Underwater

 We went diving around Turneffe Atoll and Lighthouse Reef.

Sponges

Divers over tube sponges Diver over barrel sponge Sponge garden Sponges Gorgonium and encrusting sponge Tube sponge bent into an arch Azure vase sponge

There are many kinds of sponges - tube sponges, barrel sponges, vase sponges, encrusting sponges...

Fan

Gorgonium fan

Blue Hole

Stalactite at Blue Hole

We dove the blue hole at Lighthouse Reef. At about 100 feet, or 30 meters, there are big stalactites from when this was above water. Now they are covered with marine growth.

Yellowhead jawfish Yellow-headed Jawfish, Opistognathus aurifrons

The jawfish lives in a hole.

Trunkfish:

Smooth trunkfish Spotted trunkfish

Trunkfish are among Charlotte's favorites. Here are a smooth trunkfish, Lactophrys triqueter, and a spotted trunkfish, Lactophrys bicaudalis.

Yellowhead wrasse (terminal phase) Yellowhead wrasse (initial phase) Yellowhead Wrasses, Halichoeres garnoti

Creole wrasses Creole Wrasses, Clepticus parrae

Yellow-tailed snapper Yellowtail Snapper, Ocyurus chrysurus

Saucer eye porgy Sheepshead porgy, Calamus penna

Schoolmaster Schoolmaster, Lutjanus apodus

Grey angel Grey Angelfish, Pomacanthus aruatus

Spotted scorpionfish head Spotted scorpionfhsi Spotted scorpionfish, Scorpaena plumieri

Scorpionfish sit on the bottom and try to look like coral or sponges. When an unsuspecting small fish wanders by they quickly open their mouth and gulp it.

If you don't see a fish in the photo on the left, look again. It is looking straight at you, and you can see the eyes, nostrils, and mouth.

White spotted toadfish Toadfish

Here is another bottom-dweller.

Red hind Red Hind, Epinephelus guttatus

Nassau grouper Nassau Grouper, Epinephelus striatus

Spotted goatfish (night colors) Spotted Goatfish, Pseuduperaus maculatus

Indigo hamlet Indigo Hamlet, Hypoplectrus indigo

Stoplight parrotfish Stoplight Parrotfish, Sparisoma viride

Flamingo Tongue Flamingo Tongue, Cyphoma gibbusum

These are not related to flamingos, but are a shell. The spots are the mantle of the animal.

Hermit crab Red Hermit Crab, Paguristes cadenati

This is a very small hermit crab. It is walking on a sponge.

Turtles:

Green turtle Hawksbill turtle

The turtle on the left is a Green turtle, Chelonia mydas, and the one on the right is a Hawksbill, Eretmochelys imbricata. They live in the water all the time, coming on land only to lay eggs. They breathe air so they must swim to the surface occasionally.

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Last modified 4 November 2024