite the harsh conditions on the lava.
fern sprouting
festant
rain forrest
warnin!
Darth Vader should have followed that advice.
hot lava hitting the ocean
and creating a huge steam column
wild orchids
on the Kilauea crater rim
steam hole
ground water hits geothermal activity and starts to boil. It comes right out of holes in the forrest.
wild orchid
Kilauea crater rim
hughe ferns
or very small Klaus?
you decide?
another fern sprouting
Hawaii Scua Pix
View from the airplane
2005-11-09
Clouds over Hawai
2005-11-09
Sea urchin
2005-11-10
Yellowfin goatfish
Mulloidichtys vanicolensis
Corral
2005-11-10
Arc eye hawkfish
Paracirrhites arcatus
Yellow tang
Zebrasoma flavescens
Commerson's frogfish
Antennarius commerson
Frogfish again
2005-11-10
and another frogfish shot
Ornate butterflyfish
Chaetodon ornatissimus
Trumpetfish
Aulostomus chinensis
Racoon butterflyfish
Chaetodon lunula
Crown of thorns starfish
Eats corral, has threatened reefs in some areas, according to the dive guides not in Hawaii, tough.
Orangeband surgeonfish
Acanthurus oliveaceus
Morish idol
Zanclus cornutus
Parrotfish
not sure about the species
Hawaiian dascyllus
Dascylls abisella an endemic species!
another ornate butterflyfish
Chaetodon ornatissimus
Yellow tang & multiband btflf.
Zebrasoma veliferum and Chaeodon multicinctus (endemic)
Racoon butterflyfish
Chaetodon lunula, over corrals
Hawaiian dascyllus
small school over a corral head
Viper morray
Enchelynassa canina
Yelloowmargin morray
Gymnothorax flavimarginatus
Banded moray
Scuticaria okinawae
a nice nudibranch
of which I don't know the scientific name
fourspot butteflyfish
Chaetodon quadrimaclatus
Threadfin buterflyfish
Chaetodon auriga
Corrals
Corral head
and another corral head
Spotted boxfish
Ostracion melegaris
open water aggregation
mainly of the pyramid butterflyfish, Hemiaurichthys polylepis.
More of the same
This was seen in a very plankton rich part of the reef
Whip corral
2 arc eyed hawkfish
on a corral
algal overgrowth
Whitemouth moray
Gymnothorax melegaris
a tunicate
flounder
Octopus
Octopus sp.
another Octopus
Octopus sp.
the Kona koast line
barren volcanic rock
the sea
view out on the sea
whip corral
at 37m
Viper moray
Enechelynassa canina, with two anded corral shrimp, Stenopus hispidus
corall
White mouth moray
Gymnothorax meleagris
Eyestripe surgeonfish
Acanturus dussumeri
bigeye emperor
Monotaxis grandoculis