Marine Life I've Encountered Underwater
Photos and descriptions of marine life encountered during dives. Behavior, habitats, and interesting facts.
Steinitz' Prawn-Goby
A small bottom-dwelling fish with a long body and large eyes. It has a pale or light-colored body with wide orange-brown vertical bands. It lives together with a pistol shrimp and they share a burrow.
Amblyeleotris steinitzi
Bigeye Snapper
A snapper reaching up to 35 cm in length with large eyes, silvery-yellow coloration, yellow fins, and a dark spot at the base of the pectoral fin. Forms large schools near coral reefs.
Lutjanus lutjanus
Black-blotched Porcupinefish
A large porcupinefish reaching up to 65 cm in length with short, immobile spines, sandy-brown coloration, and large dark spots. Can inflate when threatened. Contains tetrodotoxin.
Diodon liturosus
Blackeye Thicklip Wrasse
A large wrasse reaching up to 50 cm in length with prominent thick lips and a dark area around the eye. Juveniles have lighter coloration with stripes, adults become green or emerald. Inhabits coral reefs and sandy areas.
Hemigymnus melapterus
Blackspotted Puffer
A marine pufferfish with a rounded body of gray, whitish, or brownish coloration and numerous black spots. Often has a dark spot at the base of the pectoral fin. Inflates when threatened. Contains tetrodotoxin.
Arothron nigropunctatus
Blacktip Grouper
A grouper with reddish-orange coloration, 5 dark vertical stripes, and characteristic black triangular spots in the rear part of the dorsal fin. Inhabits coral reefs.
Epinephelus fasciatus
Blue-barred Parrotfish
A parrotfish with green-blue coloration shades and variable patterns. Scrapes algae from corals with beak-like teeth.
Scarus ghobban
Blue Sea Star
A bright blue sea star, usually with five rays, up to 30 cm. Inhabits reefs, among coral debris, and on sandy bottoms of the tropical Indo-Pacific region.
Linckia laevigata
Bluering Angelfish
A large angelfish with orange-yellow body, blue curved stripes, and a characteristic blue ring near the head. Juveniles have dark bodies with light curved lines.
Pomacanthus annularis