Clouds of chromis and anthias sweep above a densely packed coral garden in Komodo National Park, Indonesia. The extraordinary abundance of both fish and corals captures the energy and richness of Komodo’s reefs.
Anthias fill the water column above a colorful Komodo reef as an Emperor Angelfish moves through the foreground beneath the sunlit shallows. Central Komodo, Indonesia.
A male Box Crab uses his massive claws to grasp a female. Females mate shortly after molting, while the new shell is still soft. A male may carry and guard a female before she molts to keep rivals away, then continue guarding her after mating to reduce the chance that she mates again. Central Komodo, Indonesia.
A striking yellow color variant of a Dwarf Lionfish. The species occurs mainly in brown, with reddish individuals less common and bright yellow specimens particularly rare. Central Komodo, Indonesia.
A jellyfish drifts just beneath the surface, its reflection mirrored in the rippling water above. Central Komodo, Indonesia.
A family of Clark’s Anemonefish guards its two bright orange patches of eggs attached to the rocks beside it. Sangeang, Indonesia.
A tiny juvenile Highfin Grouper faces the camera, its bold black-and-white pattern and oversized fins making the youngster look far more conspicuous than the adult. Sangeang, Indonesia.
A newly settled Powder Blue Tang stands out among a group of Dascyllus damselfishes, still carrying the compact proportions of its recent pelagic stage. Sangeang, Indonesia.
A tiny Pink Anemonefish hovers among the bulb-tipped tentacles of its host anemone. Medang, East Lombok, Indonesia.
A Clark’s Anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) tends a dense patch of eggs laid on rock beside its host anemone. The male guards and aerates the adhesive eggs until they hatch, generally after about 6–8 days; the larvae then spend roughly two weeks in the plankton before returning to the reef and finding an anemone. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia.
A dime-sized juvenile Emperor Angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator) hovers above the reef, its body covered in the striking blue-and-white concentric pattern unique to juveniles. This pattern is gradually replaced by the yellow-and-blue stripes of the adult when the fish reaches roughly 8–12 cm.
A pair of ornate ghost pipefish (Solenostomus paradoxus) among the arms of a crinoid. Unlike true pipefishes, in which males brood the eggs, female ghost pipefish carry them in a pouch formed by their enlarged pelvic fins and may hold roughly 300–350 developing embryos at a time. After about three weeks of incubation, the young hatch as advanced larvae around 3 mm long and are released into the water column. The duration of their pelagic phase is unknown, but juveniles can remain pelagic to surprisingly large sizes, suggesting it may be quite prolonged.
A juvenile Coral Grouper (Cephalopholis miniata) glows orange against the reef, already sprinkled with the blue spots of the adult. Like other reef groupers, it began life as a tiny pelagic larva before settling and taking up a bottom-associated predatory lifestyle.
A clingfish (Discotrema crinophila) rests deep among the arms of a crinoid, its striped body closely matching its host. Its ventral adhesive disc allows it to cling securely within this moving forest of feather-star arms. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia.
Ringtail Cardinalfishes (Ostorhinchus aureus) crowd the cavities of an old tire artificial reef, using the complex structure for shelter. Cardinalfish reproduction is unusual among reef fishes: males mouthbrood the developing eggs until fully formed larvae hatch and enter the plankton. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
A Ternate Damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon ternatensis) guards a dense coating of eggs laid along a wire coral. As in many damselfishes, the male tends and aerates the attached eggs until they hatch, releasing tiny larvae into the plankton for their pelagic phase. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia.
A trumpetfish ((Aulostomus chinensis) shadows a Blueface Angelfish (Pomacanthus xanthometopon) while hunting, using the larger fish as moving camouflage to approach unsuspecting prey. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia
The mega akule ball (Bigeye Scad, Selar crumenophthalmus) in about 100' of water off Kona stretches far into the distance, roughly the size of an Olympic swimming pool and too large to capture fully, even with a fisheye lens.
Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus) hunt akule (Bigeye Scad, Selar crumenophthalmus) in large bait ball off Kona, Hawaii
An Oceanic Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) hunts akule (Bigeye Scad, Selar crumenophthalmus) in a mega bait ball off Kona, Hawaiʻi.
A young Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) glides through the clear offshore waters of Oʻahu, bathed in sunlight from above.
A large bobtail squid (Euprymna sp.) extends its tentacles in a defensive posture during a blackwater dive. At nearly 5 cm, this individual is likely a female hummingbird bobtail squid (Euprymna berryi), as males and other bobtail species in the region are generally smaller. Boo, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata) with glassfish (Apogonidae) on a vibrant coral bommy. Wayil Batan, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
A peaceful healthy reef with chromis, anthias, angelfish and butterflyfish. Wayil Batan, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
A tapestry of life—gorgonians, soft corals, sea whips and crinoids weave together in a vibrant reefscape. Fiabacet, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Juvenile Leafy Filefish (Chaetodermis penicilligerus) cleverly camouflaging among drifting seaweed during a blackwater dive in Farondi, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Its intricate patterns and delicate fronds make it nearly indistinguishable from its surroundings—a master of disguise in the open ocean.
Golden jellyfish drift beneath the sunlit surface in a tranquil marine lake, their delicate forms mirrored in the water above. Tamulol, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Thnousands of Golden jellyfish drift in unison, illuminated by sunbeams filtering through the tranquil waters of a marine lake. Tamulol, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
A pair of Blue-ringed Angelfish (Pomacanthus annularis) peer through a sponge and soft coral rich overhang. Tamulol, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Soft corals, crinoids, and sponges cover the reef as schooling fish move through the water, with a bold yellow butterflyfish adding contrast. Playnemo, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides) weaving through red gorgonian. Its striking brown-and-white polka dot pattern and exaggerated fin movements help it mimic the flowing motions of toxic flatworms—a clever survival strategy in its early stages. Aljui Bay, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Female Larvacean carrying eggs swims out of its house on a blackwater dive. Larvaceans build houses out of mucus to filter food from the water. Gam Island, Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
A moray eel larva spirals through the darkness during a blackwater dive off Oahu. The defensive curl is a reaction to my lights. The white pigment spots indicate it’s nearing settlement on the reef.
A colorful salp (about 30 mm) drifting through the open ocean, captured on a blackwater dive off Oahu. Its translucent, gelatinous body glows with iridescent purples and golds, revealing the delicate internal structures of this fascinating pelagic tunicate. A fleeting glimpse of the deep-sea’s ethereal beauty.
A vibrant mix of reef fish, including angelfish, moorish idols, anthias, and damselfish, buzzes among the colorful corals and sponges on a reef in Komodo, Indonesia.
A moment of Redfin Anthias (Pseudanthias dispar) spawning in the waters of Alor, Indonesia. Their vibrant yellow and pink hues blend in a dreamy, fluid motion, captured in the rush of their spawning ascent—a fleeting yet vital ritual of the reef.
A pair of Orange Anemonefish (Amphiprion percula) in Stichodactyla gigantea. A. percula larvae use chemical cues to find their host anemone and then develop a protective mucous coat through repeated contact. This mucus prevents stings from the anemone’s nematocysts, ensuring their safety.
Taylor's Pygmy Leatherjacket (Brachaluteres taylori) juvenile – Approximately 10 mm in size. This tiny leatherjacket varies in color from yellow and green to greyish, adorned with fine dark lines and rows of pale spots along its head and body. Juveniles are typically pale yellow to greyish, speckled with small dark spots.
A well-camouflaged pair of Warty Frogfish (Antennarius maculatus) blending seamlessly into the reef in Alor, Indonesia. Their textured, irregular patterns mimic the surrounding encrusted substrate, making them nearly invisible—perfect for ambushing unsuspecting prey.
Adult Black Triggerfish (Melichthys niger), ≅30 cm, Oahu, Hawaii. Black durgons possess the fascinating ability to adjust their coloration to blend with their surroundings. From afar, this individual appeared entirely black, but upon closer inspection, its dark blue-green mottling and a striking splash of orange near the head became visible. Moments later, the vibrant color pattern had faded, showcasing the fish's remarkable ability to display iridescence and subtle shifts in shade—an effect created by the unique physical properties of its scales.
A stunning pair of regal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) glide over the coral reef in the Solomon Islands—one displaying its classic coloration and the other a rare xanthic variation, glowing golden above a bed of Acropora sp.
A pair of Brushtail Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) ascend in perfect synchrony during a spawning rise in the clear blue waters of the Solomon Islands — captured just moments before gamete release, a fleeting instant in their intricate reproductive dance.
Backlip butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) and Lyretail Anthias or Goldies (Pseudanthias squamipinnis) school on a coral reef in Alor, Indonesia.
Indo-pacific sergeant (Abudefduf vaigiensis) school in the shallows near giant clam in front of Sauwandarek Jetty. Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata) and schooling glassfish (Apogonidae) surround a large gorgonian in Raja Amapat, Indonesia.
Epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum). Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Multiple blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) congegrate near dusk in the sandy shallows off a reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Gorgonians, soft corals and tunicates form colorful complex habitat on reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Mixed species school of fusliiers (Caesio teres, Pterocaesio tile, Caeio caerulaurea) swarm a colorful coral head in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Massive school of adult Bluestripe Snapper (Lutjanus kasmira) with Giant Ulua (Caranx ignobilis) on a deep reef in Hawaii.
Adult Bluestripe Snapper (Lutjanus kasmira) surround a wrecked crow's nest in about 20' of water off Oahu
Reef colors in the Solomon Islands.
Male oblique-lined dottyback (Cypho purpurascens). Solomon Islands.
White-bonnet anemonefish (Amphiprion leucokranos) pair. Solomon Islands.
Cortez angelfish (Pomacanthus zonipectus) peers out through black coral.
Juvenile Panama graysby (Cephalopholis panamensis) are are secretive - hiding in crevices under ledges and overhangs in shallow water.
California sea lion (Zalophus californianus). Bull patrolling at dusk.
California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) female at dusk.
California sea lion (Zalophus californianus).
Tiger snake eel (Myrichthys tigrinus). Can be seen in daylight searching for prey. Buried completely in the sand when inactive.
Signal blenny (Emblemaria hypacanthus) flashes its striking dorsal fin as it extends out of its tube worm home.
Male Orangethroat pikeblenny (Chaenopsis alepidota) flahses to defed its territory. Lives in tube worm holes in sandy areas.
Two blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) hunt inside school of halalu (Selar crumenophthalmus).
Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) hunts inside school of halalu (Selar crumenophthalmus) off Waikiki.
Sea lion pups play on the surface in a cave at Los Islotes.
Sea lion pup plays with a starfish in a cave at Los Islotes.
A striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) slices through the surface while searching for a mackerel. Magdalena Bay, Mexico.
Hundreds of mobula rays (Mobula munkiana) gliding together in perfect unison. Magdalena Bay, Mexico
Striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) hunt a mackerel bait ball. Magdalena Bay, Mexico.
Multiple striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) and sea lions corral a mackerel bait ball. Magdalena Bay, Mexico.
A striped marlin hunts a mackerel baitball. Magdalena Bay, Mexico
What cormorants lack in agility in the air they make up for underwater with their steamlined bodies and large webbed feet. This little guy was zooming chasing sardines when it narrowly missed my camera. Surprise!
Cormorant propel themselves with their webbed feet. They're surprsingly agile underwater - for a bird.
Blackeye gobies build nests of up to 4000 eggs that hatch after 10-33 days. The larvae measure about 3 mm at hatching. Larvae then drift in the plankton for 40-76 days (Block 2011) before settling to suitable reef habitat.
Like many wrasse species, sheephead are protogynous. All are born female, and the largest individuals become male due to hormonal changes triggered by social cues. The two sexes have extremely different appearances. Male sheephead are larger than females, with black head and tail and red mid-section, red eyes, and fleshy forehead bumps. Female sheephead are dull pink with white undersides.
Flabellina iodinea, Nudibranchs
California sea lion plays in the distant kelp.
A somewhat greenish day diving in the kelp forest this past August, here with a mix of colorful characters - the Garibaldi, blacksmith, sheephead and senorita. I never get bored exploring a kelp forest. There's always something cool to find - even when the water is cold and green.
Up close slow shutter blur of a sand tiger shark (Eugomphodus taurus) in North Carolina.
The wrecks in North Carolina are loaded with sand tiger sharks year round. Here mutiple sand tigers gather around the Spar - a wreck that rests about 35 miles off Morehead City in about 100 feet of water.
Green sea turtle blocks the sun after surfacing in waters off Kona, Hawaii.
Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) swims over orange sponge on a Bahamian reef.
Coral grouper (C. miniata) about to hide in a mushroom leather coral. Indonesia.
Hawaiian spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) cruise on the glassy ocean surface infront of Diamond Head, Oahu on a picture perfect day.
Well, hello there! Sea turtles can be a little dopey at times - usually after they’ve been feeding on certain (magic) sponges. This hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) literally swam right into me. Indonesia.
Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) circling in the turquoise waters of Hawaii. Over 90% of the Hawaiin Green Sea Turtle’s nesting activity occurs at French Frigate Shoals in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Northwest Hawaiian Islands). Hawaii.
A Tiger Shark cruises alongside the floating carcass of a Sperm Whale, investigating a rare but potentially substantial source of food.
The rare sight of a leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriace) feeding on thimble jellyfish. Solomon Islands.
On the subject of fish eaters, meet one of the ocean's top ambush predators - the lizardfish. I often see them on reefs, blackwater dives and in my pelagic eggs tows. Odds are, if you’re going to see a fish eat another fish while diving, the attacker will turn out to be a lizardfish. Newly hatched larvae take about 40 days to becomome juveniles.
Huge spawning aggregation of camouflage groupers (Epinephelus polyphekadion) in Fakarava South Pass (Tetamanu Pass), French Polynesia.
Jacks in paradise. Moorea. 2018.
A Tahitian stingray (Himantura fai) on a sandbar with Moorea's mountains in the background. French Polynesia.
Snappers, fusiliers, and a blacktip reef shark cluster around bait on a reef off Tahiti, French Polynesia.
A large Tiger Shark cruises over a busy reef just outside Papeete Harbor, Tahiti, surrounded by jacks, snappers and other reef fishes.
Gray reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) hunt in the shallows at night in Fakarava South Pass (Tetamanu Pass), French Polynesia.
Massive congregation of hunting gray reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) at night in Fakarava South Pass (Tetamanu Pass), French Polynesia.
Gray reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) feeding on a grouper at night in Fakarava South Pass (Tetamanu Pass), French Polynesia.
So many groupers! Every year in June or July, before the full moon, thousands of marbled groupers (Epinephelus polyphekadion) leave their solitary lifestyle in inside Fakarawa Atoll, French Polynesia, and gather to spawn in the mouth of the lagoon's south pass. Many reef fishes aggregate to spawn at predictable times and locations, which make them easy to overfish. Luckily, the groupers in Fakarawa are protected.
Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) reflect off the surface on a shallow reef in Fakarava, French Polynesia.
Upclose encounter with two sand tiger sharks (Carcharias taurus). North Carolina.
A sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) surrounded by tomtates (Haemulon aurolineatum) and round scad (Decapterus punctatus) on a wreck in North Carolina.
A sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) surrounded by tomtates (Haemulon aurolineatum) and round scad (Decapterus punctatus) inside a wreck off North Carolina.
A diver films a sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) on a deep wreck off North Carolina. Sand tigers are very tolerant of divers.
Three sand tiger sharks (Carcharias taurus) surrounded by round scad (Decapterus punctatus) on a wreck off North Carolina. The scad cluster around the shark for protection from predators, such as jacks and tunas.
A sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) surrounded by tomtates (Haemulon aurolineatum) and round scad (Decapterus punctatus) above gorgonians. North Carolina.
Docile sharks with scary teeth covered in fish on pretty wrecks. What more could a photographer ask for? The fish are grunts and mackerel scad huddling around a sand tiger shark for protection from predators. Recently taken on a wreck in North Carolina. #marinebiology #shark #sandtigershark #northcarolinadiving #fishbiology #underwaterphotography #underwaterphoto
Upclose encounter of a sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) surrounded by round scad (Decapterus punctatus). North Carolina.
Fisheye view of a massive school of Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) in North Carolina.
A sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) surrounded by round scad (Decapterus punctatus) baitfish. This species has one of the slowest birth rates of all sharks and is susceptible to even minimal population pressure. It's listed as vulnerable to endangered in various parts of the world. North Carolina.
A sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) from below. North Carolina
Docile sharks with scary teeth covered in baitfish make epic photo subjects. These mackeral scad closely huddled around the sand tiger shark for protection from the hunting jacks. Sometimes a little too close. Check out the shark's mouth. Recently taken on a wreck in North Carolina.
Tangs and a parrotfish remove algae growing on a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). Hawaii.
A white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) chases bait among mackeral scad. Guadeloupe Island.
Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) silhouette. Mexico.
Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) feeding on the surface in Mexico.
Scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) come to cleaning stations during the day to have parasites and loose tissue removed by barberfish (Johnrandallia nigrirostris) and other cleaner fishes. Cocos Island.
Two orange commerson's frogfish (Antennarius commerson) at Cocos Island. Costa Rica.
Here's a fish living up to its name. While patiently stalking a school of preoccupied reef fishes, this trumpetfish suddenly opened its small mouth in trumpet-like fashion and sucked in a milletseed butterflyfish. It took less the fish less than 5 minutes to muscle the oversized meal down into its stomach.
Orangespotted trevally (Jackfish) (Carangoides bajad) hunting with a pack of yellowsaddle goatfish (Parapeneus cyclostomus) on a coral reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Ribbon sweetlips (Plectorhinchus polytaenia) school on gorgonian among juvenile convict blennies (Pholidichthys leucotaenia) in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
Two blue sharks (Prionace glauca) at twilight off Rhode Island. Rhode Island.
Blue shark (Prionace glauca) with fishing hook on the side of its mouth at twilight. Rhode Island. Rhode Island.
Magic hour! Motion blur of blue shark (Prionace glauca) at twilight off New England. Rhode Island.
A blue shark (Prionace glauca) breaks the surface off New England.
Bumphead parrotfish (Bulbometopon muricatum) spawn off a deep reef in Palau.
Motion blur of Yellowmargin triggerfish (Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus).
Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus), arguably one of the most beautiful fish in the sea. Palau.
Exquisite Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus exquisitus) in Palau.
Twin-spot red Snapper (Lutjanus bohar) spawning aggregation. Palau.
Schooling bigeyes (Priacanthus arenatus) in Palau.
Spotfin lionfish (Pterois antennata) pair. Palau.
Juvenile chubs and jacks make their home on a floating tree branch in the open ocean. Hawaii.
A massive school of milletseed butterflyfish (Chaetodon miliaris) on a reef off Oahu, Hawaii.
Great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) and nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) in the Bahamas.
Great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) in the Bahamas.
A Great Hammerhead cruises over the sandy bottom off Bimini, Bahamas, its broad cephalofoil giving the shark its unmistakable silhouette.
Great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) at dusk in the Bahamas.
Two great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran) in the Bahamas with nurse sharks in the background.
Great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) in the Bahamas.
Great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) in the Bahamas.
Multiple pink anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion) in Fiji peek out from balled- up anemone.
Anthis soft coral reef scene in Fiji.
Sunburst anthias (Serranocirrhitus latus) on a deep reef in Fiji.
Schooling bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes) formation in Fiji.
Close up of schooling yellowtail fusiliers (Caesio cuning). Papua New Guinea.
Motion blur of golden sweepers (Parapriacanthus ransonneti) schooling in cave. Papua New Guinea.
A horde of milletseed butterflyfish (Chaetodon miliaris) feasting on demersal fish eggs. Hawaii.
Five mantas feeding on plankton at the manta ray night dive in Kona, Hawaii.
Clownfish (Amphiprion sp.) eggs just before hatching. Philippines.
Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti). Philippines.
Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) lives commensally on a number of hosts, including this sea slug: Hexabranchus. Philippines.
Larval squid releasing ink. Papua New Guinea.
Coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata), fusilier, silverside, sponge, crinoid, soft coral reef scene. Indonesia.
Don’t mess with my reef! A coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata) in his soft coral garden - somewhere in Indonesia. Pretty fish as an adult but check out the larval form - with those huge spines.
Coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata) soft coral reef scene. Indonesia.
Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). Guadeloupe Island.
A shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) in waters off New England
A blue shark (Prionace glauca) in waters off New England.
An oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) circling towards the surface. Bahamas.
Too cute. A slender mola ((Ranzania laevis) embryo (1.7 mm) ready for life in the deep blue. This little guy was raised in my hatchery.
Swimming pelagic marine copepod (5.7 mm). Hawaii.
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and sunrays from below. Tonga.
Abudefduf sordidus eggs a day before hatching. Photographed in a photo tank.
Collected unidentifed pelagic crustacean larva. Hawaii.
Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) displaying its powerful flipper. Hawaii.
Red lionfish (Pterois volitans) on a wreck. After years of seeing lionfish wreck havoc on Bahamaian reefs I finally cooked one up for dinner. Surpriginly, they're declious!
Juvenile yellowtail clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii). Indonesia.
A bignose unicornfish (Naso vlamingii) poses infront of a school of blackstreak fusiliers (P. tile) in blue water. Indonesia.
A reef squid (Sepioteuthis sp.) in full irridescence. Cephalopods create this amazing camouflage using specialized color changing cells (chromatophores) and reflecting cells (iridocytes) in the skin. Indonesia.
Three pink skunk clownfish (Amphiprion perideraion) line up on a colorful reef in Indonesia.
A bright orange brittle star on a mushroom coral.
A hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) swims past colorful soft corals. Indonesia.
False percula clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) eggs near hatching. Indonesia.
Flathead (Rogadius sp.) close-up. Indonesia.
Black-velvet angelfish (Chaetodontoplus melanosoma) pair. Indonesia.
Colorful wrasses and butterflyfish gobble up Pacific sergeant eggs. Indonesia.
Colorful wrasses and butterflyfish gobble up Pacific sergeant eggs. Indonesia.
Trapped coral crabs in a 300 foot abandoned gill net on a reef in the surf zone on Oahu, Hawaii. The net also had trapped parrotfish, wrasses, goatfish, surgeonfish, spiny lobsters, slipper lobsters and other fish that had decayed beyond identification.
Juvenile pink anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion). Indonesia.
Crocodile fish (Cymbacephalus beauforti). Indonesia.
Close up of false clown anemonefish (Amphiprion oceallaris) peeking out from their anemone with turquoise waters in the background. Captive-bred aquarium fish help keep more fish, like Nemo here, on the reef. Indonesia.
A spot-tail frogfish (Lophiocharon trisignatus) with eggs at nght. Most frogfishes spawn gelatinous egg masses composed of thousands to millions of tiny eggs. Members of the subfamily Histiophryninae, such as Lophiocharon trisignatus, produce fewer but larger eggs than other frogfish species and carry them around until they hatch. Indonesia.
Bluetail unicornfish (N. caeruleacauda) schooling together with yellowmask surgeonfish (A. mata) on a reef in Indonesia.
Bluetail unicornfish (N. caeruleacauda) schooling on a deep reef in Indonesia.
Two peas in a pod. Bottlenose and Atlantic spotted dolphins spend lots of time together in the Bahamas. They play and forage together, babysit each others calves and even hybridize on rare occasions. Bahamas.
Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) swims by curiously in the shallows. Hawaii.
Curious Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) swims over rocks off the Big Island, Hawaii.
Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) getting playful. Hawaii.
Magenta slender anthias (Luzonichthys waitei) school over soft corals in Eastern fields. Papua New Guinea.
Magenta slender anthias (Luzonichthys waitei) school over gorgonian in Eastern Fields. Papua New Guinea.
Reef colors.
Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) swims over soft corals. Papua New Guinea.
Pigs wading in the ocean in the Exumas, Bahamas.
Snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands with adult king angelfish (Holocanthus passer) feeding on plankton. The shallows around the Galapagos Islands are so full of life - there’s almost no need to dive here. Galapagos Islands.
A school of milletseed butterflyfish (Chaetodon miliaris) feast on sergeant major eggs. Hawaii.
Brightly colored sponges, starfish and anthias reef scene in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
A juvenile maroon clownfish (Premnas biaculeatus) peeks out from behind the tenticles of a blubble-tip anemone. Indonesia.
A newly settled juvenile clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in its home anemone. Indonesia.
Colubrine sea krait, banded sea krait or yellow-lipped sea krait (Laticauda colubrina) Lembeh, Indonesia.
The pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti). is tiny - no larger than 2.4 cm. Bargibanti is known to occur only on gorgonian corals of the genus Muricella, and has evolved to resemble its host. The tubercles and truncated snout of this species match the color and shape of the polyps of the host gorgonian, while its body matches the gorgonian stem. Lembeh Strait, Indonesia.
A close-up of the of the red pencil urchin (Heterocentrotus mammillatus) showing the spines and skeleton (test). The color pattern varies from red to brown. Pencil urchins are especially common in the sialnds. Back in the day, Hawaiians used the dried out spines to write with.
An orange clark's anenomefish (Amphiprion clarkii) fans its eggs in a beautiful bubble-tip anemone. Indonesia.
French grunts (Haemulon flavolineatum) seek shelter under elkcorn coral at dusk. Bahamas.
A green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) looks down while blocking the sun. Hawaii.
Two Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) up close in clear, blue water of the Bahamas.
An Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) torpedos by in clear turqoise waters of the Bahamas.
A lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) circles towards the camera. Bahamas.
A young tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) and lone bar jack on white sand in the Bahamas.
A lone manta ray (Manta birostris) in the distaince cruises by a cliff at dusk. Socorro.
A school of bigeye trevally (C. sexfasciatus) races along sea cliffs under stormy seas off Socorro Island.
A yellow dog-faced puffer (Arothron nigropunctatus) samples the tip of a Montipora coral. In puffers, the beak forms from 4 front teeth that fuse during juvenile development.
Three clownfish (A. perideraion) line up in their anemone home. Solomon Islands.
A cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) at dusk.
Gorgonians on a deep reef in the Solomon islands.
A pair of orange-finned anemonefish (A. chrysopterus) under sun rays settle in for the night. Solomon Islands.
A pair of orange-finned anemonefish (A. chrysopterus) under sun rays settle in for the night. Solomon Islands.
A titan triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) breaks up coral to feed on hidden reef invertebrates under afternoon sunrays. Solomon Islands..
A male Beau's wrasse (Cirrhilabrus beauperryi). Solomon Islands.
Three clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in an orange mantled anemone in the Solomon Islands.
A crinoid (Crinoid sp) looking stylish at night. Indonesia.
A pod of spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris ) cruises over sand bottom in Hawaii.
A Carribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi ) at dusk in the Bahamas. At just over 2 feet, junior here still has several years to grow before reaching adulthood (5-7 feet).
Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) cruises over a reef in the Bahamas.
A lemon shark makes eye contact. Bahamas.
Sunset wrasse (Thalassoma lutescens) races down from the surface. Lord Howe Island.
Two Hawaiian cleaner wrasse (Labroides phthirophagus) tend to a barred filefish. Hawaii.
Green sea turtle feeding on algae. Hawaii.
A squirrelfish and surgeonfish hover above a bommy in the Bahamas.
A manta ray (Manta birostris) at night. Hawaii.
