Writer is out of town till end of Dec.

Please do return to visit this blog in Jan 2010. :)

Cyrene...

As expected, the number of knobbly seastar (Protoreaster nodosus) around is A LOT, compared to the other reefs I've been too!!! These poor creatures are harvested and sold in aquariums. Cyrene is the only place where their population is rather stable. Every animal deserve their right to live!!! I've decided to photo of every knobbly seastar I've seen on cyrene.

There is just one Knobbly seastar which was in a really really weird position... ANyone knows why it is the way it is???


Worm eel (Family Ophichthidae). Though these are common animals, this is actually my first sighting for them. They are very active burrowers. It looks like a worm but it is actually a fish!!

Sea cucumber.

Big Synaptid Sea cucumber.



Common Seastar. There are tons of these around... Can you see the seastar?

Hairy crab.


Huge anemone. But i'm not sure of its ID...


Tubeworms




Gum drop ascidians. Lots of these on the thick patches of seagrasses.


Turban snail. Though these snails are common even at other sites, I learn something new about these snails during this trip. They have an additional shell-like operculum. :)




Denison's nudibranch!!! :)


The best find for today are the fresh eggs in the branching coral. Although I've seen in during diving, I've never seen them during low tide before. :)

Of seahorse, octopus, rare crabs and so much more AT Beting Bemban Besar!!!

Hi all!!! For those who are wondering where this place is, Beting Bemban Besar is a submerged reef near to Pulau Semaukau and is seen during low tide. This is our first trip there and I found the reef rather healthy and fauna diversity is rich!!! However, one thing I realise is the lack of seastar. Several members of teams also had the same comment though Ria saw one knobbly sea star...

Pipefish

Tiger-tailed Seahorse (Hippocampus comes). SUPER HUGE ONE!!! at least 10cm. The patterns are very interesting... Seahorses are listed as CITES II (which means their international trade is monitored) and are considered globally vulnerable.

Upside down jellyfish (Cassiopea sp.) The animal prefers to be 'upside down', with its bell facing the sea floor and tentacles facing upwards toward the light. When one it turned the 'right' way up, it will slowly turn itself upside down again. Interesting aint?

Heart Urchin???

Noble Volute (Cymbiola nobilis). Was so lucky to see it laying eggs!!!! :)

Horseshoe crab (Family Limulidae). Though they are called "crabs", like hermit crabs, they are true crabs... The long spine is not a weapon, it's used to turn the animal upright again. Below is a pair that is mating... :P

Close up on one of them.

Mosaic Reef Crab (Lophozozymus pictor) At first when I saw it, I was very excited as it's been a while since i see them!! :) Rarely seeing them explains the fact this crab is an endangered species. However I realised that the eyes are missing. It is a moult???

Floral egg crab (Atergatis floridus). This is the first time seeing this rare crab. This crab is listed as a vulnerable species under the Red list of Singapore.

Marine Spider??? These creatures are rather abundant. They move very fast and sensitive to movement in their environment. I've not sure what these are but it does look like spider. Since the reef would be submerged when the tides return, so the "spider" can breathe underwater??

Sleeping Octopus.

Wriggly Star Anemone.

Flatworm.

Polka-dot Nudibranch (Jorunna funebris)

From here onwards, corals overload!!!! :) But please pardon me for not giving the ID, I'm really bad at ID-ing the corals...