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