Blog Log 30 Nov 2008

December 2, 2008

The Hantu Bloggers made its monthly trip out to Singapore waters today and had some fascinating encounters with the reefs macrofauna. From the reefs very large crinoids to very tiny ones like the one above. With a week full of spattering rainfall, the divers managed to dive in clear weather though the sky remained overcast, bringing the visibility down to 2-3 meters.

Keen-eyed nudibranch spotter and regular Hantu Blog diver Chay Hoon also managed to spot the Bornella anguilla nudibranch above which she observed devouring a mouthful of hydroid corals. And the much sought after Tritonia nudibranch below.

Photo courtesy: Chay Hoon

But her most exciting finds for the day (at least for the both of us!) must be the juvenile sawtooth shrimp [below]. Growing up to 3 inches, this tiny individual is exceptional with its giant, adult-sized eyes on it’s tiny and growing body!

Photo courtesy: Chay Hoon

But the most outstanding find for the day for me, must be the juvenile winged pipefish [below] that is so tiny and invisible to the untrained eye that only someone like Chay Hoon can spot! Looking more like a worm when it’s young, these pipefish grow up into magnificant-looking adults with tiny appendages sticking out along the length of its sides, giving it its name. These “wings” mimick a kid of corralline algae that can also be found on the reef. When they rest amongst this algae, they blend in superbly.

Photo Courtesy: Chay Hoon

To view more images from this dive, visit the Colourful Clouds Blog.

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