Welcome to Indonesia treated by divers as a unique region that contains
the largest amount of resorts and diving areas in the world. Lembeh
Strait on the northern part of the Sulavesi island is very popular among
those who prefer diving.
Underwater creatures of this region are loved by photographers taking
macropictures and divers who are fond of muck diving. Muck diving is
searching and examining dark bottom covered with corals and other
brightly colored details. The hairy frogfish in the picture is famous
with its thready skin protrusion. It usually hides on the bottom and
hunts using a part of its spinal fin as a which is moved and attracts
small fishes.
The Strait is not rather big. It is just 1.5-2 km wide and 15 km long.
Manado is the closest international airport. This port is very big and
developed. It has over dozens of vessels engaged in fishing and
transportation of agricultural products. Its location in the southern
part of the strait is convenient for divers.
The coast from the land side is covered with a large variety of
villages and different constructions. Fertile lands are covered with
plantations. Less umber of buidlings can be observed from the Lembeh
side where land is privately owned and is waiting for foreign investors.
Diving resorts that combine comfortable living, excellent restaurants
and multi-functional diving center are located along the coast. It's
very convenient as no additional expenses are required. The Kungkungan
Bay Dive Resort is presented in the picture.
Thus, muck diving is a favorite thing done by photographers and people
who are ready to examine unknown things. They have enough patience to
take pictures of a shy frogfish or examining a tiny crayfish. Another
Commerson's frogfish sitting under the coral colony has pulsating polyps
that keep open and close in the process of the creature's nutrition.
During one immersion under control of an experienced guide one can see
10 kinds of various fishes. Purple Scorpiofish is another unusual
inhabitant of the sea bottom. Itcan cosume one-fourth part of a similar
fish.
When you see this fish try not to be scared. The Stargazer or
Uranoscopus chinensis is buried in the ambush all day long.Only its eyes
and mouth waiting for the coming food are visible.
The Solenostomus paradoxus is a pipefish of the family Solenostomidae
that reaches a maximum length of 12 cm. They vary in color from red,
yellow to black and are almost transparent. They feed mostly on mysids
and benthic shrimp.
The painted frogfish inhabit shallow sheltered reefs. Adults usually
with sponges; juveniles openly on sand or reef, mimicking small sponges
or nudibranchs.
The Harlequin Shrimp was first scientifically described in 1852, and
has also been referred to as the Painted Dancing Shrimp. It has a white
body with large red, purple, or brown spots. The male is slightly
smaller than the female. The female has blue tipped abdominal legs,
while the legs of the male are transparent. It differs from its close
cousin, H. elegans, which has pale blue spots. It has large claws
(chelipeds) which are for show only; it does not use them for hunting.
The peacock mantis shrimp, Odontodactylus scyllarus, is one of the
larger, more colorful mantis shrimps commonly seen, ranging in size from
3 to 18 centimeters. An active hunter, it prefers gastropods,
crustaceans, and bivalves, and will repeatedly smash its prey until it
can gain access to the soft tissue for consumption. It is reported to
have a "punch" of over 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). This is the fastest
recorded punch of any living animal.
Most species of the black finned snake ell or Ophichthus altipennis
spend their time buried in sand and hunt small fishes and crustaceans by
sense of smell. Reproductively, most members of this family are
nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is
anguilliform.
The leaf-nosed moray ell or Rhinomuraena quaesita is more active at
night and hides in holes and crevices during the day. Vicious reputation
is undeserved, although some species will bite if provoked.
Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main
mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is anguilliform .
The Banded coral shrimp or Stenopus hispidus reaches a total length of
60 millimetres and has striking colouration. Stenopus hispidus lives
below the intertidal zone, at depth of up to 210 metres on coral reefs.
It is a cleaner shrimp, and advertises to passing fish by slowly waving
its long, white antennae. S. hispidus uses its three pairs of claws to
remove parasites, fungi and damaged tissue from the fish.
The Chromodoris leopardus is a species of colorful sea slug, a dorid
nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Chromodorididae.
The Fire Urchin or Asthenosoma varium has Very mobile, short spines,
arranged in rectangular areas, separated by spineless areas. A. varium
sting can be very painful, a strong local pain due to venom injection
can last for hours.
The Pfeffer's Flamboyant Cuttlefish or Metasepia pfefferi is a
robust-looking species, having a very broad, oval mantle. This
particular species of cuttlefish is the only one known to walk upon the
sea floor. Due to the small size of its cuttlebone, it can float only
for a short time. The species is active during the day and has been
observed hunting fish and crustaceans.
The Blue ringed octopus or Hapalochlaena lunulata is the most deadly of
all cephalopods. The common name comes from the bright blue rings that
appear when the blue-ringed octopus is alarmed. feeds on small crabs,
hermit crabs, and shrimp that it hunts during the day. Two types of
poison secreted by two separate poison glands are used against prey and
predators.
The Coconut Octopus or Amphioctopus marginatus is a medium-sized
cephalopod belonging to the genus Amphioctopus. It commonly preys upon
shrimp, crabs, and clams, and displays unusual behavior, including
bipedal walking and gathering and using coconut shells and seashells for
shelter.
The Mimic Octopus or Thaumoctopus mimicus is a species of octopus that
has a strong ability to mimic other creatures. It grows up to 60 cm (2
feet) in length. Its normal colouring consists of brown and white
stripes or spots. Based on observation, the mimic octopus may decide
which animal to impersonate depending on local predators. For example,
when the octopus was being attacked by damselfish, it was observed that
the octopus appeared as a banded sea snake, a damselfish predator. The
octopus impersonates the snake by turning black and yellow, burying six
of its arms, and waving its other two arms in opposite directions.
The pygmy seahorse, also known as Hippocampus bargibanti is a seahorse
of the family Syngnathidae. It is tiny, no larger than about 2.4 cm.
There are two known color variations: grey with red tubercles (on
gorgonian coral Muricella plectana), and yellow with orange tubercles
(on gorgonian coral Muricella paraplectana).
This species is known to occur only on gorgonian corals of the genus
Muricella, and has evolved to resemble its host. The tubercles and
truncated snout of this species match the color and shape of the polyps
of the host gorgonian, while its body matches the gorgonian stem. The
camouflage is so effective, the original specimens were discovered only
after their host gorgonian had been collected and placed in an aquarium.
The Leaf Scorpionfish is a small compressed scorpion fish, with a high
long sail like dorsal fin that is often lifted up. It has a variably
developed 'beard' of fine appendages around the mouth and algae and
hydroids can grow on its skin. It is known to shed its skin
periodically. The colouration of the Leaf Scorpionfish is variable,
ranging from white, yellow, pink, red, brown and green.
The Mandarinfish or Mandarin dragonet is a small, brightly-colored
member of the dragonet family, which is popular in the saltwater
aquarium trade. Mandarinfish are reef dwellers, preferring sheltered
lagoons and inshore reefs. While they are slow-moving and fairly common
within their range, they are not easily seen due to their bottom-feeding
habit and their small size (reaching only about 6 cm). They feed
primarily on small crustaceans and other invertebrates.
via darkind
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