Photo Stream /pics/dimaging/809497 The new Airbus A-380. My son playing with the touch screen. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=151888&1=1 http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=86665&1=1 Leaf Scorpionfish (Taenianotus triccanthus) http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=81604&1=1 LEMON SHARK (Negaprion brevirostris) Size: The lemon shark is born at about 63 cm (24.8 inches) and attains a maximum length of 3.4 m (11.2 feet). Males reach sexual maturity at about 224 cm (7.3 feet), while females are sexually mature at a length of 239 to 285 cm (7.8 to 9.4 feet). This shark reaches sexual maturity at approximately 6.5 years and reaches a maximum age of about 27 years. Distribution: Western Atlantic, from New Jersey to southern Brazil, the east African coast and the Eastern Pacific, from the Sea of Cortez to Ecuador. Habitat: The lemon shark occurs in shallow intertidal areas to 92 m (303 feet). The juveniles are common on sand flats and mangrove areas of lagoons, while adults are found in lagoons as well as off the fore reef in deeper water. It is also found in saline rivers and river mouths, and will occasionally enter freshwater, swimming short distances up rivers. Reproduction: The lemon shark exhibits placental viviparity. This species drops its young in shallow bays and lagoons, often in mangrove swamps, with mating and parturition occurring in the spring and summer. Lemon shark litters range in size from 4 to 17. When these sharks copulate the male swims alongside the female. The male also bites the female during courtship. Feeding: The primary food of juvenile lemon sharks is bony fishes and shrimp. Cortes & Gruber (1990) examined 78 young lemon sharks and found that bony fishes (including, in order of importance, snappers, porgies, halfbeaks, jacks, snake eels and toadfishes) were the most important prey, followed by turtle grass blades (which are probably eaten incidentally), crustaceans (mainly penaeid shrimp), elasmobranchs (yellow stingrays) and octopuses. Other bony fishes eaten by young lemon sharks include killifishes, grunts, barracuda, and silversides. These prey species include smaller fishes that school and are swallowed whole, and larger predatory fishes that the lemon sharks bite into pieces. Adults feed mainly on bonyfishes (including catfish, mullet, jacks, croaker, spiny boxfish and cowfish) and elasmobranchs (including guitarfish, southern and yellow stingrays, and other sharks), but also eat crabs, lobsters, sea birds and conchs. Adult specimens sometimes have the tail spine of stingrays broken off in their upper jaws. Larger lemon sharks have also been found with sea turtle remains (flippers) in their stomachs. Feeding apparently occurs throughout the day and night, although this species is most active at during twilight periods. Young lemon sharks feed intermittently, feeding for approximately 11 hours and then waiting 33 to 47 hours before feeding again. The daily ration for this species is 0.5 to 3 % of its total body weight, with juveniles having a larger daily ration than adults. This shark usually has one or two prey items in its stomach at any one time. Behavior: This is typically a solitary species, although it will aggregate in preferred habitats (as many as 20 individuals have been observed in loose aggregations). The lemon shark is often observed in association with schools of jacks. This shark covers a home range of from 18 to 93 square km (7 to 36 square miles), with younger sharks ranging over a smaller area than adults. The lemon shark may move into deeper water and/or south in early winter. It displays a possible agonistic display consisting of figure-eight swimming and jaw gape. Distinguishing Characteristics: This species is easily recognized by its two similar sized dorsal fins, set forward on the body, its broad, rounded snout and its light, often yellowish, body color. The related sicklefin lemon shark has more falcate fins and the teeth of larger individuals are more deeply serrated than the lemon shark. Also, the geographical range of this shark and the sicklefin lemon shark do not overlap. Remarks: References: Cortes & Gruber (1990), Schurdak & Gruber (1989) http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=85944&1=1 File: dsc_1534.jpg File size: 885KB Camera Model: NIKON D100 Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS Windows Date/Time: 2004:02:01 15:14:54 Shutter speed: 1/80 sec Aperture: 13.0 Exposure mode: Manual Metering mode: Center-weighted average ISO: 200 Focal length: 45.0mm Image size: 1253 x 833 Rotation: none Color profile: Adobe RGB (1998) http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=76863&1=1 http://www.blueplanet-imaging.cm http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=149092&1=1 http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=86499&1=1 A Commensal Shrimp. This little guy is about 25mm in length. I used a 105mm with a magnifying rig on the front of the port. The bumps that you see are of the starfish which the shrimp resides on. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=151974&1=1 Hairy Squat Lobster (Lauriea siagiani) 1cm!! http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141593&1=1 Petronas Towers- shot from he street and did not get run over http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141538&1=1 http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=86542&1=1 At full resolution. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=128327&1=1 Scorpion Leaf Fish Maldives Baa Atoll http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141270&1=1 Baby Proboscis Monkey. Borneo http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141596&1=1 File: dsc_0871.jpg File size: 2,753KB Camera Model: NIKON D100 Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS Windows Date/Time: 2004:01:28 20:17:14 Shutter speed: 1/60 sec Aperture: 13.0 Exposure mode: Manual Metering mode: Center-weighted average ISO: 200 Focal length: 70.0mm Image size: 2593 x 1840 Rotation: none Color profile: Adobe RGB (1998) http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=76719&1=1 2004:02:07 05:25:44 70.0-200.0mm @ 82.0mm 2 sec, f/2.8 Mode: Program Metering: Center-weighted average ISO: 200 AF mode: AF-C White balance: AUTO Flash: Off File size: 9,795KB Image size: 3034 x 2024 Sharpness: AUTO http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=70272&1=1 http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=87003&1=1 Reef Octopus trying not to be seen. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141696&1=1 The eye of the Crocodile Fish. Borneo http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=143273&1=1 SQUARESPOT ANTHIAS (MALE) (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia) Family Name: SERRANIDAE Size:This species attains a maximum length of 20 cm (7.8 inches). Distribution: Philippines south to the Great Barrier Reef and east to Samoa. Habitat: This species is found at depths from 10 to 180 m (33 to 594 feet), but is most common at depths exceeding 30 m (98 feet). For example, at Enewetak, this species is most abundant between 60 and 120 m (198 to 396 feet). It occurs on steep reef slopes and walls, and is most often encountered at the upper edge of the drop off. It is most common in areas affected by tidal currents. Reproduction: This species has been known to crossbreed with the twinspot anthias (Pseudanthias bimaculatus). Feeding: Individuals in these groups feed well above the bottom on zooplankton. Behavior: This species forms loose aggregations consisting of several males and numerous females. At the depths that this species normally occurs at, the pink blotches of the male glows like a blue neon light. This conspicuous marking, plus the acrobatic swimming display of the territorial male, serves as a signal to rival male conspecifics and potential mates. Occasionally males form aggregations, usually for a short period of time. Distinguishing Characteristics: As the name implies, the males of this species have a large pink spot or square on the side of the body. However, an occasional specimen may lack this blotch. The redgirdled anthias (Pseudanthias rubrozinotus) has a red smudge on the side of the body, but otherwise is very different in color. Likewise male Cooper's anthias (Pseudanthias cooperi) also have a narrow red bar on their side. Remarks: Shen's anthias (Pseudanthias sheni) is only known from Rowley Shoals off the northwestern coast of Australia and differs from the squarespot in color and in the number of gill rakers. Male Shen's anthias lack the distinct square blotch on the side, while females of these two species are difficult to distinguish. Female Shen's anthias are more orange, with a lavender belly. There is also an apparent color form of the squarespot anthias that has been reported from the reefs of Flores, Indonesia. This unusual morph, which was originally dubbed the Flores' basslet, suddenly appeared after a massive earthquake struck the area in 1993. It occurs in shoals at depths of 1 to 50 m (3.3 to 163 feet), and inhabits reef slopes anddrop-offs. References: Kuiter & Debelius (1994), Myers (1999) http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=83230&1=1 http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=151678&1=1 www.blueplanet-imaging.com http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=148768&1=1 LEAF SCORPIONFISH (Taenianotus triacanthus) Alternate Common Names: leaf fish, paper fish Family Name: SCORPAENIDAE Size: 10 cm (3.9 inches) Distribution: East Africa to the Galapagos Islands, north to Ryukus and south to New South Wales, Australia. Habitat: This species occurs at depths of less than 1 to over 134 m (3.3 to 442 feet) on reef flats, reef channels, fore reef slopes or on lagoon reefs, in areas protected from strong water movement. Feeding: Behavior: The leaf scorpionfish will often sit at the mouth of caves or crevices, or between columnar corals. If threatened it will duck into the nearby cave or disappear among the coral branches. The leaf scorpionfish regularly occurs in pairs. Distinguishing Characteristics: This species gets its name from its unusual form. With its laterally compressed body and high dorsal fin it resembles a leaf or macroalgae frond. It also mimics bits of plant debris by rocking back and forth or swaying from side-to-side. The overall coloration of this species can be black, maroon, red, brown, tan, bright yellow or white, with dark or light mottling. I have seen photos of a pair of bicolored specimens from the Fijian Islands; they were orange overall with bright yellow backs and dorsal fins. The coloration can change slightly as a result of shedding of the cuticle, which is quite common in this fish, or if they are moved from a light to darker background, or vice-versa. Small juveniles, which are rarely encountered in the aquarium trade, are nearly transparent. References: Kuiter & Debelius (1994), Myers (1989) http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=83029&1=1 File: dsc_1342.jpg File size: 4,846KB Camera Model: NIKON D100 Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS Windows Date/Time: 2004:01:31 16:11:52 Shutter speed: 1/80 sec Aperture: 18.0 Exposure mode: Manual Metering mode: Center-weighted average ISO: 200 Focal length: 70.0mm Image size: 3008 x 2000 Rotation: none Color profile: Adobe RGB (1998) http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=76805&1=1 Nudibrach n the Philippines. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=146066&1=1 http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=75625&1=1 http://wwwBluePlanet-Imaging.com http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=152074&1=1 Playing around with my D3 and 14-24 on land since I do not have a U/W housing for it yet. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=140983&1=1 File Fish http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=76698&1=1 PYGMY SEAHORSE (Hippocampus bargabanti ) Size: 2.5cm New Caledonia, Great Barrier Reef, Solomon Islands and Indonesia Habitat: The pygmy seahorse is found on coastal and fore reef slopes. It usually occurs at depths in excess of 30 m (98 feet), clinging to the branches of the a gorgonian of the genus Muricella. Feeding: They apparently feed on tiny zooplankton that are entrapped in the gorgonian's polyps or slime. Behavior: From one to dozens of these tiny syngnathids may be found residing on an individual gorgonian. Distinguishing Characteristics: This species is unmistakable, that is if you can find it! Interaction with Divers: Unconcerned. Relies on its marvelous camouflage to avoid being eaten. Will change position or even leave its gorgonian if threatened or harassed http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141290&1=1 Lionfish reef shot with sunburst. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141293&1=1 ROCK BEAUTY (ADULT) (Holacanthus tricolor Family Name: POMACANTHIDAE Click Name for Family Profile Size: This species attains a maximum length of 20 cm (7.9 inches). Distribution: Georgia, Bermuda and northern Gulf of Mexico banks to Brazil. Habitat: Adults of this species are most common on deep fore reef terraces and drop-offs, where there are dense growths of sponges, gorgonians and the occasional massive coral head. Smaller individuals are often found in shallower water among the branches of fire coral (Millepora spp.). Reproduction: The rocky beauty is a protogynous hermaphrodite (females change sex to males) that begins spawning at about 10 cm (3.9 inches) in length. This species displays sexual size dimorphism, with a male being larger than the females in its harem. However, females in some harems may be larger than the males in other harems. Feeding: Food habit studies have demonstrated that this fish eats large amounts of sponges. However, this species also spends a considerable amount of time nipping at algae, and will consume the occasional zoanthid. In some locations large aggregations of adults have also been observed raiding the nests of Sergeant Major damselfish (Abudefduf saxatilis) to feed on their eggs. The young of this species do not remove parasites from other fishes, like some of the other angelfish species, but instead specialize in feeding on fish mucus. For example, I have seen individuals nip at other angelfishes, damselfishes and the goldentail moray. In the case of the moray, the juvenile rock beauty persistently picked at the slime of the eel. When you consider the fact that morays produce copious amounts of mucus and that they occupy a similar habitat as the juvenile H. tricolor, it may be that eel slime is an important source of nutrition for small rock beauties on the reef. They have also been observed nipping at nocturnal fishes, like squirrelfishes, that occupy caves and crevices during the day. Behavior: The rock beauty is shyer than its close relatives, spending a considerable amount of time during the daylight hours hiding in holes and crevices in the reef. Males defend an area that overlaps the feeding territories of two to four females. Females defend their territories from similarly-sized consexuals, but do not exclude smaller females. It has been suggested that the advantage in not driving off smaller females is that when a larger female changes sex it will already have a harem of its own occupying its territory. Distinguishing Characteristics: This species is easily recognized by its color pattern - adults are yellow overall with a large black saddle and blue pigment on the mouth. Juveniles have a blue-edged black eye spot on the upper back, which gradually expands and covers up to two-thirds of the body and the median fins. Juveniles also lack the dark-colored "lips." Interaction with Divers: This species varies in its approachability. In some areas they are very shy and will seek shelter if approached. In other areas they curious and/or bold, and are easy to get close too. Remarks: References: Hourigan & Kelly (1985), Moyer at al. (1983) http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=122032&1=1 Maldivian Skunk Anenome http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=140481&1=1 Sorry about the res- I'm still down in Belize and the internet connection sucks. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=127552&1=1 I feel bloated http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=151736&1=1 Green Sea Turtlte swimming back down after getting some air. Shot at Sipiden Island off the cost of Borneo. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141541&1=1 YELLOWMARGIN MORAY (Gymnothorax flavimarginatus) Shot at Baa Atoll, Maldives http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141558&1=1 Petronas Towers- View from my room. Had to straighten the shot out and clone the bottom left. http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=141537&1=1 Land Crab http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=127925&1=1 File: Img2003-12-31 122039.jpg File size: 2,768KB Camera Model: NIKON D100 Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS Windows Date/Time: 2003:12:31 12:20:39 Shutter speed: 1/125 sec Aperture: 7.1 Exposure mode: Manual Metering mode: Multi-segment ISO: 200 Focal length: 60.0mm Image size: 2460 x 1560 Rotation: none Color profile: Adobe RGB (1998) http://www.dslreports.com/showpic/dimaging?lid=75464&1=1