Marine Life I've Encountered Underwater
Photos and descriptions of marine life encountered during dives. Behavior, habitats, and interesting facts.
Bluefin Trevally
The bluefin trevally, also known as the bluefin jack or spotted trevally, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the jack family. Maximum body length reaches 117 cm, weight – 43.5 kg. Characterized by bright blue fin color and numerous blue and black spots on the sides of the body.
Caranx melampygus
Bluespotted Cornetfish
Fistularia commersonii (bluespotted cornetfish) is a very elongated reef fish from the cornetfish family (Fistulariidae) with a tubular snout and long tail filament. Coloration is usually silvery-green/bluish-gray with blue lines or rows of dots; found near reefs and over sandy areas adjacent to them. Maximum length up to 160 cm, more commonly around 100 cm.
Fistularia commersonii
Christmas Tree Worm
The Christmas tree worm is a tube-dwelling polychaete worm (Serpulidae) living in close association with corals. Builds a calcareous tube in the skeleton/on the surface of the coral and extends two spiral "Christmas trees" (radioles) outward, which serve for respiration and food filtration; quickly retracts when threatened.
Spirobranchus giganteus
Clark's Anemonefish
Clark's anemonefish (yellowtail anemonefish) is a reef species living in symbiosis with sea anemones. Coloration varies greatly by region, usually two wide white vertical stripes are noticeable (behind the eye and in the middle part of the body), sometimes an additional narrow white stripe is present at the base of the tail, the tail is more often white or yellow.
Amphiprion clarkii
Hiby's Coriocella (Velvet Snail)
Hiby's coriocella (velvet snail) is a marine gastropod mollusk of the Velutinidae family. It has a shell, but it is hidden by mantle folds, so externally the animal resembles a sea slug and in nature often mimics a sponge.
Coriocella hibyae
Crown-of-thorns Starfish
A large coral-eating sea star with numerous poisonous spines and 12–19 rays. Feeds on living corals and during population outbreaks can cause serious damage to reefs.
Acanthaster planci
Fimbriated Moray
A medium-sized moray with a cream-white body covered with numerous dark spots and a characteristic yellowish-green head. Inhabits coral reefs and leads a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle, hunting fish and crustaceans.
Gymnothorax fimbriatus
Freckled Goatfish
A bottom-dwelling fish with an elongated body and two sensitive barbels on the chin, used to search for food in the sand. Light coloration with a longitudinal dark stripe and rows of spots on the sides.
Upeneus tragula
Giant Moray
The largest of the morays, reaching up to 3 m in length and weighing about 30 kg. Has yellow-brown coloration with large dark spots and inhabits coral reefs, leading a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle.
Gymnothorax javanicus