Morena

Durante tiempo hemos tenido esa alga que nos ha acompañado durante tiempo cubriendo todas las rocas de nuestro litoral, haciendo que muchas especies dejaran de verse.
una buena sorpresa ha sido ver como han desaparecido al menos en Tossa de Mar, fue una inmersión que vimos morenas por un tubo, pulpos, brótolas, nudis, cosa imposible antes.

Sargo real

Havita sienpre lugares rocosos, especialmente en enclaves de aguas limpias, aunque también se aventura a veces en praderas de vegetación sumergida. En verano se puede encontrar el sago real marisqueando muy cerca de la superficie, mientras que en invierno se desplaza a aguas profundas.
Es entre las rocas donde se alimenta de moluscos, crustáceos y todo tipo de gusanos, sintiendo especial predilección por los mejillones grandes abierto

Cereus pedunculus

Pólipo solitario que puede alcanzar una talla considerable, entre los 8 y los 10 centímetros de altura y un diámetro de 6 centímetros sin contar los tentáculos. Sus 768 tentáculos están dispuestos en 8 círculos alrededor de la boca y son de unos 3 centímetros de longitud. La coloración puede variar, desde gris-blanquecino, pardo-grisáceo, amarillo, azul oscuro a gris oscuro.


Esta anémona coloniza frecuentemente las fisuras rellenas de sedimentos y parece que adapta su coloración al entorno en el que está situada, quizás debido a algas simbiontes que contiene el lecho marino.

Vive adherida a las rocas o piedras con el cuerpo enterrado en el sedimento. Su distribución es muy amplia en el infralitoral y circalitoral.

Brótola de roca

Se alimenta principalmente de presas de pequeño tamaño. Entre ellos destacan los crustáceos (como camarones, langostinos, cangrejos..) seguidos por peces juveniles, tanto pelágicos (anchoa, jurel...) como demersales y bentónicos (pescadillas) y los pequeños calamares.
Suele encontrarse escondida en los más oscuro de las grietas; tanto a pocos metros de profundidad como en los grandes fondos.


Allá donde la geología submarina presente entramadas grietas y recovecos, tendremos la oportunidad de localizar una brótola

Apogon imberbis (Cardinalfish)

Cardinalfish are very frequent along the entire Costa Brava.  Here, they rarely exceed 4" in length (10 cm) and disappear into cracks and holes in their calcareous habitat.  Here, in Catalonia, they're also called "tres colas" (three tails, in English).  Normally, they're found in shallower waters, that is, less than 66 feet (20 meters), and rarely out in the open.  They stay near rocky formations for protection, among other reasons.

Serranus cabrilla (Comber fish)

Every once in a while a photographer gets lucky and takes a photo at the exact moment when a fish does something unexpected.  I confess that I got lucky:  I took 3 photos of this comber fish, and in the second one I got this photo.  Normally, they are around 8"-10" in length, though some can almost double that size.  They will confront a diver...to a point.  Then they'll slowly swim away.  This one stayed, and the result was that I got this super photo.

Congrio cazando de noche (Conger eel night-hunting)

This past June, 2012, Juan and I had the privilege to accompany a 5-foot-long (1.5 meters) conger eel as it did its nightly hunting.  Normally bad-tempered, this one allowed me to get to within 1 foot (30 cm)!  We came across it 3 separate times; on one occasion it lazily swam between my legs in its quest for prey.  We were even able to touch its tail!  Truly a wonderful experience.

Octopus vulgaris (Common octopus)

This baby octopus had all the bravado of a giant!  What it lacked in size it more than made up in menacing poses.  As you can see from the sand just beneath it, it was very small.  It slowly moved away as it looked for a place to seek safety.  Very expressive and entertaining.  This was in Tossa de Mar, Costa Brava, in less than 3 meters (10 feet) of water.  A very pleasant way to end a nice dive.

Juan and the octopus (Juan y el pulpo)

On our way back to shore, at a nice little place on the Costa Brava, we came across this octopus in its den.  With nothing better to do, I had Juan pose with it.  On the Costa Brava, most octopuses do not exceed a head size of that of a honeydew melon.  But there are octopuses on virtually every dive, which is always nice.  Juan, sonrie!

Tripterygion delaisi (Blennyfish)

Another stunning pose by one of the many species of blennyfish Juan and I encounter.  Here, a sponge serves as its outpost.  Thankfully, their tiny size means we are in no danger.  Can you imagine a 48-inch blennyfish adopting this pose?  I don't think I'd take up the challenge.

Tripterygion delaisi (Blennyfish)

This blennyfish guarding its territory is striking in its profile.  Notice the first dorsal fin, which is separated from the main dorsal fin, and its abdominal fin trimmed in electric blue.  Typical to all blennyfish are its small size, just a few inches, and its loyalty and fierceness in defending its territory.  Just beautiful.

Lipophrys nigriceps (Blackheaded blennyfish)

What a pose!  This little blennyfish, no more than 3 inches long, was giving me to understand that that patch of algae was his, and if I wanted some of him he was ready to go head-to-head.  Just a great shot. Little does not mean inoffensive.

Scorpaena notata and Scorpaena scrofa

Juan and I found these two different members of the scorpaena family in Tossa de Mar this past June.  We had never before found two different members of this family so close together...less than 5 inches separated them.  Truly wonderful.  I wonder what was going through the scrofa's mind...

Espirografo (tubeworm)

The beauty of this family cannot be understated.  Tubeworms like this master example remind me of grace in motion.  They are very timid animals and withdraw into their tubes at the slightest hint of motion or light.  To photograph one fully exposed fills me with a sense of satisfaction, though the light could have been better.  This one measured approximately 8 inches across by 10 inches or so from top to bottom.  A filter-feeding marvel.  Enjoy.

Bispira volutacornis

This gorgeous pair was in a fairly deep fissure.  Juan and I tried to photograph them, and I got lucky.  They are tiny members of the tubeworm family, barely 2-3 inches across.  Like all tubeworms, they capture their food with their numerous "feathers", which act in a similar way as a fine-mesh net, capturing its food and then channeling it downward to its mouth.  Very beautiful, though tiny, creatures.

Astropecten spinulosus (A type of comb starfish)

I came across this very nice example of one of the two types of comb starfish in the waters of the Costa Brava.  It was moving in search of food, and the details of its arms and body are very clear.  It was about 7 inches (17.5 cm) across.