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Tag: reef
Slipper Lobster
Postcard from the Reef – Bigeye
Postcard from the Reef – Leaf Scorpionfish
Dave spotted it, what appeared as a piece of debris lying in the coral. A closer look showed this ‘debris’ has fins. It is a Leaf Scorpionfish crouching low in the coral. I have seen a few members of this interesting family lately, often challenging to spot.
A Couple Fellows
Postcard from the Reef – Fine-Spined Urchin
A pretty urchin found in a cave. Apparently this is the rule for these urchins, found under rock and rubble when small, larger individuals found in caves or deep crevices with an active aversion to light. Most urchins move pretty slowly, the motion barely perceptible. This echinoderm was moving, tube feet furiously propelling it along the cave roof as it tried to avoid our lights.
Postcard from the Reef – What Fish?
That rock just moved, I am sure of it! Did it? Olivier was gesturing emphatically at a pile of coral rubble. I looked… I looked again, there must be something there. There was…
Postcard from the Reef – Caving
the Kona Coast is riddled with caves, old lava tubes, wave carved openings in ancient sea cliffs, or simple small openings in the coral. The caves are high on many diver’s priority lists when exploring the reef. In these caves you find many species that hide during the light of day, lobsters and night active fish. The larger caves offer a sheltered environment, safe from the pounding winter surf. The walls are covered with colorful sponges and the nudibranchs that feed on them.
If there is a cave, you will probably note my fins disappearing into it.
Postcard from the Reef – Hawaiian Spiky Sea Cucumber
These sea cucumbers are well known to divers and can be found in the local guide books. There is no scientific name, the species has never been properly described. An odd state of affairs for a relatively common critter. As for the name? I could come up with a few other common names that seem to describe the appearance. However, naming a species after a pile of doo-doo is not generally acceptable.
Guard Crab
Usually these little guys stay deep in the branches of the Cauliflower or Antler Coral, but on a rare occasion you find one in enough of an opening to actually photograph…
