Postcard from the Reef – Page 2 – A Darker View

Pacific Gregory

Pacific Gregory (Stegastes fasciolatus) — A pacific gregory (Stegastes fasciolatus) in a pool at Wai‘ōpae

Hawaiian Damselfish

Hawaiian Damselfish (Dascyllus albisella) — A Hawaiian Damselfish (Dascyllus albisella) in a pool at Wai‘ōpae

Nudi Gallery

Reef Fish Gallery

Hawaiian Red Lionfish — Hawaiian red lionfish (Pterois sphex) on a cave ceiling

Teardrop Butterflyfish — Teardrop butterflyfish (Chaetodon unimaculatus) peeks out from under cover

Trumpetfish Face — A trumpetfish (Aulostomus chinensis) considers the camera

Goldring Surgeonfish — A pair of Goldring Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus strigosus) at 35ft depth at Eel Cove

Cleaner Wrasse — A cleaner wrasse (Labroides phthirophagus) in an overhang filled with red sponges

Attempting to Hide — An Arceye Hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus) hides from the photographer deep in a coral head

Longnose Butterflyfish — A longnose butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus) in nighttime coloration during a night dive at Puakō

Twospot Lizardfish — Twospot Lizardfish (Synodus binotatus) at 30ft depth, Puakō

Redbarred Hawkfish — Redbarred hawkfish (Cirrhitops fasciatus) perched in a reef crevice

Brick Soldierfish — Brick Soldierfish (Myripristis amaena) in a cave at Puakō

Eye of the Trumpet — A trumpetfish (Aulostomus chinensis) considers the camera

Flowery Flounder — Flowery Flounder (Bothus mancus) on the reef at O’oma

Racoon Butterflyfish — Racoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) at 25ft depth, Hoover’s Tower

Ornate Butterflyfish — Ornate butterflyfish (Chaetodon ornatissimus) photographed during a night dive at Puakō

A female whitley’s boxfish (Ostracion whitleyi) in the coral at 40′ depth, Kaloko

Painted Frogfish — A bright red painted frogfish (Antennarius pictus) at 25′ depth, Puakō

Commerson's Frogfish — A commerson’s frogfish (Antennarius commerson), photo by Pete Tucker, used with permission

Cleaning Station — A group whitebar surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucopareius) of clean algae and parasites off a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Devil Scorpionfish — A devil scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis diabolus) at The Hive

Orangespine Unicornfish — Orangespine unicornfish (Naso lituratus) at 25ft depth, Suck-Em-Up Cave

Leaf Scorpionfish — Leaf Scorpionfish (Taenianotus triacanthus) crouched in finger coral

Tinker's Butterflyfish — Tinker’s butterflyfish (Chaetodon tinkeri), photo by Pete Tucker

Cheekspot Scorpionfish — A Cheekspot Scorpionfish (Scorpaenodes littoralis) near the shore in 4′ of water, Mahukona

Bluestripe Squirrelfish — Bluestripe squirrelfish (Sargocentron tiere) in a small cave at Pentagon

Dragon Wrasse — A dragon wrasse, actually a juvenile rockmover wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) at 40′ depth, Kaloko

Trumpetfish in Coral — A young trumpetfish (Aulostomus chinensis) hovers in the arms of a large antler coral (Pocillopora eydouxi)

Commerson's Frogfish — Commerson’s Frogfish (Antennarius commerson) at 25′ depth

Racoon Butterflyfish — A racoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) in a small cave at Golden Arches

Moray Gallery

Stout Moray — A Stout Moray (Gymnothorax eurostus) in the coral at Dotti’s Reef, 25′ depth.

Snowflake Moray — A Snowflake Moray (Echidna nebulosa) in the reef at Three Tables, Oahu

Roommates — A Dwarf Moray (Gymnothorax Melatremus) and Whitemouth Moray (Gymnothorax meleagris) sharing a cavity in the reef

Zebra Moray — A zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra) in the coral at Hoover’s Towers

Dwarf Moray — A dwarf moray (Gymnothorax melatremus) in the cave wall at The Hive at 30′ depth

Whitemouth Moray — A Whitemouth Moray (Gymnothorax meleagris) in the reef at Mahukona

Dwarf Moray — Dwarf moray (Gymnothorax melatremus) 30ft depth at Hoover’s Tower

Banded Moray — A banded moray (Echidna polyzona) in the coral at 30′ depth, Pentagon

Tiger Snake Moray — Tiger snake moray (Scuticaria tigrina) at 25ft depth, Suck-Em-Up Cave

Whitemouth — A young Whitemouth Moray (Gymnothorax meleagris) in the coral at O’oma

Snaggletooth — A large Undulated Moray (gymnothorax undulatus) shows a toothy threat to the camera, 70ft depth at Tanks

Dragon Moray — A Dragon Moray (Enchelycore pardalis) in a coral head at 40ft depth, Suck ‘Em Up Cavern, Kona

Yellowmargin moray (Gymnothorax flavimarginatus)

Snaggletooth — A large Undulated Moray (gymnothorax undulatus) shows a toothy threat to the camera, 70ft depth at Tanks

Whitemouth — A Whitemouth Moray (Gymnothorax meleagris) around 25ft depth

Face to Face — Coming face to face with a large Yellowmargin Moray (Gymnothorax flavimarginatus) in a cave

Shrimp Gallery

Lottin's Snapping Shrimp — Lottin’s Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus lottini) deep in a califlower coral head (Pocillopora meandrina)

Banded Coral Shrimp — A pair of Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) at 40′ depth, O’oma

Flamebacked Coral Shrimp — Flamebacked Coral Shrimp (Stenopus pyrsonotus) under a boulder at ʻAuʻau Crater

Banded Coral Shrimp — Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) on the reef at Puako

Marbled Shrimp — A marbled shrimp (Saron marmoratus) between boulders in a cave floor, 40ft depth

Banded Coral Shrimp — Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) in a cave at 50ft depth, Kona

Banded Coral Shrimp — Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) at 40ft depth, Hoover’s Towers

Diving Gallery

Redbarred Hawkfish — Redbarred hawkfish (Cirrhitops fasciatus) perched in a reef crevice

Diver Down — Diver Mark Devenot cruising the reef at Hoover’s Towers north of Honokohau

Andrew Shooting — The author, Andrew Cooper, doing the usual… Photographing the reef life. Photo by Pete Tucker

Snowflake Moray — A Snowflake Moray (Echidna nebulosa) in the reef at Three Tables, Oahu

Red Reef Lobster — A red reef lobster (Enoplometopus occidentalis) in a cave at The Hive

Racoon Butterflyfish — Racoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) at 25ft depth, Hoover’s Tower

Commerson's Frogfish — Commerson’s Frogfish (Antennarius commerson) at 25′ depth

Pete on the Reef — Pete looking for subjects to photograph on a Kona reef

Facing the Deep — Pete attempting to photograph garden eels at the base of the reef at Eel Cove

Fellows Nudibranch — A Fellows Nudibranch (Hiatodoris fellowsi) in a cave at 35ft depth

Bluestripe Squirrelfish — Bluestripe squirrelfish (Sargocentron tiere) in a small cave at Pentagon

Cleaning Station — A green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) takes advantage of a cleaning station on the Puakō reef

Cleaning Station — A group whitebar surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucopareius) of clean algae and parasites off a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Lantern Toby — A lantern toby (Canthigaster epilampra) hiding in a reef crevice

Fourspot Butterflyfish — Fourspot Butterflyfish (Chaetodon quadrimaculatus) under a coral head at O’oma

White-margin Nudibranch — A pair of White-margin Nudibranch (Glossodoris rufomarginata), 25ft depth at O’oma

Whitemouth Moray — A Whitemouth Moray (Gymnothorax meleagris) in the reef at Mahukona

Flowery Flounder — Flowery Flounder (Bothus mancus) on the reef at O’oma

Dascylus Reef — A Hawaiian Dascyllus (Dascyllus albisella) hovers over the reef

Gold Lace Nudibranch — Gold lace nudibranch (Halgerda terramtuentis) in a cave at 25ft depth at The Pentagon

Red Swimming Crab — Red swimming crab (Gonioinfradens paucidentata) in a reef ledge at Pentagon

Snow Goddess Nudibranch — Snow goddess nudibranch (Ardeadoris poliahu) in a cave at 25ft depth

Exploring the Reef — Kirk and Deb explore the reef at Mahukona

Longnose Butterflyfish — A longnose butterflyfish (Forcipiger flavissimus) in nighttime coloration during a night dive at Puakō

Rough-Spined Urchin

Rough-Spined Urchin — A rough-spined urchin (Chondrocidaris gigantea) beside the wreck of the naked Lady at 110′

Postcard from the Reef – Cleaning Station

Cleaning Station — A green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) takes advantage of a cleaning station on the Puakō reef

Postcard from the Reef – Spotted Boxfish

Spotted Boxfish — A spotted boxfish (Ostracion meleagris) depth 30′, Hoover’s Tower