The Star Dancer liveaboard dive boat (which, sadly, is no longer in operation) departed from Walindi Plantation, mostly diving Kimbe Bay. We sailed along the Willaumez Peninsula out of Kimbe Bay west to Garove Island, a sunken crater with very steep walls, in the Witu Islands for a few days.
Reef scenes:
Nudibranchs:
Pipek's phyllidiopsis, Phyllidiopsis pipeki
Varicose phyllidia, Phyllidia varicosa
Serena's notodoris, Notodoris serenae
Co's nudibranch, Goniobranchus coi
Flame coryphellina, Coryphellina exoplata
Spanish dancer, Hexabranchus sanguineus
Papuan plakobranchus, Plakobranchus papua
Forsskai's pleurobranch, Pleurobranchus forskalii
Yellow-horned phyllidia, Phyllidia sp.
Chromodoris willani
Rudman's phyllidiella, Phyllidiella rudmani
Pustulose phyllidiella, Phyllidiella pustulosa
Bivalves:
Scaly thorny oyster, Spondylus squamosus
Cock's comb oyster, Lopha cristagalli
<species TBS>
Fluted giant clam, Tridacna squamosa
Common wing oyster, Pteria penguin
Snails:
<species TBS>
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Toothed conch, Strombus dentatus
Top shell, Trochus histrio
Tiger cowrie, Cypraea tigris
Triton's trumpet (giant triton), Charonia tritonis, eating a blue sea star, Linckia laevigata
<species TBS>
<species TBS>
<species TBS>
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Textile cone, Conus textile
Conus sp.
Conus marmoreus
Scorpion conch, Lambis truncata truncata
<species TBS>
Terebra affinis
Giant tun, Tonna cf. olearium
<species TBS>
Worms:
Spirobranchus sp.
<species TBS>
Sabellastarte sp.
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Spaghetti worm, <species TBS>
Flatworms:
Phrikoceros sp.
Pseudoceros indicus
Octopus:
Day octopus, Octopus cyanea
Tunichates:
<species TBS>
Purple and yellow (gold-mouthed) sea squirt, Polycarpa aurata
<species TBS>
Didemnum molle
Jellyfish:
<species TBS>
Echinoderms:
sea cucumbers:
Candycane sea cucumber, Thelenota rubralineata
Lampert's sea cucumber, Synaptula lamperti
Lion's paw sea cucumber, Euapta godeffroyi
Urchins:
Heart urchin, <species TBS>
Crinoids:
Sea stars:
Crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci
<species TBS>
Multipore sea star, Linckia multiflora
Basket stars:
Giant basket star, Astroboa nuda
Brittle stars:
Four-spine brittle star, Ophiactis quadrispina
Six-arm brittle star, Ophiothela danae
Crustaceans:
Crabs:
Ornamental spider crab, Schizophrys aspera
<species TBS>
Porcelain crab, Enosteoides sp.
<species TBS>
Shrimps and lobsters:
Ancylomenes sp.
Banded coral shrimp, Stenopus hispidus
Painted spiny lobster (postlarval juvenile), Panulirus versicolor
<species TBS>
<species TBS>
Snapping shrimp, Alpherus sp.
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Skeleton shrimps (actually amphipods, not crustaceans):
Caprellids, one of many possible species, Caprella sp.
Hermit crabs:
<species TBS>
<species TBS>
<species TBS>
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White-spotted hermit crab, Dardanus megistos
Hairy hermit crab, Pagurus hirtimanus
<species TBS>
Turtles:
Hawksbill sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata
Fish:
Anemonefish:
Orange-finned anemonefish, Amphiprion chrysopterus
Clark's anemonefish, Amphiprion clarkii
Spinecheek anemonefish, Premnas biaculeatus
Pink anemonefish, Amphiprion perideraion
White-bonnet anemonefish, Amphiprion leucokranos
Clown anemonefish, Amphiprion percula
Angelfish:
Blue-girdled angelfish, Pomacanthus navarchus
Regal angelfish, Pygoplites diacanthus
Anthias:
Purple anthias, Pseudanthias tuka
Scalefin anthias, Pseudanthias squamipinnis
Randall's anthias, Pseudanthias randalli
Pseudanthias sp.
Barracudas:
Blackfin barracuda, Sphyraena qenie
Blennies:
Striped blenny, Ecsenius procculis
Clown blenny, Ecsenius axelrodi
Fine-spotted blenny, Salarias guttatus
White-spotted blenny, Salarias alboguttatus
Elongate oyster blenny, Omobranchus elongatus
Butterflyfish:
Chaetodon sp.
Pennant bannerfish, Heniochus chrysostomus
Pacific double-saddle butterflyfish, Chaetodon ulietensis
Humphead bannerfish, Heniochus varius
Longnose butterflyfish, Forcipiger flavissimus
Pyramid butterflyfish, Hemitaurichthys polylepis
Cardinalfish:
unidentified cardinalfish, <species TBS>
Striped cardinalfish, Apogon angustatus
Threadfin cardinalfish, Apogon leptacanthus
Coral breams:
Humpnose bigeye bream (juveniles), Monotaxis grandoculis
Damselfish:
Bicolor chromis, Chromis margaritifer
Darkfin chromis, Chromis atripes
Golden damsel, Amblyglyphidodon aureus
Blackbar chromis, Chromis tetrofasciata
Three-spot dascyllus (juvenile), Dascyllus trimaculatus
Gray demoiselle, Chrysiptera glauca
Twinspot chromis, Chromis elerae
Dartfish:
Fire dartfish, Nemateleotris magnifica
Eels:
Giant moray, Gymnothorax javanicus
Spotted garden eel, Heteroconger hassi
Emperors:
Yellowfin emperor, Lethrinus erythracanthus
Goatfish:
Red goatfish, Mulloidichthys pflugeri
Gobies:
Redspotted pygmygoby, Eviota albolineata
Common ghostgoby, Pleurosicya mossambica
Orange-dashed goby, Valenciennea puellaris
Storthynx goby, Eviota storthynx
Spotted shrimpgoby, Amblyeleotris guttata
Eyebrow shrimpgoby, Amblyeleotris sp.
Groupers:
Tomato grouper, Cephalopholis sonnerati
Coral grouper, Cephalopholis miniata
Leopard grouper, Cephalopholis leopardus
Slender grouper, Anyperodon leucogrammicus
Hawkfish:
Freckled hawkfish (two variants), Paracirrhites fosteri
Dwarf hawkfish, Cirrhitichthys falco
Pixy hawkfish, Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus
Jacks:
Black jack, Caranx lugubris
Lionfish:
Spotfin lionfish, Pterois antennata
Common lionfish, Pterois volitans
Lizardfish:
Reef lizardfish, Synodus variegatus
Moorish idol:
Zanclus comutus
Parrotfish:
Redlip parrotfish, Scarus rubroviolaceus
Pipefish:
Messmate pipefish, Corythoichthys intestinalis
Puffers:
Blue-spotted puffer, Arothron caeruleopunctatus
Black-spotted puffer, Arothron nigropunctatus
Sandperches:
Speckled sandperch, Parapercis hexophthalma
Nosestripe sandperch (adult left, juvenile right), Parapercis lineopunctata
Scorpionfish:
Tasseled scorpionfish, Scorpaenopsis oxycephala
Spiny devilfish, Inimicus didactylus
Sharks:
Grey reef shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Snappers:
Black snapper (juvenile), Macolor niger
Soldierfish:
Shadowfin soldierfish, Myripristis adusta
Whitetip soldierfish, Myripristis vittata
Spadefish:
Longfin spadefish, Platax teira
Surgeonfish:
Eyestripe surgeonfish, Acanthurus dussumieri
Sweetlips:
Many-spotted sweetlips (juvenile), Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides
Somber sweetlips, Plectorhinchus unicolor
Triggerfish:
Scythe triggerfish, Sufflamen bursa
Redtooth triggerifsh, Odonus niger
Flagtail triggerifsh, Sufflamen chrysopterus
Wrasses:
Oriental wrasse, Oxycheilinus rhodochrous
Diana's hogfish, Bodianus diana
Yellowtail coris (juvenile left), Coris gaimard
Unidentified fish:
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<species TBS>
<species TBS>
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Last modified 29 February 2024