Squid larva - 12.6 mm TL. Papua New Guinea.
Crab on a softcoral. Papua New Guinea.
Head on shot of peacock mantis shrimp (Hemisquilla ensigera californiensis) carrying a large clutch of eggs. Philippines.
Nudibranch (Flabellina sp.). Indonesia.
Nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani) at night. Philippines.
Crab on dendronephthya soft coral. Indonesia.
Crinoid shrimp (Hippolyte catagrapha). Philippines.
Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) out and about on a colorful reef. Indonesia.
Octopus larva - 9.5 mm TL. Papua New Guinea.
Yellow crinoid shrimp. Indonesia.
Hermissenda opalescens nudibranch in the Channel Islands.
Saw blade shrimp (Tozeuma armatum) carrying eggs. Philippines.
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.
Blue boxer shrimp (Stenopus tenuirostris). Indonesia.
Ctenophore (about 2") feeding on a bristle worm on a blackwater dive off Oahu.
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.
Juvenile cuttlefish. Papua New Guinea.
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.
Juvenile saron shrimp near the surface at night in Truk Lagoon.
Two bubble coral shrimp (Vir philippinensis) in an anemone. Papua New Guinea.
California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus). California.
A bobtail squid near the surface at night in Truk Lagoon.
Chromodoris kuniei nudibranch. Indonesia.
An octopus larva hitches a ride on a leaf on a blackwater dive in the Solomon Islands.
Emperor shrimp or Imperial shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) lives commensally on a number of hosts, including this sea slug: Hexabranchus. Philippines.
Bigfin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana). Philippines.
Nudibranch (Chromidoris sp.). Philippines.
Nudibranch (Chromodoris willani). Indonesia.
Nudibranch (Nembrotha sp.) on a tunicate. Indonesia.
Bristle star and crabs on a soft coral. Papua New Guinea.
Shrimp hitching a ride on a colonial radiolarian at night in the open ocean off Oahu, Hawaii.
Coral pattern. Palau.
A close-up of the of the red pencil urchin's (Heterocentrotus mammillatus) spines and skeleton (test). Hawaii.
A flamboyant cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) lifts off from the muck in search of food. Indonesia.
Nudibranch (Chromodoris lochi). Philippines.
Odd looking donald duck shrimp (Leander plumosus) on a coral. Indonesia.
Squat lobster in a crinoid. Indonesia.
An emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator ) on a serpentine sea cucumber. Indonesia.
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.
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.
Spider crab (Hyastenus bispinosus) on gorgonian. Fiji.
Juvenile Hawaiian Saron shrimp (Saron marmoratus) collected as postlarva, raised in my aquarium and photographed in the studio. Hawaii.
Crab megalopa collected in an egg tow. Hawaii.
A spotted spiny lobster (Panulirus guttatus). Bahamas.
Two-spot lizardfish (Synodus binotatus) with four stages of parasitic isopods. Tonga.
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.
Green-eye dancing shrimp (Cinetorhynchus sp.). Fiji.
A crinoid (Crinoid sp) looking stylish at night. Indonesia.
A Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) on a blackwater dive off Oahu.
Bobtail squid postures to defend itself against the bright beam of my focus light.
A sea elephant (Pterotrachea coronata) at night in the open ocean.
A mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) peers out of its den. Indonesia.
Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) on a sea cucumber. Indonesia.
Two fairy crabs (Lauriea siagiani). Papua New Guinea.
Nudibranch (Nembrotha kubaryana). Papua New Guinea.
A banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) in the Bahamas.
Two giant basket stars (Astrophyton muricatum) at night. Indonesia.
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.
Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator). Philippines.
Larval squid releasing ink. Papua New Guinea.
A pair of harlequin shrimps (Hymenocera elegans) feeding on a starfish (Linkia sp.) in Indonesia.
Over-under scene of jellyfish under mangroves in Palau.
Anenome shrimp (Periclemens sp.). Indonesia.
Bird's eye view of painted spiny lobster (Panulirus vesicolor). Indonesia.
Spotted spiny lobster (Panulirus guttatus). Bahamas.
Lobster larva near settlement. Indonesia.
Crinoid shrimp (Hippolyte catagrapha). Philippines.
Brain coral (Leptoria phrygia) pattern. Bahamas.
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.
Nudibranch (Chromodoris michaeli). Philippines.
A swimming bristle worm at night. Indonesia.
Swimming pelagic marine copepod (5.7 mm). Hawaii.
Truk's wrecks are covered in orange sun corals that feed at night.
Pram bug (Phronima sedentaria) in the barrel of salp.
Flabellina nudibranch. Philippines.
Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera elegans) feeding on a sea star (Linkia sp.). Indonesia.
Yellow spotted guard crab (Trapezia flavopunctata) collected as postlarva, raised in my aquarium and photographed in the studio. Hawaii.
Collected sea swallow (Glaucus atlanticus), a pelagic aeolid nudibranch. Hawaii.
Collected unidentifed pelagic crustacean larva. Hawaii.
Porcelain anemone crab (Neopetrolisthes maculosus) on a carpet anemone. Indonesia.
Colorful shrimp doing yoga on a blackwater dive in Truk Lagoon.
Ctenophore gleaming in iridescence at night in the open ocean.
Portuguese man-of-war reeling in a damselfish larva at night in the open ocean.
Crinoid squat lobster (Allogalathea elegans). Indonesia.
Squid (Cephalapod sp.) under rain drops. Palau.
Chambered nautilus (Nautilus pompilius). Papua New Guinea.
Mantis shrimp larva - 65.0 mm TL. Papua New Guinea.
Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) lives commensally on a number of hosts, including this sea slug: Hexabranchus. Philippines.
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.
Fairy crab (Lauriea siagiani). Papua New Guinea.
Anemone hermit crab (Dardanus pedunculatus). Indonesia.
Reef squid in defense posture on a blackwater dive. Solomon Islands.
Juvenile banded mantis shrimp (Lysiosquilla maculata) reflecting off the surface on a blackwater dive in Palau.
Juvenile octopus reflects off the surface (Octopus sp.) in Papua New Guinea.
Pelagic nudibranch (about 3/4") on a blackwater dive off Oahu, Hawaii
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.
Collected pelagic copepod (Sapphirina sp.) - 4.5 mm TL. Hawaii.
Decorator crab. Indonesia.
Peacock mantis shrimp (Hemisquilla ensiger). Papua New Guinea.
Collected pink jellyfish (Pelagia species). Hawaii.
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.
Crab close up. Indonesia.
Collected blue pelagic shrimp. Hawaii.
A bright orange bristle star on a soft coral. Tonga.
Hyperiid amphipod frequently parasitize hydromedusa and other gelatinous animals.
Mating nudibranchs (Nembrotha lineolata). Indonesia.
Giant marine hermit crab (Petrochirus diogenes ) on a wreck in the Bahamas.
Squid (Cephalapod sp.) at night. Palau.
Dozens of starfish cover a sand bed at Cocos Island. Costa Rica.
Jewel anemone (Corynactis virids).
Saron shrimp (Saron sp.) in a crevice. Papua New Guinea.
Starfish. Papua New Guinea.
Octopus larva - 9.5 mm TL. Papua New Guinea.
Soft coral crab (Hoplophrys oatesi). Indonesia.
Flabellina iodinea nudibranch. California.
Head on shot of painted spiny lobster (P. versicolor). Fiji.
Flabellina iodinea - a common nudibranch in the Channel Islands.
Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera elegans). Philippines.
Juvenile squid schooling at night. Florida.
A spotted cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes yucatanicus) in a pink-tipped anemone. Bahamas
A cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) at dusk.
Humpback shrimp (Saron sp.). Fiji.
A sea cucumber (Holothuroidea sp.) extends off the reef and releases gametes in the current.
Head on shot of spiny tiger shrimp (Phyllognathia ceratophthalmus). Indonesia.
Nudibranch on a tunicate. Indonesia.
Reef squid (Cephalapod sp.). Palau.
A reef squid on a bonfire dive in the Solomon Islands.
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.
Blue starfish and soft coral reef scene. Indonesia.
Two soft corals attached to a giant giant clam (Tridachna gigas) in Palau.
Blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata) juvenile on Halimeda algae. Papua New Guinea.
A salp (pelagic tunicate)(about 2") in the open ocean at night.
Flabellina nudibranch. 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.
Hyperiid amphipods riding a jellyfish (hydromedusa) at night in the open ocean.
Head shot of a pelagic shrimp. Hawaii.
Nudibranch (Nembrotha purpureolineata). Papua New Guinea.
Head on shot of a shrimp's eyes. Philippines.
Squid larva feeding on a larval mantis shrimp. Solomon Islands.
Barred wire coral shrimp (Pontonides sp.). Fiji.
Pyrosome at night. Pyrosomes are actually free-floating colonial tunicates made up of hundreds to thousands of individuals, known as zooids. California.
Anenome shrimp (Periclemenes sp.). Indonesia.
