Pacific Peacock Flounder – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern The Kaneohe Sandbar can turn into a beach with the right tides! We were nearly three hours into a day of kayaking when we decided to hop out of the boat for a snorkel. Jill and I were paddling in Kaneohe Bay, which is home to […]
Leaf Scorpionfish – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern I saw three different species of nudibranchs between the two dives! This photo was taken while out on a dive off the coast of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. Despite having been to the Pacific dozens of times, this was surprisingly my first ever dive in the […]
Blue Neon Goby – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern This species of coral looks alien, with the orange, red, and green coloration and texture. This species of coral looks alien, with the orange, red, and green coloration and texture. I’ve always enjoyed this species coral, which can grow to be quite large and live hundreds of […]
Saddled Blenny – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern A sea rod is a soft coral that is affixed to the seafloor like a tree, with a central trunk. Corals can be separated into two categories, hard corals and soft corals. Hard corals generate a calcium carbonate skeleton and tend to be known as reef building corals. Soft […]
IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Their bodies have horizontal blue and yellow stripes This is the head of a snakefish, otherwise known as a blunt-nose lizardfish. This species is found in the Atlantic Ocean, and more specifically this photo was taken off of West Palm Beach, Florida. These fish live on the bottom (benthic) and tend to […]
IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern They have an anguilliform body plan This creature may appear menacing; however, it is only opening its mouth to breathe. Goldentail moray eels will continuously open and close their mouths as a requirement of their respiration process. These eels don’t have bony gill covers like a fish would have. Instead, goldentail eels […]
IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Ornate butterflyfish can be recognized by their black and white stripes, as well as their yellow markings. The ornate butterflyfish is a beautiful creature that can be found in reefs around the world. These fish are brightly colored and playful, making them an excellent choice for people who want to […]
IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern In my time exploring the kelp forests of the Channel Islands, I saw sharks, snails, seals, nudibranchs, and many fish species. This interesting fish is appropriately named the “crevice kelpfish”. I took this photograph in the Channel Islands, amongst the kelp forests it is named for. Where are the Channel Islands? The Channel […]
IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Not only are the kelp forests protection for the garibaldi, they are also a source of food. This fish is named after a 19th century Italian leader, Giuseppe Garibaldi. Why? Garibaldi took up a fashion for wearing orange/red shirts. Later this orange/red shirt became his army’s uniform. This vibrant colored fish was photographed at […]
IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern They eat zooplankton, algae, and other small plants, and they live in coral reefs. Poipu Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Kaua’i. It has a beautiful view and is great for snorkeling. Indo-Pacific sergeant majors, parrot fish, turtles, and more can all be seen when swimming in […]