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