Barred Hamlet – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Barred hamlets have a continuous dorsal fin that has ten spines This beautiful tropical fish is called a barred hamlet. There are several other species of hamlet in the waters of the tropical western Atlantic, including the indigo hamlet, butter hamlet, shy hamlet, golden hamlet, yellowbelly hamlet, yellowtail […]
Striated Frogfish – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern The striated frogfish then closes its esophagus trapping the prey This strange looking creature is called a striated frogfish. These fish are masters of camouflage. They only grow to about seven inches long. Striated frogfish do not swim around much. Rather, they rest on the seafloor and remain motionless. All of these […]
Redbreast Sunfish – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern These fish were fearless Dropping under the water at Alexander Springs in Altoona, Florida, I was not expecting the water to be as crystal clear as it was. The visibility was easily one hundred feet, and the water was a crisp 72 degrees. Although this is a […]
Gray Triggerfish – IUCN Conservation Status: Vulnerable If you depress the second spine, this will release the first spine This unique looking fish is called a gray triggerfish. It is a medium sized fish which will grow to be around nine inches long. Their coloration and pattern are hard to appreciate in the water, especially if it […]
Trunkfish – IUCN Conservation Status: Varies They will hover above the sand and occasionally tilt their head down and blow water through their mouth This fish is only the size of a quarter, for now. It will eventually grow to be over a foot long and weigh up to seven pounds. It’s color and pattern will change. This […]
White Ibis – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern The bill is bright red orange I took this photo while staying on Longboat Key on the Gulf Coast of Florida. There were thousands of birds wading on the shore each day here. It was a birdwatcher’s paradise. The American white ibis was one of the many […]
Willet – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern There were hundreds if not thousands of birds This photo was taken on the beach at Longboat Key in Florida just off the coast of Sarasota. I took this on the same trip that I took the photo of the American white ibis. There were hundreds if not […]
Queen Conch – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Queen conch move very slowly This is the flagship creature of the Florida Keys, otherwise known as the “Conch Republic”. Conch are a popular food. Unfortunately, years of overharvesting has led to a crash in their population. These days, the Conch Republic must import their conch. Spotted Eagle Ray This […]
Caribbean Reef Octopus – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data I’ve encountered Caribbean reef octopus on night dives You are looking into the eye of a Caribbean reef octopus. Although they look mysterious, they are one of the more commonly seen octopus and we know quite a lot about them. Caribbean reef octopus are generally seen at night. I […]
Nurse Shark – IUCN Conservation Status: Vulnerable Nurse sharks are not considered a dangerous shark species to humans This is a photograph of a nurse shark, taken in Key Largo, Florida. To get a close up photograph of a shark can be tricky, but the nurse shark gives you a better chance than most shark species. Nurse […]