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