Crown jellyfish (Cephea cephea) on a night dive. Crown jellyfish have a deep groove running around the bell, giving them the crown shape from which they take their name. Hawaii.
Mating nudibranchs (Nembrotha lineolata). Indonesia.
Head shot of a pelagic shrimp. Hawaii.
Bristle worm epitoke in the open ocean at night. An epitoke is posterior sexual part of a bristle worm (and other polychaetes) that develops from the anterior asexual part. Epitokes swim to ocean surface and release sperm and eggs during their breeding season.
Crab close up. Indonesia.
Collected pink jellyfish (Pelagia species). Hawaii.
A Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) on a blackwater dive off Oahu.
Bigfin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana). Philippines.
A bright orange bristle star on a soft coral. Tonga.
A cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) at dusk.
Flabellina iodinea, a very common nudibranch in the Midriff Islands
Flabellina nudibranch. Indonesia.
A spotted spiny lobster (Panulirus guttatus). Bahamas.
Lobster larva near settlement. Indonesia.
Anenome shrimp (Periclemenes sp.). Indonesia.
Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) fight in the shallows off the Midriff Islands. One octopus is trying to engulf the other entirely.
Nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani) at night. Philippines.
Emperor shrimp or Imperial shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) lives commensally on a number of hosts, including this sea slug: Hexabranchus. Philippines.
A reef squid on a bonfire dive in the Solomon Islands.
Soft coral crab (Hoplophrys oatesi). Indonesia.
Crab megalopa collected in an egg tow. Hawaii.
Nudibranch (Nembrotha purpureolineata). Papua New Guinea.
California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus). California.
Portuguese man-of-war reeling in a damselfish larva at night in the open ocean.
Peacock mantis shrimp (Hemisquilla ensiger). Papua New Guinea.
Baseodiscus mexicanus, a species of proboscis worm in the family Valenciniidae.
Brain coral (Leptoria phrygia) pattern. Bahamas.
I found a large aggregation of several hundred moon jellyfish in the lee of a small island in open ocean. Moon jellyfish aggregate under favorable (slack current) conditions to reproduce sexually. Solomon Islands.
Squat lobster on a sponge. These decapod crustaceans are not lobsters at all, but are more closely related to porcelain crabs, hermit crabs and then, more distantly, true crabs. Halmahera, Indonesia.
Spider crab (Hyastenus bispinosus) on gorgonian. Fiji.
Squid (Cephalapod sp.) under rain drops. Palau.
A flamboyant cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) lifts off from the muck in search of food. Indonesia.
Octopus larva - 9.5 mm TL. Papua New Guinea.
Truk's wrecks are covered in orange sun corals that feed at night.
Colorful shrimp doing yoga on a blackwater dive in Truk Lagoon.
Reef squid in defense posture on a blackwater dive. Solomon Islands.
A mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) peers out of its den. Indonesia.
Yellow spotted guard crab (Trapezia flavopunctata) collected as postlarva, raised in my aquarium and photographed in the studio. Hawaii.
Mantis shrimp larva - 65.0 mm TL. Papua New Guinea.
Flabellina iodinea - a common nudibranch in the Channel Islands.
Spiny brittle stars (Ophiothrix spiculata) became dominant on deeper California kelp beds after the 1998 El Nino and may cover nearly 100% of the bottom in some areas. They are filter feeders and require clean, oxygen-rich water, which makes them a good indicator species for a healthy ecosystem.
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.
Reef squid (Cephalapod sp.). Palau.
California mussel and purple sea urchins in the lower intertidal zone of Santa Cruz island, California. Purple urchins usually feed on plant matter, such as kelp, but, in tough times when algae is depleted, can also use their heavy-duty teeth to grind through barnacle and mussel shells. With their ability to withstand a wide range of ocean temperatures. purple sea urchins may well be among the ocean’s ultimate survivors. Areas dominated by purple urchins are increasing throughout the Channel Islands.
Juvenile saron shrimp near the surface at night in Truk Lagoon.
A close-up of the of the red pencil urchin's (Heterocentrotus mammillatus) spines and skeleton (test). Hawaii.
Squat lobster in a crinoid. Indonesia.
Nudibranch (Chromodoris michaeli). Philippines.
Jewel anemone (Corynactis virids).
Crown jellyfish (Cephea cephea) off Oahu, Hawaii. Crown jellyfish have a deep groove running around the bell, giving them the crown shape from which they take their name. Hawaii.
Anemone hermit crab (Dardanus pedunculatus). Indonesia.
Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) fight in the shallows off the Midriff Islands.
The rare sight of a slipper lobster puerulus on a blackwater dive off Oahu. The puerulus stage is the transitional form from pelagic larva (phyllosoma) to benthic juvenile in lobsters.
Head on shot of spiny tiger shrimp (Phyllognathia ceratophthalmus). Indonesia.
Chromodoris kuniei nudibranch. Indonesia.
Two fairy crabs (Lauriea siagiani). Papua New Guinea.
A sea elephant (Pterotrachea coronata) at night in the open ocean.
Starfish. Papua New Guinea.
A pair of harlequin shrimps (Hymenocera elegans) feeding on a starfish (Linkia sp.) in Indonesia.
Pyrosome at night. Pyrosomes are actually free-floating colonial tunicates made up of hundreds to thousands of individuals, known as zooids. California.
Humpback shrimp (Saron sp.). Fiji.
Odd looking donald duck shrimp (Leander plumosus) on a coral. Indonesia.
Collected unidentifed pelagic crustacean larva. Hawaii.
Nudibranch (Nembrotha kubaryana). Papua New Guinea.
Pinto Spiny Lobster (Panulirus inflatus).
Nudibranch (Flabellina sp.). Indonesia.
Nudibranch (Chromodoris willani). Indonesia.
Octopus larva - 9.5 mm TL. Papua New Guinea.
Saw blade shrimp (Tozeuma armatum) carrying eggs. Philippines.
Collected pelagic copepod (Sapphirina sp.) - 4.5 mm TL. Hawaii.
Two-spot lizardfish (Synodus binotatus) with four stages of parasitic isopods. Tonga.
A salp (pelagic tunicate)(about 2") in the open ocean at night.
A banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) in the Bahamas.
Nudibranch on a tunicate. Indonesia.
An octopus larva hitches a ride on a leaf on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands.
Crinoid shrimp (Hippolyte catagrapha). Philippines.
Spotted spiny lobster (Panulirus guttatus). Bahamas.
Head on shot of painted spiny lobster (P. versicolor). Fiji.
Nudibranch (Nembrotha sp.) on a tunicate. Indonesia.
Bird's eye view of painted spiny lobster (Panulirus vesicolor). Indonesia.
Squid larva feeding on a larval mantis shrimp. Solomon Islands.
Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera elegans) feeding on a sea star (Linkia sp.). Indonesia.
Green-eye dancing shrimp (Cinetorhynchus sp.). Fiji.
Juvenile octopus reflects off the surface (Octopus sp.) in Papua New Guinea.
Flabellina iodinea nudibranch. California.
Nudibranch (Chromodoris lochi). Philippines.
Juvenile squid schooling at night. Florida.
Porcelain anemone crab (Neopetrolisthes maculosus) on a carpet anemone. Indonesia.
Collected sea swallow (Glaucus atlanticus), a pelagic aeolid nudibranch. Hawaii.
Hermissenda opalescens nudibranch in the Channel Islands.
Crinoid shrimp (Hippolyte catagrapha). Philippines.
Saron shrimp (Saron marmoratus). Saron shrimps are quite variable in color and pattern. They may have greenish, brown, or even red, purple or blue markings. Ambon, Indonesia.
Coral pattern. Palau.
Reef Squid (Sepioteuthis sp.). Like all cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and eight arms. There are around 300 species of squid. Indonesia.
Barred wire coral shrimp (Pontonides sp.). Fiji.
Two soft corals attached to a giant giant clam (Tridachna gigas) in Palau.
Pram bug (Phronima sedentaria) in the barrel of salp.
Crab on dendronephthya soft coral. Indonesia.
Head on shot of a shrimp's eyes. Philippines.
Two bubble coral shrimp (Vir philippinensis) in an anemone. Papua New Guinea.
Atlantic triton's trumpet (Charonia variegata) feeding on a cushion sea star (Oreaster reticulatus). Sea stars are the triton’s primary prey item. A trumpet snail paralizes its prey with an injection of toxic saliva, and then bores through the body with its strong teeth. Adult trumpets are heavily collected for their beautiful shells, which has allowed sea star populations to proliferate in recent years. Bahamas.
Blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata) juvenile on Halimeda algae. Papua New Guinea.
Ctenophore gleaming in iridescence at night in the open ocean.
Decorator crab. Indonesia.
Pelagic nudibranch (about 3/4") on a blackwater dive off Oahu, Hawaii
A swimming bristle worm at night. Indonesia.
Anenome shrimp (Periclemens sp.). Indonesia.
Two juvenile jacks swim above a barrel jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo) at night in Truk Lagoon. Barrel jellyfish are very common in Truk Lagoon during the late summer months.
Juvenile Hawaiian Saron shrimp (Saron marmoratus) collected as postlarva, raised in my aquarium and photographed in the studio. Hawaii.
A bobtail squid near the surface at night in Truk Lagoon.
Collected blue pelagic shrimp. Hawaii.
A crinoid (Crinoid sp) looking stylish at night. Indonesia.
Blue boxer shrimp (Stenopus tenuirostris). Indonesia.
Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) on a sea cucumber. Indonesia.
Crinoid squat lobster (Allogalathea elegans). Indonesia.
A spotted cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes yucatanicus) in a pink-tipped anemone. Bahamas
Squid larva - 12.6 mm TL. Papua New Guinea.
Hyperiid amphipod frequently parasitize hydromedusa and other gelatinous animals.
Hyperiid amphipods riding a jellyfish (hydromedusa) at night in the open ocean.
Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera elegans). Philippines.
Yellow crinoid shrimp. Indonesia.
Bobtail squid postures to defend itself against the bright beam of my focus light.
Saron shrimp (Saron sp.) in a crevice. Papua New Guinea.
A sea cucumber (Holothuroidea sp.) extends off the reef and releases gametes in the current.
Ctenophore (about 2") feeding on a bristle worm on a blackwater dive off Oahu.
Crab on a softcoral. Papua New Guinea.
Flabellina nudibranch. Philippines.
Sea slug (Elysia diomedea).
Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) lives commensally on a number of hosts, including this sea slug: Hexabranchus. Philippines.
Giant marine hermit crab (Petrochirus diogenes ) on a wreck in the Bahamas.
Blue starfish and soft coral reef scene. Indonesia.
Fairy crab (Lauriea siagiani). Papua New Guinea.
Head on shot of peacock mantis shrimp (Hemisquilla ensigera californiensis) carrying a large clutch of eggs. Philippines.
Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator). Philippines.
Bristle star and crabs on a soft coral. Papua New Guinea.
Swimming pelagic marine copepod (5.7 mm). Hawaii.
An emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator ) on a serpentine sea cucumber. Indonesia.
Juvenile banded mantis shrimp (Lysiosquilla maculata) reflecting off the surface on a blackwater dive in Palau.
Squid (Cephalapod sp.) at night. Palau.
Over-under scene of jellyfish under mangroves in Palau.
Shrimp hitching a ride on a colonial radiolarian at night in the open ocean off Oahu, Hawaii.
Two giant basket stars (Astrophyton muricatum) at night. Indonesia.
Chambered nautilus (Nautilus pompilius). Papua New Guinea.
Nudibranch (Chromidoris sp.). Philippines.
Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) out and about on a colorful reef. Indonesia.
Juvenile cuttlefish. Papua New Guinea.
Dozens of starfish cover a sand bed at Cocos Island. Costa Rica.
Larval squid releasing ink. Papua New Guinea.
