Blackbelly Triggerfish

Blackbelly Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus verrucosus) is a ray-finned fish in the family Balistidae found in the Indo-Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It is sometimes known as the blackpatch triggerfish. The blackbelly triggerfish has a laterally compressed, deep body and a long snout. In shape it is romboidal and it grows to a maximum length of 23 cm (9.1 in) ...

Convict Surgeonfish

The Convict Surgeonfish, Acanthurus triostegus, also known as the convict tang, or manini, is a small surgeonfish in family Acanthuridae of the order Perciformes. It is typically about 17 cm long, but some individuals may reach 27 cm. These tangs are widespread. They are found in the Indo-Pacific except for seas around the Arabian Peninsula, in the Pacific at ...

Peltodoris atromaculata Reproduction

When we explore our underwater reefs we are often amazed by the number of species that we find in a few square meters and as in this case even in a few square centimeters. We have said it many times that biodiversity makes a habitat and an ecosystem more stable, solid and long-lasting. Often we fail to realize the quantity of different species that live next to each other and obviously it is almost impossible to know ...

Cardinalfish

Cardinalfish, Apogon imberbis, or Mediterranean cardinalfish, king of the mullets, is a species of ray-finned fish, a cardinalfish belonging to the family Apogonidae. It is widely distributed in the Mediterranean and along the warm temperate and tropical eastern Atlantic coasts from Portugal south to the Gulf of Guinea and includes the Canary Islands, Madeira, ...

Dussumier's halfbeak

Dussumier's halfbeak (Hyporhamphus dussumieri), also known as the slender garfish, lives in reefs and shallow lagoons. It is an Indo-Pacific species which is found from the Seychelles east to the Tuamotu islands, north to Hong Kong and Okinawa and south to northern Australia. They form schools which are found near the surface of lagoons and seaward reefs. ...

Tree Sponge or Branched Sponge - Axinella polypoides

In this dive on a seabed of about 40-42 meters deep we encountered the Tree Sponge or Branched Sponge, Axinella polypoides, a sponge typical of the Mediterranean Sea that develops vertically often with various branches almost like a coral. Branched sponge Spugna alberello Spugna ramificata Axinella intotheblue.it ...

Graeffe's sea cucumber

Graeffe's sea cucumber, Pearsonothuria graeffei , is a sea cucumbers in the family Holothuridae; it is the only species in the genus. Graeffe's sea cucumber is found in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean.  Is a roughly cylindrical, thin-walled sea cucumber that grows to about 30 centimetres in length. Its mouth, at one end, is surrounded by a ring of up to 24 leaf-like, paddle-shaped tentacles ...

Redang Island Malaysia Turtle Sanctuary

This video was made on the island of Redang in Malaysia during a boat trip to go to the famous Turtle Sanctuary: in fact, in certain periods of the year many turtles reach this location to lay their eggs. They have thus also become a tourist attraction and are so used to the presence of man that they allow themselves to be approached very easily. Redang Island is one ...

Diving among gorgonians II

Diving in this reef completely covered with branches of red Gorgonia up to two meters high is always fascinating. Despite the poor visibility our torches manage to bring out all the colors of the underwater world. They range from the scarlet red of the Paramuricea clavata, to the yellow of the countless Verongia sponges and the Parazoanthus axinellae, the sea daisy ...

Striped Eel Catfish

Plotosus lineatus, commonly known as the Striped Eel Catfish, is a species of eeltail catfishes belonging to the family Plotosidae. Like most other members of the genus Plotosus. they possesses highly venomous spines that they can use to sting when threatened. The venom can cause mild to severe symptoms in humans. Plotosus lineatus is native to the Indo-Pcific but has become introduced to the Mediterranean Sea ...

Yellowback Fusilier

Yellowback Fusilier (Caesio xanthonota) is a pelagic marine ray-finned fish, a fusilier belonging to the family Caesionidae. It is native to the tropical Indo-Pacific, being found in shallow water from the East African coast to Indonesia. The yellowback fusilier was first formally described 1853 by the Dutch icthyologist Pieter Bleeker with the type locality given as Batavia on Java. ...

Zero visibility - Basket star - Astrospartus mediterraneus

When we dive at depths greater than 40 meters and far from the coast, about 7.5 nautical miles, it is difficult to make predictions about sea conditions such as currents, presence of fish and marine organisms but above all visibility on the bottom. If weather forecasts are now reliable and safe over 24/48 hours, it is practically impossible to predict what will ...