Scorpaena scrofa (Red sea scorpionfish)

Here are two different red sea scorpionfish which I photographed on our last dive (Jan. 11th).  They are ambush hunters--they blend in with their surroundings both by coloration and by all of those leaf-like protuberances on their faces.  The rest of their body is that of a typical fish.  These two close-ups give you an idea of how well they´ve evolved to become master ambush hunters.  They grow to just under 2 feet in length (< 60cm) and are lightning fast when they strike.  Most of the time they are lying on the bottom, waiting.  You can approach to less than 2 feet, which is what I did to take these close-ups.  Enjoy the detail of each face.

Muraena helena (Moray eel)

Ok. First dive of 2013!  Juan and I went yesterday (Jan. 11th) on an afternoon dive and were greeted by this quite extroverted moray.  It has a face, and teeth, only a mother moray could love.  This was a juvenile moray, definitely not exceeding 3 feet in length.  It is normally a shy, reclusive animal, which made this encounter more enjoyable because it didn´t hide from me and I could take these photos.  The water was a chilly 53ºF (12ºC), but a dry-suit makes the dive comfortable.  Enjoy the expressions and remember not to find your finger near its mouth!

Serranus scriba (Painted comber)

The painted comber spends much of its time on the bottom.  It´s quite territorial and doesn´t move until the diver is within 2-3 feet of it.  And then it slowly leaves, as if it´s challenging you to take it on.  It´s colors are very striking, and the whitish spot in its midsection is actually a very pale sky-blue, which seems luminescent.  It grows to about 10" or so.  And, lo and behold, it´s a hermaphrodite!  It dwells in fairly shallow waters, from a few feet to 100 feet or so.  A beautiful fish.

Octopus vulgaris (Common octopus)

Juan and I found this nice specimen of a common octopus on our last dive of 2012, which was on Dec. 30.  It stayed around, slowly trying to escape, expanding itself and showing us some wonderful colors.  In this photo you can see everything:  eyes, blow tube, tentacles, suckers, head.  Since it took its time, we had the pleasure to photograph it for almost one solid minute.  I´ve chosen this photo for its completeness.  Enjoy.

Muraena helena (Moray eel)

Here are the first two photos of four.  This is the same moray, in its hole, looking out but not offering much.  As is quite common underwater, one focuses on the larger animal and doesn´t see what is right under one´s nose, or in this case, behind one´s snout.  If you look carefully in the second photo, you´ll see a Lysmata seticaudata, or a cleaner shrimp, calmly waiting for the eel to need its services.  The underwater world is so in harmony that we humans could really learn from them.  Enjoy the photos.

Dardanus calidus (Great Red Hermit Crab)

Here are two views of the same crab.  Note the details of its legs, its eyes, which move independently of each other, and its "shell" which can host small anemones for purposes of disguise from predators.  This type of hermit crab is found in rocky areas, with or without algae in the area.  It is normally more active at night, but it also comes out during the day.  This dive, in fact, was a morning dive.  They can reach a size of 4" (10 cm).  That, combined with its shell, anemones, etc., can make it appear to be more formidable than it really is...to the discouragement of potential predators.  Enjoy the vibrant colors.

Inachus phalangium

Here are two specimens of a very common anemone in the coastal waters of the Western Mediterranean.  Here, it´s called "spaghetti" anemone due to its tentacles being similar to spaghetti.  It´s found in rocky areas and has a body approximately 6" (15 cm) across.  Its tentacles may be more than 20 cm in length easily.  Small crustaceans live within its tentacles, deriving protection from predators.  Hungry, anybody?