Capturing the Moment

Harlequin Shrimp lined up White Tip Reef Shark  On this dive we came across big and small favorites and a few surprises as well. My favorite pair of Harlequin Shrimp haven't moved far. Sometimes they stay in the same place for months as these two have. On the other hand a white tip reef shark was something new to this site. At a couple of places in Molokini I have seen white tips stay put for months as well. 'Peek-a-boo'. Moray eel just hiding Red Reef Lobster  Checking the crevices for nudibranchs always offers some secret treasures for an underwater biologist. And it is a great way to get surprised by many kinds of moray eels. They are almost always docile knowing that they are well protected if only their head and mouth are exposed. However sometimes seeing their reflection in my camera can bring out the curiosity in them and they will come in for a closer look. I have had them bump right into my camera before. Sphinx Phyllidia Two Oval Butterfly...

 Turtles, moray eels, massive schools of fish, and nudibranchs galore describe this Maui dive site but unfortunately I have to keep the name and location secret because of another creature I have found here....harlequin shrimp. These flower-like pint size shrimp are so prized in private salt water aquariums that if their location leaks out to the wrong ears they will be collected and shipped around the world to most likely die in some aquarium.   Now don't get me wrong, aquariums can be an incredible window into the underwater world. They can inspire people to want to learn more about the ocean and even to become ocean stewards themselves. I know many a marine biologist that began their love affair with the ocean at aquariums or sea world during their youth. But when people pay any amount of money to get the rarest and most endangered animals and we stop seeing them out in the wild is when it gets a little depressing. Animals like harlequin shrimp, dragon moray eels, and fl...

 These Harlequin Shrimp, (Hymenocera picta) are something I had been searching for ever since seeing a picture of them on the cover of our Hawaiian invertebrate book. They are so beautiful and quite rare. It has taken me well over 40 dives to find them out here in Hawaii.   Unfortunately they are heavily collected for the aquarium trade and the Hawaiian ones are more highly prized being rarer than the Indo and African varieties. Once encountered they can often be spotted around the same location for months or even years. But just so these two are caught up and captured for some salt water aquarium I will keep their location confidential.   They feed on the tube feet of echinoderms like sea stars. And if you look closely you can see that this pair has found and is feasting on a sea star. They start at the tip of an arm and slowly move in. They can feed on one star for up to a week. However some sea stars have been seen to escape by detaching the arm being fed on and le...