Discover Kwajalein`s Living Reef

Transcription

Discover Kwajalein’s Living Reef
by
Scott Johnson
Jeanette Johnson
In-Depth Images
Kwajalein, Marshall Islands
The rich coral reefs of the west central Pacific atoll of Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, are nearly ideal
for watching marine life. The atoll is composed of a roughly boomerang-shaped ring of reef nearly 200
miles in circumference. The reef is dotted with lush, green, low islands that are typically long and narrow,
following the line of the shallowest part of the reef. On the seaward sides of the atoll, the reef slopes off
gradually for a short distance, then drops off abruptly to very deep water; in some places the slope of the
drop is nearly vertical. The outer reef encloses a lagoon of nearly 1000 square miles. While the average
lagoon depth is greater than 100 feet and bottoms out at twice that depth, it is scattered with literally
thousands of coral pinnacles: coral-rich reefs that thrust upward from the lagoon floor, sometimes all the
way to the surface. Seemingly innumerable fish and invertebrates inhabit all of these atoll reefs. The
lagoon and even the seaward slopes are interspersed with stretches of sand that are home to an entirely
different menagerie of marine creatures
So much reef makes diving Kwajalein an endless experience of discovery. Even after many years
and thousands of hours in the water here, we still are routinely surprised by the sight of some new fish or
crab or nudibranch or coral or whatever: the list goes on and on. It is not possible to ever truly finish
discovering Kwajalein’s Living Reef.
This document is a guide to the video Discover Kwajalein’s Living Reef by In-Depth Images.
Included is a scene-by-scene listing of the video, each entry listing the starting time of the scene and the
scientific and common names, where available, of the animals shown. The starting times assume that your
VCR counter was reset to 0 just as the first scene of the video fades into view. For most scenes, additional
information describing the activity shown follows the scientific and common names. Every few scenes, a
screen captured image is included to help the reader keep the text in sync with the video. The top of the
picture lines up with the scene description it accompanies. For example, the top of the first picture below
is lined up with the scene that begins at counter 0000, and it is indeed a captured scene from the
beginning of the video.
0000 Acropora
Table coral
A diver’s bubbles rise from a gap in a table coral covered reef.
0015 Acropora
Table coral
Table coral grows on a la goon pinnacle slope, surrounded by
gorgonians.
0020 Acropora and diver
A diver swims over a large table coral.
Table coral
0030 Acropora
Table coral
This large table coral has a resident Chevron butterflyfish and lined
tangs swimming by.
0038 Acropora
Elongate Needlefish float above the reef.
0044
Acropora
Table coral
Branching coral
0048 Porites rus
Crinkly coral
This tall colony of crinkly coral grows upward from the base of a seaward reef surge channel.
0100 Reef scene
A colony of blue coral (Heliopora) is visible just left of center.
0107 Coral and fish scene
Corals, primarily Acropora and stalk coral, and fish on a lagoon reef.
Three Moorish idols (Zanclus cornutus) swim past the coral.
0114 Abundant corals on lagoon pinnacle
There are some areas with nearly 100 percent live coral cover. This is
on the slope of a lagoon pinnacle. Most of the corals are staghorn and
other Acropora, stalk (Lobophyllia), and crinkly (Porites rus) coral.
0126
Diver on the steep seaward slope.
0133 Isolated lagoon reef with lots of fish.
In foreground, a school of bluestreak fusiliers (Pterocaesio tile) swim downward.
0137 Coralhead occupied by a dense school of cardinalfish.
The cluster of brownish bubbles in the lower left side of the frame is
bubble or grape coral (Pleurogyra sinuosa). The coral’s hard skeleton is
hidden beneath the water filled balloons, which are the coral’s tentacles.
0142 Coralhead occupied by a dense school of cardinalfish.
Other fish visible include at least two kinds of damsels, wrasses, and
small snappers.
0147 A school cardinalfish in front of the soft coral Xenia.
When growing in shaded areas, Xenia develops elongate polyp stalks, as if reaching out in search of
sunlight. In bright, unshaded areas, the stalks tend to be much shorter. Like most other reef corals, Xenia
houses within its tissue unicellular algae called Zooxanthellae. These algal cells use sunlight and some of
the waste products of the coral animal to produce oxygen and carbon compounds, which in turn are used
by the coral. This is a case of symbiosis: two different kinds of organisms living in close association. This
particular kind of symbiosis, where both parties obtain some benefit or the survival of both is somehow
enhanced by the relationship, is termed mutualism.
0152 Apogon cyanosoma
Bright yellow cardinalfish
These bright yellow fish school in the shade of a table Acropora.
0157 Cardinalfish cluster in a gap in a small reef.
Blue damsels swim by in the foreground. On the upper left top of the coralhead is a sea anemone with
Apricot anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion).
0205 Pomacentrus pavo
Blue damsels
Damsels cluster around a colony of the coral Pectinia peonia.
0210 Pomacentrus pavo
Blue damsel
A Blue damsel hovers over purple and yellow-brown Acropora
colonies.
0217 Chromis viridis
Schooling blue-green damsels
Damselfish find refuge in a colony of the coral Stylophora mordax.
0226 Dascyllus reticulatus
Reticulated damsels
Juveniles hover over their hideaway, a colony of Acropora coral.
0230 Dascyllus reticulatus
Reticulated damsels
Larger damsels interact over a colony of Pocillopora coral.
0236
Fish around fire coral
Amblyglyphidodon curacao
Staghorn damsels
These damsels and other fish hide among the branches of a colony of
fire coral, Millepora. A Pennant bannerfish (Heniochus chrysopterus)
moves in from the right and out at the bottom.
0243 Zanclus cornutus
Moorish idols
A school of Moorish idols stream along the seaward reef slope. Most often, idols are seen alone, in pairs,
or in small groups, but occasionally large schools can be seen moving up and down the reef. We have
wondered if some individuals are simply prone to forming schools and are always found that way, or if
they aggregate for purposes of mating.
0248 Zanclus cornutus
Several Moorish idols form a small group.
Moorish idols
0253 Platax orbicularis
Batfish
A medium sized Batfish investigates the photographer near the North
Loi shipwreck.
0301 Acanthurus achilles
Achilles tangs
Achilles tangs are hard to find at Kwajalein. Thirty years ago there was
a small group on a shallow lagoon reef near the pass south of Omelek,
but they have not been seen in recent years. These two were part of a
small group found on the shallow reef front of the ocean side of Ebadon
Island, near the far western tip of Kwajalein Atoll.
0308 Acanthurus nigrofuscus
Calico brown tang
Typically mostly brown as an adult, the Brown tang is sometimes yellow when juvenile. Occasionally,
these yellow ones seem to go through a blotchy, yellow and brown stage; in this stage, we refer to them as
Calico tangs. Having watched some of these over time, it appears as though the extent of the blotchiness
varies over time, with the brown gradually winning out over the yellow. This individual is doing what
tangs spend most of their daylight hours doing: grazing on the thin algae sheet that covers most rocks.
0313 Acanthurus lineatus
Lined tang
Like many other algae grazers, the Lined tang spends most of its day
scraping the thin layer of algae from dead coral rocks. It takes a lot of
scraping to fill the fish’s stomach. These tangs are most common on
shallow reefs where there is some water movement. Swim into the
shallows on the seaward reef and you’ll see lots of them. They move
continually, so they are hard to film; rarely do they slow down as much
as shown here.
0320 Acanthurus hepatus
Blue tang
The Blue tang is a rare resident of Kwajalein. There have been a few adults inhabiting the shallow reeftop
near Sar Pass for some years, and there are two or three other locations where a specimen might be
encountered. Juveniles such as this one-inch long individual are rare. It was observed on a shallow lagoon
reef, mixed in with some blue damselfish. Early in the scene, numerous garden eels can be seen in the
background stretching up out of the sandy bottom.
0327 Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis
Chevron tangs
Chevrons live primarily on the seaward reef slope at Kwajalein. Adults,
which are dark gray with find lighter colored lines, are relatively
common. Juveniles, which possess this orange coloration with chevronshaped markings, are quite uncommon. These young specimens are
very attractive in aquaria, but grow relatively quickly into drab-colored
adults.
0336 Acanthurus nigricans
Whitecheek tang
A common fish throughout the atoll is the Whitecheek tang, and they
can often be seen engaging in these circular tail chases. It appears to be some sort of aggressive posturing,
but I’m not sure why they do it. Most often, they seem to share their spaces with many others. Sometimes,
such as in the next scene, they will even form tightly packed schools with no sign of aggression.
0342 Acanthurus nigricans
Whitecheek tangs
A school of Whitecheek tangs feeds voraciously on algae-covered rocks.
0349 Naso hexacanthus
Blacktongue unicornfish
These large, round-headed fish are another species of tang, the Blacktongue unicornfish. These relatively
large fish school along the ocean side slope and on lagoon pinnacle reefs, especially those pinnacles that
are near atoll passes and are swept with currents that bring in the Nasos’ planktonic food.
0355 Naso annulatus
Longhorned unicornfish
One of the most bizarre-looking tangs has to be this Longhorned
unicornfish. It looks as though those long pointed horns could be used
to spear a diver. Fortunately, this fish is an innocuous plankton eater.
They tend to live relatively deep on the seaward reef slope and are
relatively difficult to get close to. The closest one in this scene is having
its parasites picked by a cleaner wrasse.
0403
Naso hexacanthus
Blacktongue unicornfish
Caesio teres
Yellowback fusilier
Tangs and fusiliers often school in the same areas, usually because those areas are good plankton feeding
grounds.
0409 Pterocaesio tile
Bluestreak fusiliers
A school of small Bluestreak fusiliers swarm slowly around some table
corals on a lagoon reef.
Fusiliers swim over a seaward reef slope covered with colonies of
Porites, with fans of pink coral (Stylaster) nestled within the reef
crevices.
Fusiliers school over a colony of staghorn coral (Acropora) on a lagoon pinnacle reef.
0428 Pterocaesio trilineata
Three-lined fusiliers
Members of a school of Three-lined fusilier feed on plankton along a lagoon reef.
Tiny juvenile fusiliers, probably Pterocaesio tile, “mob” a diver on a
shallow lagoon reef.
0440 Caesio teres
Yellowback fusiliers
Fusiliers swim down from above. These fish sometimes seem rather
curious about divers.
0448
Caesio teres
Yellowback fusiliers
Pterocaesio tile swarm over table corals on a pinnacle reef.
0458 Pentapodus caninus
Blue whiptail
This species is usually seen in the lagoon, along interisland reefs and on pinnacles.
0503 Elagatis bipinnulatus
Rainbow runners
Rainbow runners school along the edges of the seaward reef and on
lagoon pinnacles.
0515
Decapterus macarellus
Mackeral scad
0519
Decapterus macarellus
Mackeral scad
0524 Caranx melampygus
Bluefin trevally or Blue ulua
Blue ulua swarm around the camera. It seems like this kind of experience happens less often nowadays.
While you can still see schools of these ulua racing up and down the reef, they now seem to stay away
from divers. It is almost as though they have learned that those bubbling creatures they see on the reefs
might be carrying spears.
0532
Carangoides plagiotaenia
Barcheek trevally
0540 Caranx lugubris
Black ulua
A pair of Black ulua swims along the slope of a west reef pass. A Gray
reef shark is visible in the distance behind. Black ulua commonly cause
ciguatera fish poisoning when eaten.
0545 Alectis ciliaris
African pompano
These fish with their long streaming fins are relatively shy. They only
rarely come close enough to divers to be captured on film.
0550 Fish school above crinkly coral (Porites rus)
Panning a large stand of crinkly coral on the seaward reef slope reveals
numerous fish swimming above. Most of these are various fairy basslets
and purple queens, who hide within nooks and crannies of the coral
colony upon approach of danger, or at night while sleeping.
0558 Pseudanthias pascalis
Purple queens
Purple queens zip around in front of a reef outcrop upon which are
several feather stars.
0605 Pseudanthias dispar
Peach fairly basslet
Most of the fairy basslets emerging from this hideyhole on the reef belong to the species Pseudanthias
dispar. There is at least one damselfish fairy basslet mimic (Lepidozygus tapienosoma), recognizable by
its darker coloration. Near the end, a male Bartlett’s fairy basslet (Pseudanthias bartlettorum) shows up.
0615 Pseudanthias bartlettorum
Bartlett’s fairy basslets
Fairy basslets hover over a colony of crinkly coral. The large one in the
approximate center with the tall thread extending upward from the front
of its dorsal fin is a male.
0624 Pseudanthias randalli
Randall’s fairy basslet
This species prefers deeper sections of the seaward reef, and is usually
not seen shallower than about 30 meters. The single individual visible
early in the scene is a male; he is then joined by two females. Among
the fairy basslets, the males are typically more flamboyantly colored, which probably serves to impress
both potential mates and potential rivals.
0630 Pseudanthias pascalis
Purple queens
A group of the purple queens interact on a lagoon pinnacle coral reef.
Late in the scene, a couple of males do somersaults, which probably a
display to other males.
0641 Hipposcarus longiceps
Pacific longnose parrotfish
A school composed of mostly white parrotfish cruises by at the edge of
the seaward reef slope. A few individuals of other species are
interspersed within the school. Parrots feed on algae, which they scrape
off reef rock with their parrot-like beaks, which are composed of usually fused teeth. In the process of
scraping the algae, they also get the top layer of rock, which passes through their gut and drops out the
rear end as fine sand. Parrotfish feeding is an important factor in the erosion of reefs, and these fish are
among the biggest producers of coral sand in an atoll. It might be worth considering, next time you’re out
at the beach, the exact source of a good portion of that sand you are walking or laying on.
0646 Scarus rubroviolaceus
Redlip parrotfish
A school primarily composed of females swims over a channel. Parrots will occasionally form such
schools, which wander around feeding on the algae growing on dead reef rocks. When such a school
drops to the bottom and starts scraping the algae from the reef with their parrot-like bills, it can cause
quite an underwater racket. This particular school, or one very much like it, can often be seen around this
set of channels, suggesting that they do maintain some kind of home range and do not wander randomly
up and down the reef.
0652 Acanthurus olivaceus
Orange-shouldered tangs
Other important reef grazers are the tangs. Unlike parrotfish, tangs
usually don’t wear down the reefs much when they graze. Like parrots,
however, they will often form schools and wander around to feed, much
to the dismay of resident territorial algae eaters such as damselfish, who
often try to protect their patches of algae.
0700
Siganus argenteus
Forktail rabbitfish
0706 Siganus argenteus
Forktail rabbitfish
Schooling forktail rabbitfish graze algae from the reef. Later in the scene, a resident lined tang
(Acanthurus lineatus) arrives and chases the rabbitfish away. That many feeding mouths can quickly
denude an area of algae that the resident grazers depend on. Even though the reef looks nice and peaceful
and friendly, many reef dwellers face a continual struggle to maintain their territories and sources of food.
When you watch carefully, it is not hard to spot these frequent battles for turf.
0716 Gnathodentex aureolineatus
Yellowspot snappers
A few staghorn damsels (Amblyglyphidodon curacao) are also visible,
and in the background, a group of squirrelfish (Neoniphon) hovers over
the coral.
0724
Mulloides vanikolensis
Gnathodentex aureolineatus
Yellowfin goatfish
Yellowspot snappers
0732 Mulloides vanikolensis
Yellowfin goatfish
This school of goatfish is accompanied by a few Yellowband parrotfish (Scarus schlegeli).
0741 Heniochus chrysostomus
Pennant bannerfish
Usually, this species is found in pairs, but occasionally they will form
small schools that seem to persist over time. One such school has been
present on a patch of seaward reef dropoff near Sar Pass for several
years.
0746 Heniochus chrysostomus
Pennant bannerfish
This cooperative bannerfish moved in front of a pink coral frame for the
camera.
0751 Chaetodon auriga
Threadfin butterflyfish
This species is generally found singly or in pairs rather than groups such as this one.
0758 Chaetodon auriga
Threadfin butterflyfish
A single threadfin butterflyfish pecks at a colony of living Goniopora
coral. Note the filament trailing from the dorsal fin, which gives this
fish its common name of “threadfin.” This species feeds on a variety of
corals and benthic invertebrates such as minute shrimps and worms.
While butterflyfish frequently do not fare well in aquaria, the threadfin,
because of its rather varied diet, is one that often can do fairly well.
0805 Chaetodon unimaculatus
Teardrop butterflyfish
A teardrop butterflyfish pecks at coral. The scientific name of this species, Chaetodon unimaculatus,
refers to the single spot on each side. The often-used common name, teardrop, or even inverted teardrop,
stems from the resemblance of that side spot to an upside down teardrop.
0812 Chaetodon ulietensis
Pacific double saddle butterflyfish
Like many butterflies, this species usually travels in pairs. In this scene, a third individual is visible in the
background, but it is a member of a separate pair of fish that happened to be in the same area. Some
butterflyfish aggressively defend their feeding territories against others of the same species, and even
sometimes against different species with similar feeding habits. The double saddle is one that does not
have a defended territory; instead, it wanders over a fairly wide range, feeding in a variety of places. It
spends a fair bit of time being chased off by territorial butterflies or damsels into whose territories they
happen to wander. This species has a varied diet and can do well in healthy aquaria. Young individuals
tend to live on shallow, coral rich lagoon reefs.
0819 Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
Spot banded butterflyfish
One of the smaller butterflies, this is another that tends to wander in
pairs over a fairly wide area rather than defending a particular territory.
0824 Chaetodon rafflesi
Lattice butterflyfish
Another wandering butterfly is the lattice. Usually in pairs, they get
chased from territory to territory, stopping to peck as they go.
Somewhat omnivorous, they will eat a combination of corals and
anemones, as well as worms and other benthic invertebrates. It seems to
do fairly well in aquaria.
0829 Chaetodon trifascialis
Chevron butterflyfish
This species feeds exclusively on a few kinds of Acropora corals.
Highly territorial, an individual will vigorously defend its “own”
colonies of coral from other coral eaters. Most often you’ll see these
butterflies alone, although sometimes they form pairs and very
occasionally will gather in small groups, possibly for mating.
0836 Chaetodon mertensii
Merten’s butterflyfish
Merten’s butterflies usually travel in pairs on the seaward reef and
lagoon pinnacles. They feed by pecking a variety of invertebrates and algae from the bottom.
0841 Chaetodon meyeri
Meyer’s butterflyfish
Since the late 1960s, there have generally been some avid fish watchers
and photographers among the numerous divers at Kwaj. Therefore, we
know that throughout most of that period, Meyer’s butterfly has been
very rare. We searched for several years for a single specimen to
photograph. However, in May of 1999, Kwaj’s reefs were treated to a
substantial settling of young Meyer’s. “Settling” is a biological term.
The spawn of many marine fish and other animals hatch out and begin
life as plankton. The larvae (very young juveniles) drift with the water
currents feeding on planktonic plants or animals until they get to a certain stage, which varies among
different species. Once they get to this stage, they are ready to convert from a planktonic to a reef
dwelling existence. If a larval animal is lucky enough to be near a reef where it can survive, it will “settle
out” of the plankton to the bottom. Most of them are not so lucky. The vast majority of larvae will be
eaten, or will fail to come near enough a reef during the period while it is capable of settling, and will
ultimately die as plankton. The settling of May 1999 spread small Meyer’s butterflies along the western
seaward reef and on various pinnacles and patch reefs in the lagoon. May 2000 saw another, but
apparently smaller, settling of these butterflies. Now it is not at all unusual to see two or three individuals
on a single dive. Members of the 1999 settling are getting large enough to pair up. While most of those
are pairing with conspecifics (another biological term meaning members of the same species), some are
pairing up with the apparently closely related Ornate and Reticulated butterflyfish. These kinds of pairing
errors have happened before. There are several obviously hybrid butterflies generated from a mating
between Meyer’s and Reticulated butterflies. One can often be seen on Troy’s coralhead.
0848
Chaetodon meyeri/
Meyer’s butterflyfish
Chaetodn. ornatissimus
Ornate butterflyfish
These juvenile specimens of both of these species are too young to begin pairing up to mate. They may
have come together because both felt comfortable with a familiar appearance. Both of theses species are
strict coral feeders and are not appropriate for home aquaria. Their live coral food is difficult to maintain
in all but certain specialized aquarium systems, and without live coral, both of these species will starve.
0853 Chaetodon ornatissimus
Ornate butterflyfish
The coral feeding Ornate butterfly is moderately uncommon at Kwaj, but can be seen in a variety of
lagoon and seaward reef habitats.
0858 Chaetodon lunula
Raccoon butterflyfish
The Raccoon butterfly is common on the upper slope of the seaward
reef. During the day, they typically hover just above the reef or under
small coral overhangs. They are reportedly most active at night, when
they feed on small nocturnal invertebrates such as shrimp and mollusks.
0905 Chaetodon lunula
Raccoon butterflyfish
Generally, Raccoon butterflies travel in pairs, but several will
occasionally gather in small schools.
0910 Chaetodon semeion
Dotted butterflyfish
These butterflies are relatively rare at Kwajalein. They prefer relatively
quiet, shallow lagoon reefs, and are usually found singly or in pairs.
One of the best places to see them is on the Mar Fill coralhead, which
has at least two resident pairs.
0917 Chaetodon bennetti
Bennett’s butterflyfish
Bennett’s butterfly prefers quiet lagoon reefs and pinnacles, but also
occasionally inhabits the seaward slope. Young juveniles can often be
seen in the shallow water on the lagoon side of Kwajalein among staghorn corals. The figured individual
was on a lagoon pinnacle, eating razor coral (Fungia). Primarily coral eaters, they do not do well in
aquaria.
0922 Chaetodon melannotus
Black backed butterflyfish
This butterfly can be found on lagoon and seaward reefs. It usually
travels in pairs. It is often seen pecking at leather type soft corals, then
pulling back and shaking its head as though it just tasted something
bitter.
0927 Chaetodon lunulatus
Oval butterflyfish
Another species that feeds strictly on live coral, the Oval butterfly
should not be attempted in aquaria.
0932 Chaetodon ephippium
Saddleback butterflyfish
The Saddleback butterfly is usually found alone or in pairs.
0936 Forcipiger flavissimus
Longnose butterflyfish
This is one of two very similar looking butterflies found at Kwajalein.
Its mouth is at the end of its elongate “nose” (which is not really a
nose). It uses the elongate mouth to pluck small invertebrates from
small holes and crevices.
0943 Centropyge flavissimus
Lemon peal angelfish
The lemon peal angel is common on lagoon and seaward reefs. Adults
are all bright yellow with a blue ring around the eye and blue edging to
the fins. Often, juveniles have a black or blue spot on each side.
0949 Centropyge flavissimus and C. vroleki hybrid angelfish
At Kwajalein, the common lemon peal angelfish occasionally hybridizes with the close related but, at
Kwaj, very rare Pearlscale angel.
0953 Centropyge bicolor
Bicolor angelfish
The Bicolor angel, common in some parts of Micronesia, is relatively
uncommon at Kwajalein. They are most common on the lagoon slopes
of atoll reefs. They can always be seen on the lagoon slopes of Ebwaj
(Shell Island) and Ennylabegan Islands, as well as on some lagoon
pinnacles such as North Loi head.
0958 Centropyge loriculus
Flame angelfish
The Flame angel is common at Kwajalein. It lives on the seaward reef
and occasionally on lagoon pinnacles, especially those near atoll passes. They are most common right at
the knee of the steep dropoff at depths of about 5 to 20 meters. Shallower, the Lemon peal is more
common; deeper, the Multicolor takes over.
1003 Centropyge multicolor
Multicolor angelfish
This pretty little angelfish is common on the seaward atoll slope, but
only deeper than about 25 meters. Occasionally it can be seen as
shallow as about 15 meters.
1010 Centropyge bispinosus
Coral beauty angelfish
The Coral beauty angel is relatively uncommon throughout most of the
atoll, but there are some lagoon pinnacles about halfway up the atoll
where they are common. They show off their bright colors when
illuminated with the video lights.
1018 Centropyge multifasciata
Multibar angelfish
The Multibar angel is most common in ledges and caves on the seaward slope at depths exceeding about
30 meters. They tend to be shy and difficult to approach.
1022 Pygoplites diacanthus
Regal angelfish
This medium sized and colorful angel is common throughout the atoll.
Juveniles live in honeycombed caves and ledges on the seaward reef.
1029 Pomacanthus imperator
Emperor angelfish
The largest of the angels at Kwajalein, the Emperor tends to be a
solitary species. Occasionally, as in this scene, they may pair up for a
short time. These fish can be highly vocal. If a diver happens to corner
one in a ledge, the Emperor may emit loud, reverberating grunts that
can almost be felt through the water.
Emperor angelfish
As juveniles, Emperor angels have a much different color pattern than adults. While the adults are found
on reefs throughout the atoll, juveniles are somewhat rare. They are most common in the reef quarries on
Kwaj, on some shipwrecks, and sporadically on isolated reefs on the sandy lagoon slopes.
Emperor angelfish
Younger juvenile Emperors have an even more pronounced pattern of
circular white lines.
1049 Ambligobius rainfordi
Rainford’s goby
Common at the base of seaward reef ledges and on lagoon pinnacles,
this goby has the curious habit of alternating its forward and reverse
gears.
1056 Synchiropus
Scooter goby
Scooter gobies are so called from the way them move in separate, short scoots across the bottom. There
are at least two and possibly more different species that look quite a bit alike. The males have tall, gaudy
dorsal fins that they raise up to try to impress the females or to intimidate rival males. The one captured
on video here is a female, which has a short dorsal fin.
1103 Amblyeleotris randalli
Randall’s shrimp goby
Only recently discovered at Kwajalein, this shrimp goby inhabits sand
pockets in relatively deep water on the seaward reef. At Pohnpei, they
can be seen as shallow as about 8 meters. Like the other shrimp gobies,
this fish guards a hole maintained by a bulldozer shrimp. The shrimp
has rather poor eyesight and would easily become prey to passing
predatory fish as it works to keep the sand from filling its hole. The
goby, which has better eyesight, keeps watch, and at the approach of
potential danger, dives into the hole, preventing the shrimp from
coming out.
1108 Amblyeleotris guttatus
Spotted shrimp goby
This shrimp goby can occasionally be observed hopping in the manner shown. It may be a way to signal
the shrimp down in the burrow that something big approaches.
1113 Amblyeleotris guttatus
Spotted shrimp goby
Generally, a pair of shrimp occupie s the burrow. While there are several
different species of shrimp goby and several different kinds of bulldozer
shrimp, usually a certain species of goby always forms a partnership
with the same kind of shrimp. In this case, the bulldozer shrimp is
Alpheus ochrostriatus.
1122
Lotilia graciliosa
Graceful shrimp goby
Alpheus rubromaculatus
Red spotted bulldozer shrimp
This is another regular pairing of a certain kind of shrimp goby with a certain kind of bulldozer shrimp.
These combinations prefer rather fine sand in shadowed areas, usually on the floor of seaward reef surge
channel ledges. In this scene, you can see how the flattened pincers of the shrimp are well designed for
carting loads of sand out of the burrow.
1134 Cinetorhynchus concolor
Pearl eyed shrimp
These bright red shrimp are commonly seen on the seaward reef and on pinnacles after dark. Highly
nocturnal, they are generally retreat when illuminated by a diver’s light.
1141 Metapenaeopsis sp.
Burying shrimp
Another highly nocturnal shrimp, this one may bury itself in the sand when approached.
1147 Lysmata amboinensis
Cleaner shrimp
Cleaner shrimp live in ledges and small caves, where they may act as
cleaners by picking parasites from eels and other fish. This one is near a
sticky sucker sea anemone (Cryptodendrum adhaevisum). Another
shrimp, Periclimenes brevicarpalis, is partly visible at left.
1152 Periclimenes holthuisi
Glass shrimp
These transparent glass shrimp can be found among the tentacles of
various anemones and corals. In this case, the shrimp are hovering over
a Fire anemone (Actinodendron), whose tentacles can deliver a powerful sting. It certainly is an effective
defense; the only real question is how the shrimp itself can keep itself from being stung.
1157
Periclimenes brevicarpalis
Anemone shrimp
Cryptodendrum adhaevisum
Sticky sucker anemone
This species of anemone shrimp is always found associated with a few species of sea anemones. In this
case, they live with a Sticky sucker, an anemone whose short tentacles are very sticky to the touch. The
adhesive nature of the tentacles gives the anemone both its scientific name of adhaevisum and half of its
common name. The “sucker” part of the common name comes from the anemone’s typical reaction of
quickly withdrawing into its hole whenever touched. Of the two shrimp visible, the larger is the female.
Notice that the small male stays out of big mama’s way.
1201
Neopetrolisthes maculata
Handnet crab
Cryptodendrum adhaevisum
Sticky sucker anemone
Another typical inhabitant of several kinds of anemones is the Handnet
crab. Fine filaments on the crab’s appendages form a net used to catch
passing plankton. The nets are pulled back in front of the mouth, where
a special brush-tipped appendage retrieves food from the net filaments
and moves it to the mouth.
1210 Neopetrolisthes maculata
Handnet crab
In a close view of the Handnet crab, you can see it use its rear appendage to scratch its head.
1217 Plagusia sp.
Red-eyed crab
This fast moving crab is feeding on algae growing on a rock. Its rapid,
fidgety movements give it a rather nervous appearance.
1226 Lissocarcinus orbicularis
Cucumber crab
This crab has an unusual habitat. It lives on, and in, a sea cucumber. Sea
cucumbers have a rather simple basic construction. They consist of a
tube (the gut) with an opening at both ends. Stuff goes in one end—
mostly sand, from which they digest organic material—and processed
stuff comes out the other. (All right, that’s a bit oversimplified, but you get the picture.) The crab
generally lives just ni side one end or the other. While it may get some or even most of its food by
sampling bits of what the sea cucumber is taking in (or letting go), it will also come out and wander about
on the surface of its host. It usually keeps to the underside of the sea cucumber. If you’re fairly gentle
about it, it is safe for you and for the sea cucumber to flip it over to see if there are any crabs on the
underside. But you may have to look carefully since the crabs blend into their background quite well.
Interestingly, the colors of the crabs vary to match their host. Crabs that live with these white sand
dwelling sea cucumbers are white with brown spots that closely resemble the cucumber’s retracted tube
feet. Crabs are black with white spots when they live on black sea cucumbers that are covered with white
sand grains. How does this happen? Does the physiology of the crab when it settles out on a particular sea
cucumber (remember settling from 0841?) somehow adjust to the coloration of its host? Or is it simply
that the ones with the wrong color are too visible and get readily picked off by passing predatory fish so
that the only ones we ever see are the ones that are well camouflaged? Like many questions in biology,
the answers are not in yet.
1232 Spider crab
This spider-like crab with long hairy legs was observed under a chunk of razor coral (Fungia).
1236 Gonodactylinus? sp.
Green mantis shrimp
Mantis shrimps get their name from their forward appendages, which are jointed much like those of
praying mantis (although the joints go in the opposite direction). They use these jointed appendages to
lash out and clobber, slice, and skewer prey. The strategy used by the shrimp depends on the structure of
the appendage, which can be terminated by a club, a slicing blade, or a comb-like row of sharp spines.
Those with slicing blades can be unsafe to handle. They are sometimes referred to as “thumb splitters.”
1242 Calcinus elegans
Elegant hermit crab
One of the more striking hermit crabs, Calcinus elegans is found mostly in very shallow water, such as
where the waves break on the seaward edge of the reef or along the rocky riprap on the lagoon side of
Kwajalein. This individual has taken up its abode in a red spindle shell (Fusinus filamentosa).
1251 Calcinus elegans
Elegant hermit crab
Interestingly, in Hawaii a crab that is considered to be the same species
looks just like this one, except that it has bright orange bands on the
legs instead of the blue.
1256 Dardanus guttatus
Turquoise kneepad hermit crab
This hermit has colored pads on all of its “knees.” The crab’s body is
quite flat, allowing it to inhabit mollusk shells with narrow apertures
such as cowries and cones. Here it is in the shell of a tortoise cowry
(Cyraea testudinaria).
1302 Dardanus megistos
Big red hermit crab
The Big red hermit is one of the largest found here at Kwajalein. Large
specimens are limited in the shells available to them—there just aren’t
that many large empty shells around. This one is in a specimen of the
giant frog shell (Bursa bubo).
1308 Lambis scorpius
Scorpion shell
Scorpion shells, like other members of the finger and conch shell
family, have a powerful foot that they use to hop along the bottom. The
foot is also useful for flipping the shell over if it happens to fall and land upside down.
1313 Conus ammiralis
Admiral cone shell
This species of cone shell is most common on shallow lagoon reefs, where it lives buried in the sand by
day and emerges at night to hunt. It can be seen right off Emon Beach on the lagoon side of Kwajalein.
1317 Conus aureus
Aureus cone shell
Another of the cones decorated with tent-shaped markings, the Aureus
cone is primarily found on lagoon pinnacles. Like most other cones, it
hides during the day, coming out at night to hunt its prey. Conus aureus
eats other mollusks; in an aquarium it will feed on small cowry shells.
This scene was shot at night on the pinnacle near K10 buoy. You can
often tell a night scene from the numerous swimming planktonic shrimp
and small fish that are attracted to the bright video lights. Some nights
these are so thick it is not worth trying to shoot video. In fact, some
nights they are so thick that if you stop moving, they’ll swarm around your flashlight in such abundance
that you can barely see the light—a case of sea fle a blackout. We call them “sea fleas” although they are
really not like fleas at all, except in the annoyance factor. A better term might be sea moths, since, like
moths, they are attracted to lights.
1326 Conus legatus
Legate cone shell
Another tent marked cone, Conus legatus is relatively common in rubble on the seaward reef slope. Like
most cones, they are nocturnal, crawling about at night in search of prey. These cones feed on small
mollusks such as miter and horn shells.
1333 Conus floccatus
Floccatus cone shell
Conus floccatus, although relatively rare, can live in a variety of
different locations at Kwajalein. Specimens have been seen on the
seaward slope, on lagoon pinnacles, and in patch reefs along the
interisland reefs. Strictly a fish eater, it emerges from the sand after dark
to hunt sleeping fish. One night, we observed one eating a small
triggerfish that it found wedged into a small hole on the reef. Cones in
general capture prey by stinging it with a harpoon-like tooth that
delivers venom. In some species, the venom is especially virulent. Fish
eating cones in particular should be treated with caution since their venom is adapted to kill or paralyze
vertebrate animals (fish) quickly. Since divers are also vertebrates, they can be susceptible to a fish-eating
cone’s venom. Handle with care!
1341 Calpurnus verrucosus
Warty egg shell
Warty eggs are always found living on their prey, the soft coral
Sarcophyton.(see 3503 for a shot of a cluster of Sarcophyton colonies).
The shell itself is nearly pure white, its only colors being a brownish
wart near the anterior and posterior tips, which are tinged with pink.
The spotted coloration you see in the video is on the animal. The
crawling foot has small round black spots, and the mantle —the thin
sheet of tissue that can extend out and cover the shell—has larger brown
spots.
1345 Calpurnus lacteus
Milky egg shell
Related to the Warty egg above are these three Milky egg shells. They differ in being smaller and pure
white all over. In these too, the color you see is part of the animal rather than the shell. These three are
crawling on the soft coral Lobophytum.
1351 Cypraea moneta
Money cowry
Anyone who has ventured out onto Kwaj’s intertidal reef at low tide knows that there are lots of Money
cowries out there. They are only infrequently found anywhere but in the intertidal, but in some places you
can see some on shallow water dives. This one is crawling rapidly across a rock, its zebra-striped mantle
partly extended around the base of the shell.
1356 Cypraea clandestina
Clandestine cowry
This Clandestine cowry is crawling across a sponge-covered rock,
trying to escape from the daylight. The cowry’s mantle is part way up
and rising. Seashells such as these all have a mantle, which is the part of
the mollusk animal that actually produces the hard shell. In most kinds
of shells, such as tritons and finger shells, the mantle extends only
around the growing edge of the shell rather than covering it entirely. In
cowries, the mantle covers the entire shell, keeping it smooth and shiny.
In most cowries, the mantle is extended only when the animal is active,
usually at night. During the day, the mantle is pulled back within the
aperture of the shell.
1406 Cypraea stolida kwajaleinensis
Kwajalein stolid cowry
This Kwaj stolid cowry is completely covered by its mantle. The shell is light brown with a darker brown
blotch right on the top. This particular variety of stolid cowry, which some people think is a full species
of its own, was described from Kwajalein. Only here are the shells of stolids this color. Throughout most
of its range, stolids are blue gray in color with a brown dorsal blotch. The Kwaj variety also averages
smaller than its Indo-Pacific relatives. More work needs to be done before it can be determined for certain
whether the Kwaj mollusks are just a color form or a whole different species.
1413 Cypraea teres
Tapering cowry
The Tapering cowry has a bluish shell with brown markings, but its
animal, both the mantle and foot, are bright red. In this scene, the
mantle covers the entire shell. It’s interesting to watch how the foot
conforms to the shape of the substrate as the animal crawls along.
1419 Cypraea helvola
Honey cowry or strawberry
Cypraea helvola is known as the Honey cowry throughout the IndoPacific, but here, for some reason, it is commonly called a Strawberry.
Why is that? This illustrates the danger of using common names rather
than the Latin. If I tried to talk to a malacologist (one who studies mollusks) from, say, Australia or east
Africa or Hawaii about a Strawberry cowry, I’d get a blank stare. But once I say Cypraea helvola—well,
everyone knows what that is, right? At least, it is a name that is standard and agreed upon by the scientific
community worldwide. Once you start getting interested in these animals, its best to learn the scientific
Latin names. Note that the scientific name consists of both parts—in this case, both Cypraea and helvola.
The first name, the genus, is capitalized, while the second, or species name, is not. Both are italicized.
(Everybody’s got to have rules!) But since I know most people are not going to follow our advice to learn
the Latin, we’re using both the scientific and common names in this booklet.
1425 Cypraea nucleus
Nucleus cowry
The Nucleus has a bumpy shell here hidden beneath the mantle. The mantle is covered with elongate
projections called papillae. Nearly all cowries have papillae on their mantles, although they vary
considerably in size and shape. This species can be found intertidally, on lagoon reefs and pinnacles, and
in seaward reef surge channels.
1430 Cypraea staphlaea
Staphlaea cowry
Like the Nucleus, the Staphlaea is a bumpy cowry, although the bumps
are less pronounced. The papillose mantle of this species is jet black
with some white patches. When the mantle is extended, the shell is well
hidden on its typical prey, a jet black sponge that lives under rocks.
Staphlaeas are most common on rubbly lagoon pinnacles and inshore
lagoon reefs. They are virtually never found oceanside.
1436 Cypraea talpa
Mole cowry
The Mole cowry can be found in a variety of habitats around the atoll. By the numbers of empty shells
you find on the seaward reef, you’d think it must be the most common cowry out there. But they are not
often found alive oceanside even at night—they must spend most of their time hiding well back in reef
crevices, only falling out when they die. Living shells are much easier to find on lagoon inshore reefs
such as that at Ebwaj or Shell Island. The mantle is black, usually with close-set tiny green spots; it’s an
interesting combination to conceal the mostly yellow and brown shell.
1442 Cypraea tigris
Tiger cowry
Tigers are the only large cowry here at Kwajalein that typically do not hide during the day. Most often,
they can be seen during the day out in the open or nestled up against coral, with their mantles retracted. At
night, the mottled black and white mantle covers the shell, hiding the spotted pattern beneath an effective
camouflage.
1447 Cypraea aurantium
Golden cowry
Golden cowries, in contrast, hide very well during the day. Very
sensitive to light, they spend the day as far back in holes in the reef as
they can get. The only ones you see during the day are ones who
accidentally crawled into a dead end hole the night before and are still
visible from the outside.
1454 Phalium bisulcatum
Bonnet shell
Although common in the western Pacific, this Bonnet is rarely seen here
at Kwajalein. They live in fine sand, into which they bury during the
day. At night, they emerge to feed or find mates. The few observed here were in the sand flats in the Kwaj
ski boat area.
1500 Philinopsis pilsbryi
Pilsbry’s slug
Pilsbry’s slug lives in sand patches on the seaward reef. During the day, it remains buried, but it
sometimes comes to the surface of the sand at night to hunt.
1505 Dendrodoris albopurpura
This large nudibranch is crawling over the sponge-encrusted
undersurface of a rock
1512 Dendrodoris elongata?
The identification of this nudibranch is uncertain. They live beneath
rocks, usually in relatively shallow water, both in the lagoon and on
seaward reefs.
1516 Phyllidiella pustulosa
This common nudibranch tends to remain out in the open both day and night. It feeds on sponges, and
uses toxic organic compounds picked up from the sponges in their own defense. These compounds make
the nudibranchs themselves highly poisonous. Because of these compounds, these nudibranchs should
never be kept in an aquarium. If disturbed, the nudibranch will secrete these toxic compounds, killing
anything else in the tank. The defensive compounds have a foul smell, which can permeate the entire
room if released in an aquarium. In fact, nearly all nudibranchs are suitable for aquariums; most species
are poisonous. Also, most are such specific feeders, it is almost impossible to keep them from starving.
But the nudibranchs in this family are especially bad.
1520 Phyllidia tula
This is another of the highly toxic nudibranchs. It too is commonly found right out in the open during the
day. The toxins help make them almost immune to being eaten.
1525 Phyllidia exquisita
Here is yet another of the toxic nudibranchs. This one is quite rare here,
found only occasionally on the seaward reef.
1530 Jorunna funebris
This medium sized nudibranch is found here occasionally, usually
feeding on a blue sponge. The anterior end of the animal is at the lower
left. Near the front are two short black tentacles protruding from the
dorsal surface. These are called rhinophores, and are used for chemical
sense (or smelling). Near the other end are the bushy gills that give the group its name—Nudibranchia, or
naked gills.
1537 Kentrodoris rubescens
Kentrodois rubescens have been found in a variety of Kwaj locations, including the oceanside reef quarry
near the air terminal, on lagoon patch reefs, and on the shallow portion of the seaward slope.
1541 Glossodoris rufomarginata
This nudibranch exclusively preys upon the gray sponge it is shown crawling on. Several feathery
hydroids are growing on the sponge. At Kwaj, the sponge lives almost exclusively on the seaward
windward reef, in the ledges of the shallow channels just about where the waves break. The reef between
Bigej and Meck islands is a good place to look. You can get into this zone only on very calm days,
however. Even then, it sometimes feels pretty surgy. It seems amazing that the nudibranch can hold on.
This particular chunk of sponge was found sitting on sand on the lagoon slope between Bigej and Meck.
That was definitely not the sponge’s habitat. Apparently, it had been ripped off the rock on a rough
oceanside day and rolled across the intertidal reef. Somehow, the nudibranch managed to hold on the
entire way.
1548 Glossodoris hikuerensis
Glossodoris hikuerensis is found occasionally on both lagoon and
seaward reefs. This particular individual happens to be a mutant with
three rhinophores, the chemical sensory tentacles near the left side
(anterior end). Note also that its gills continually wiggle. A number of
nudibranchs do this, probably to help keep a fresh supply of water
flowing across the gills.
1555 Chromodoris fidelis
These small nudibranchs live under rocks on shallow lagoon reefs, such as that lagoon side of Ebwaj
(Shell Island).
1601 Chromodoris geometrica
Chromodoris geometrica is also relatively common at Kwaj. This
individual was found at Ebwaj Island. It waves it anterior margin up and
down as it crawls along.
1610 Lima ales
Electric clam
The Electric clam lives in holes in the seaward reef dropoff. When
illuminated with the video lights, its open aperture appears to feature
electric arcs. Actually, it looks like those flashes of white are simply
white edges to the internal cavity, and the clam flashes them in and out of view. The clam pulls back into
its hole when disturbed.
1616 Sepioteuthis lessoniana
Squid
A school of squid hovers in the water column above the seaward reef.
1625 Sepioteuthis lessoniana
The squid school moves closer.
Squid
1635 Octopus cyanea
An octopus pokes its head out of its hole to watch the cameraman.
1647 Antennarius sp.
Anglerfish
You don’t see many Anglerfish around Kwaj. There are probably quite a few, but they can be extremely
hard to see. They don’t swim much. The swimming in this scene is a bit unusual, but it is probably
because the fish was disturbed by the photographer. When they do swim, they have a peculiar technique.
They suck water into their mouths, then expel it from their small gill opening located just behind their
pectoral fins—the ones that look kind of like arms in this scene. So they motivate sort of by armpit jet
propulsion. These fish are carnivorous upon other fish, and are capable of eating a fish as large or larger
than they are. Obviously, the stomach is quite expandable.
1653 Synanceja verrucosa
Stonefish
Although the Stonefish somewhat resembles the Anglerfish in the previous scene, they are not too closely
related. Stonefish are scorpionfish, in the same family as the Lionfish shown later. They too rarely move,
so the swimming shown here is unusual. Like the Angler, the Stonefish is an ambush predator, its large
mouth capable of swallowing large prey. In fact, judging from its bulging belly, this animal has recently
eaten something rather large. These fish also possess highly venomous spines. A sting from a Stonefish
has been reported to cause unconsciousness within seconds, death within minutes. The venom is also very
painful. Fortunately, it takes a fair bit of pressure on the spine to get it to inject the venom. Stepping on
one would certainly do it, so it is always important to wear thick-soled shoes when walking on the reef.
These Stonefish can be found in the intertidal, in just a few inches of water.
1658 Synanceja verrucosa
Stonefish
Stonefish can actually have attractive coloration, as seen in this close up
of the face head on. Look for the curved “frowning” mouth.
1704 Taenionotus triacanthus
Leaffish
The Leaf is also a scorpionfish, but it does not have venomous spines. It
comes in several color forms, including this yellow one. Also an
ambush predator, it has a very thin, leaf-like body. When it turns
around, you can see how narrow it is. It rests on the bottom, propped up
on its large pectoral fins and waits for prey—small fish or shrimp—to wander in front of it.
Leaffish
This is a white color form of the Leaffish. It’s a little hard to see in the
video, but the eye is very strange. It seems to be highly reflective, yet
has the look of a bottomless hole.
Leaffish also come in a red form.
Leaffish
1722 Dendrochirus biocellata
Fu Manchu lionfish
We call this the Fu Manchu because the tendrils on either side of its mouth resemble a Fu Manchu
mustache. A more widely known (but rather dull) common name is the two-spot.lionfish.
1726 Pterois radiata
Lionfish
Like all of the different kinds of Lionfish, this one has venomous dorsal spines. The venom is usually not
enough to kill someone, although such cases have been reported. A sting from a Lionfish is extremely
painful and supposedly can cause respiratory paralysis. So if you are ever stung by any Lionfish, it would
be best to immediately get out of the water and seek medical help.
1731 Pterois volitans
Lionfish
This is the largest and probably most dangerous Lionfish. Usually they spend the day hanging in the
water in small caves or near shipwrecks, but sometimes you’ll see one out swimming, like this one. The
thin flap of tissue trailing from the dorsal spines is reported to be full of little vats of venom. When the
sharp spine enters a victim’s flesh, the tissue around the spine tears, releasing the venom into the wound.
Lionfish
This Lionfish is in a typical daytime position under a small ledge.
Lionfish
A young individual of the large Lionfish drifts back and forth with the
surge on an otherwise calm day.
1751 Oxycirrhites typus
Longnose hawkfish
The Longnose hawk lives on gorgonians or black coral bushes, usually
at depths of 30 meters and deeper. They are relatively uncommon, but can be seen on the seaward slope
and occasionally on lagoon bottom shipwrecks.
1758 Paracirrhites forsteri
Forster’s hawkfish
This species varies considerably in color. It is usually seen resting on coral.
1801 Epinephelus fasciatus
Blacktip grouper
This is a rather unusually pale colored specimen of this grouper.
Typically they are more of an orange brown color.
1805 Epinephelus sp.
Grouper
Even though sitting right out in the open, this grouper is quite well
camouflaged among the clumps of algae growing on the reef.
1811 Epinephelus polyphekadion
Camouflage grouper
The Camouflage grouper is relatively common on lagoon and seaward
reefs. Myers, in Micronesian Reef Fishes, notes that in the Marshall Islands, this species is often
ciguatoxic. Ciguatera is a fish poisoning that develops most often in carnivorous reef fishes. The poison is
present in a microscopic dinoflagellate alga that grows on the rocks or on other algae, and frequently
seems to be one of the early colonizers of areas disturbed by dredging, construction in the water, or
recently sunken shipwrecks. The algae is picked up by the herbivores. The carnivores in turn eat many of
the herbivores, thus concentrating the toxins in their tissue. Large carnivores that eat other carnivores are
the most risky fish. The toxins do not seem to affect the fish, but can cause severe sickness or even death
in humans. In the tropics, it is wise to avoid eating especially large individuals of predatory fish such as
moray eels, barracuda, groupers, snappers, and ulua. Often smaller individuals are safe to eat, but it is
wise to check with the local inhabitants first. In some areas, the algae is so thick even the herbivores such
as parrotfish can be dangerous.
1816 Grouper
This grouper appears to be a juvenile. It hovers along a wall with the algae Halimeda and coral
Tubastraea
1820 Cephalopholis miniata
Coral hind
At Kwajalein, the Coral hind is most often observed on lagoon bottom shipwrecks, although it is also
present on deeper lagoon patch reefs and occasionally on the seaward slope.
1825 Plectropomus?
Grouper
This large red grouper was peeking out of a hole in the reef at night.
1831 Variola albimarginata
Whitemargin lyretail grouper
This unusual species was filmed on a mid atoll lagoon pinnacle.
1840 Plectropomus areolatus
Squaretail coral grouper
This grouper is common on the seaward reef. Occasionally you see
them gather in large groups, apparently for mating. This individual was
filmed at night. It’s a lot easer to get close to fish when they’re asleep. A drawback of night photography,
however, is that the fish often do not have the same colors they have during the day.
1844 Plectropomus laevis
Giant coral grouper
This large Plectropomus was found sleeping under the Ski Area shipwreck at night. This grouper is
another that is frequently implic ated in cases of Ciguatera fish poisoning.
Giant coral grouper
Plectropomus laevis comes in several color forms. Shown here are two
of the unusual forms. The smaller one with the black saddles is
uncommon, but the dark blotchy one is downright rare. Apparently, the
larger blotchy male is trying the impress the saddleback one, which
must be female.
Giant coral grouper
This is more normal coloration for Plectropomus. Its tail is a bit
blotchier than normal. An Emperor angel passes in front.
1908
1914
Plectropomus laevis
Giant coral grouper
Amphiprion melanopus
Dusky anemonefish
Entacmaea quadricolor
Anemone
Sea anemones are relatives of corals but lack a hard coral skeleton. For defense, anemones, like other
corals, possess stinging cells called nematocysts. Most fish would find contact with the nematocysts of
anemones to be at least painful and more likely life threatening. Yet some species of fish in the
damselfish family are able to live among the tentacles with impunity. At Kwaj, there are five different
kinds of anemone fish; four of them are sometimes popularly called clownfish. The clownfish are
associated with the anemone all their lives. The fifth anemone associated fish is a damsel that typically
lives with anemones only when young, moving away as they grow. There are several different kinds of
anemones that can host fish, and each different kind of fish prefers certain anemones. This Dusky
anemone fish is usually called a tomato clown here, although that name is more often used for a different
species that does not occur at Kwajalein. The Dusky is almost always found associated with young
specimens of the anemone Entacmaea quadricolor. When young, these anemones form clusters of many
individuals. As the anemones get larger, they seem to move off on their own, and then usually host a
different species of fish. (Yes, anemones can move to a certain extent.)
1920
Amphiprion chrysopterus
Two-stripe anemonefish
Heteractis crispa
Long tentacle anemone
This Long tentacle anemone is usually host to the Two-stripe anemonefish. Here the anemone’s tentacles
wave back and forth in the surge.
1929
Heteractis crispa
Some of the anemones can vary considerably in color. This individual is
very blue.
1935
Heteractis crispa
This appears to be an albino form of the Long tentacle anemone, with
pink-tipped tentacles.
1941
Heteractis crispa
A tiny juvenile anemonefish moves among the tentacles. Research indicates that an anemonefish is able to
resist the anemone’s sting by developing a coat of mucus on its body that inhibits the firing of the stinging
nematocysts. Anemonefish who have been kept away from an anemone for a period of time lose this
coating. When reintroduced to an anemone, the fish has to gradually redevelop the coat by repeatedly but
very briefly touching the tentacles.
1948
Stychodactyla mertensii
Carpet anemone
Two-stripe anemonefish also live in this large Carpet anemone.
1954
Amphiprion tricinctus
Three-stripe anemonefish
Entacmaea quadricolor
anemone
When Entacmaea quadricolor is young it is inhabited by the Dusky
anemonefish. As the anemone gets larger and becomes solitary, it
usually plays host to the Three-stripe anemonefish. This fish varies
somewhat in color. This medium sized specimen is much more orange
than most. This anemonefish is known only from the Marshall Islands,
although it is quite common here.
2002
Stychodactyla mertensii
Carpet anemone
In the carpet anemone, the Three-stripe anemonefish usually turns almost all black with white stripes.
Early in the scene, a smaller specimen shows more normal coloration for the fish, but it will likely turn
black as it gets older.
2007
Heteractis aurora
Sand anemone
Juvenile Three-stripes are often found in the Sand anemone.
2012
Dascyllus trimaculatus
Three-spot damsels
Sytchodactyla haddoni
Pink Haddon’s anemone.
The sand dwelling Haddon’s anemone seems to be a nursery for small Three-stripe anemonefish and for
the fifth species of anemonefish, the Three-spot damsel Dascyllus trimaculatus.
2017
Dascyllus trimaculatus
Three-spot damsels
Sytchodactyla haddoni
Orange-red Haddon’s anemone.
Haddon’s anemones come in a variety of colors. This orange and the
previous pink are unusual. More often they are brown or white.
2022
Amphiprion perideraion
Apricot anemonefish
Heteractis magnifica
Magnificent anemone.
The Apric ot anemonefish is usually found in the Magnificent anemone,
although sometimes you see them in Carpets as well. The anemone can very considerably in color,
especially in the color of the stalk between the base and the tentacles. This anemone has a pinkish purple
stalk with yellow tentacles, and was partly closed when this scene was shot.
2026
Apricot anemonefish
Here the purple stalked anemone is mostly closed.
2031
This anemone has a whitish stalk.
Apricot anemonefish
2035
Apricot anemonefish
The blue stalk in this specimen is a little deceiving. Under artificia l light, this blue would be more of a
pink or magenta.
2039
Apricot anemonefish
The orange stalk of this specimen is a bit unusual. We have seen only
one like this at Kwaj.
2043
Apricot anemonefish
Anemonefish attach their eggs to the rock next to anemone. Here the
larger female is in the process of depositing the eggs, while the smaller
male stands guard. An anemonefish typic ally changes sex during its lifetime. Initially, they are males,
becoming females later in life. Generally the presence of a large female inhibits the other males in the
anemone from changing, but if the female ever vanishes, the largest and most aggressive of the males will
turn into a female.
2054
Apricot anemonefish
Both the male and female check the freshly deposited eggs.
2105 Cephea cephea
Crowned jellyfish
This relatively rare jellyfish can sometimes be seen drifting along the
seaward reef. Smaller individuals have been seen occasionally in the
lagoon. The tentacles are capable of stinging.
2135 Crambione mastigophora
Jellyfish
This pinkish jellyfish tends to travel in groups. If you see one, you’re
likely to see more. These have been reported to deliver a powerful sting.
2144
Diver photographs Cephea cephea.
2148
Schooling fish pass behind a rocky outcrop.
2153
Coralhead on narrow base, with a raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) in front.
2158 Acropora
Elkhorn
This Elkhorn coral colony is growing over a spreading table coral
(Acropora).
2202 Acropora
Table corals
A field of table corals covers the bottom. On some reefs, these corals
shade out much of the bottom, preventing the establishment of other
corals. Severe storms can break these tables up, opening up space for
new coral settling.
2211
Diver behind staghorn coral colony. Damselfish rise up above the coral.
2219
View up a surge channel. A blue Porites coral is in the foreground.
2224
Swimming through a sandy bottom surge channel.
2235 Diver swims along the bottom of a steep surge channel, unaware that a Whitetip shark
(Triaenodon obesus) passes by overhead.
2245
View out the mouth of a tall seaward reef surge channel cave.
2250
Diver swims between reefs.
2256
Diver on the seaward reef dropoff above.
2302 Diver hovers over a giant clam (Tridacna gigas). This clam is a
large and obviously very old specimen. Its shell was overgrown with
colonies of live coral.
2308 Tridacna gigas
Giant clam
This giant clam was filmed on a mid-lagoon pinnacle, and is surrounded
by live corals. In the past, giant clams were collected for their shells,
and they are still gathered and eaten by Marshallese, so it is now
difficult to find this species in the southern part of the atoll. In the mid,
northern, and western parts of the atoll, they are still relatively common.
2312 Tridacna gigas
Giant clam
There are four different kinds of so-called giant clams found at Kwajalein. All of these are members of
the giant clam family Tridacnidae, and all of them are listed on the CITES list. CITES is the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species. Countries that participate in this convention, including the
United States, prohibit the international trade of species on this list—that is, they or their shells cannot be
transported between countries. Presence on the list does not necessarily mean those species are truly
endangered everywhere. It means that at least one of the countries participating in the convention feels
they should be protected.
2318
Tridacna gigas
Giant clam
Tridacna squamosa
Fluted clam
Here one of the large Tridacna gigas grows right next to an individual
of the medium sized species, Tridacna squamosa. Tridacna gigas is
distinguished from the other species of giant clams by the presence of
almost irridescent small blue or green rings in the clam’s mantle. These
rings are too small to see in these video scenes.
2321 Tridacna squamosa
Fluted clam
Fluted clams have considerable variation in color, as can be seen in the next few scenes. Typically, the
color pattern includes oval or elongate spots.
The camera zooms out from the siphon.
Fluted clam
2338
Fluted clam
Tridacna squamosa
This specimen is unusually blue.
Fluted clam
2347 Tridacna maxima
Small giant clam
The smallest and most abundant of the giant clams is Tridacna maxima.
These live embedded in rock or coral. They vary considerably in color,
as can be seen over the next few scenes. One feature they all have in
common is a row of more or less square black spots in a row along the
edge of the mantle.
Zoom out, green and yellow.
Small giant clam
Zoom out, blue, black, and orange.
Small giant clam
Zoom out, turquoise and black.
Small giant clam
Zoom out, brown and lavender.
Small giant clam
Heavily mottled.
Small giant clam
2423
Blue.
Tridacna maxima
Small giant clam
Turquoise and black.
Small giant clam
Blue and orange.
Small giant clam
Blue and pink.
Small giant clam
Green and black.
Small giant clam
Brown and tan.
Small giant clam
Small giant clam
Blue green. Note the tiny clam growing on the shell of the larger one.
2444 Pseudoceros dimidiatus
Flatworm
Flatworms get their name from their extremely flat bodies. These
simple animals are so flat, they do not need or have respiratory or
circulatory systems. All cells in the body are close enough to the outside
to obtain their required oxygen simply by diffusion in from the
surrounding water.
2450 Pseudobiceros fulgor
Some flatworms are capable of swimming.
Flatworm
2456 Soleichthys heterorhinos
Banded sole
Although this animal resembles the swimming flatworm in the previous scene, it is in fact a fish, one of
the flatfishes or soles.
2505 Soleichthys heterorhinos
Banded sole
These small flatfish are active at night, and will bury in the sand when
disturbed. As the dust clears right after this one buries, you can see the
round close-set eyes poking out of the sane where the head had been.
2517 Bothus mancus
Flowery flounder
A flounder swims away. At the end, it camouflages itself when it lands
again on the reef.
2543 Lethrinus obsoletus
Orange stripe emperor
A fair number of different fish are able to change color.
2548
Lethrinus sp.
Pomacentrus coelestis
Emperor
Electric blue damsels
2552 Plectorhynchus picus
Spotted sweetlips
This uncommon sweetlips can be found in a variety of lagoon and
seaward reef habitats. They are usually under ledges or table corals
during the day.
2600 Macolor niger
Puppy dog snapper
We call these Puppy dog snappers. They always look like they’re
wagging their tail. This scene shows the juvenile coloration. Juveniles
are usually solitary and found hovering over coralheads. When older,
they turn all gray and are not nearly as cute.
2604 Macolor macularis
Long-fin puppy dog snapper
The Long fin puppy dog is related to the last snapper, but has elongate
and pointed dorsal and pectoral fins. Also a juvenile, these are usually
found near crinoids or feather stars. The next two scenes show how they
change as they get older.
This form is intermediate between juveniles and adults. As they grow,
the fins become shorter relative to the size of the body, and the color
becomes less starkly black and white
A full adult lacks the color pattern of the juveniles. Adults are often
curious about divers.
2624 Myripristes adusta
Bronze soldierfish
Three individuals look into the camera. These nocturnal fish live in
caves and ledges during the day.
2630
Myripristes berndti
Bigscale soldierfish
Sargocentron spiniferum
Saber squirrelfish
The scene shows one Myripristes and several Sargocentron under a ledge.
2635 Sargocentron spiniferum
Saber squirrelfish
Most of the squirrelfish are nocturnal, living in caves during the day and emerging at night to feed.
2640
Sargocentron caudimaculatum
Tailspot squirrelfish
2647 Priacanthus sp.
Glasseye or Aweoweo
Aweoweo is the Hawaiian name for these large-eyed nocturnal fish.
Sometimes they hover individually over the reef during the day, as in
this scene. Other times, on several coral pinnacles, they form large
schools.
Glasseye or Aweoweo
A school streams past. Note the Gray reef shark in the distance on the
other side of the school.
A school passes above.
Glasseye or Aweoweo
2707 Gymnothorax flavimarginatus
Yellow margined moray eel
This relatively large moray eel gets its name from its fin, which is edged with yellow, especially along the
rear half of the body.
2716 Gymnothorax javanicus
Giant moray
The Giant moray is the largest of Kwaj’s moray eels. They are
frequently seen on seaward reefs and pinnacles, their heads peeking out
of ledges and from behind coral. Fortunately, they are not very
aggressive.
2726 Gymnothorax sp.
Yellow moray eel
We’re not yet sure of the identity of this yellow moray eel. We know of
several individuals, all on adjacent small reefs in the lagoon along the
stretch between Bigej and Meck Islands.
2731 Gymnothorax meleagris
White mouth moray eel
Its bright white mouth distinguishes this moray. The spotted pattern on
the eel’s body can vary somewhat.
2736 Gymnothorax meleagris
White mouth moray eel
These eels sometimes have an aggressive look to them.
2744 Heteroconger hassi
Garden eel
Garden eels live in holes in the sand. While they never seem to
completely leave their holes, they will stretch out from them to feed on passing plankton.
2750 Heteroconger hassi
Garden eels
Rarely do you see Garden eels by themselves. Looking off in the distance on sand flats, you can often see
entire fields of them. Here they withdraw into burrows at the approach of the photographer.
2755 Ophichthus melanochir?
Snake eel
Several of the Snake eels also hide in holes. This one can occasionally be seen poking its head out of the
sand in Kwaj’s ski boat area. The best time to look for these is at night.
2800 Ophichthus bonaparti
Napoleon snake eel
The Napoleon snake eel has quite an intricate color pattern on its head.
It too is usually seen with only the tip of its head protruding from the
sand.
2805 Ariosoma scheelei
Scheel’s conger eel
Some of the sand dwelling eels, such as this conger, emerge from the
sand at night.
2811 Ariosoma scheelei
Scheel’s conger eel
This conger has an interesting way of digging tail first into the sand.
2822 Myrichthus colubrinus
Banded snake eel
The Banded snake eel, on the other hand, digs into the sand head first.
2853 Chlorurus microrhinos
Pacific steephead parrotfish
Among the more conspicuous elements on the reef at night are the
colorful sleeping parrotfish, Some are seen enclosed in a bag of mucus
that they create. The mucus bag may be a means of detecting when
something is approaching too close. Many of the larger parrots do not
generally create such bags.
2902 Scarus forsteni
Rainbow parrotfish
A shrimp, Saron marmoratus, crawls out from under this sleeping
parrot.
2906 Scarus altipinnus
Filament fin parrotfish
Parrotfish have a “bill” formed of fused teeth, which they use to scrap the algae off hard reef rock.
Sometimes, algae grows on the teeth themselves, forming a furry green mustache.
2910 Scarus niger
Swarthy parrotfish
During the day these parrots look very dark purple.
2914 Cetoscarus bicolor
Bicolor parrotfish
This is the female color form of this species. Most of the parrots have
quite different colors between male and female, and usually the colors
of juveniles are also different. Parrots, like a number of other fish,
change sex with age. In parrots, the juvenile s turn into females, which
later become males.
Bicolor parrotfish
This is the male color form of the previous parrot. The video lights
really bring out the striking colors.
Bicolor parrotfish
Parrots feed by scraping the thin layer of algae from rocks. In the
process, they often scrape off the top layer of rock as well. The rock
passes through the stomach and out the other end as fine sand. Parrots
are probably one of the more important sand producers on coral reefs.
Bicolor parrotfish
The juvenile of the Bicolor parrot differs considerably in color from
both male and female adults. This juvenile swims over Halimeda algae.
Bicolor parrotfish
Occasionally you can see Bicolor and other parrots engaged in courtship
behavior. Here, a male and a female swim around cheek to cheek,
getting each other ready for mating.
Bicolor parrotfish
When the parrots are ready to mate, they swim together rapidly up into the water. At the peak of the rise,
they both release their gametes—eggs and sperm—into the water as they turn away. Note the little white
cloud. Fertilization takes place in the water, and the fertilized eggs drift off with the plankton. Eggs hatch
out into planktonic larvae, which drift with the currents until they are old enough to take up a reef
dwelling existence.
2950 Chlorurus sordidus
Males sometimes fight over females or territory.
Bullethead parrotfish
2955 Scarus rubroviolaceus
This large parrot is usually rather hard to approach.
Redlip parrotfish
2959 Bolbometapon muricatum
Humphead parrotfish
The Humphead is the largest of all the parrotfish. Extremely rare at Kwaj, they are reasonably common at
Pohnpei, and are reported to be quite common at Wake. This one, the only one we have seen at Kwaj, was
grazing on algae covered rocks on the seaward reef at Gea.
3007
Parrotfish being cleaned by cleaner wrasse
Labroides dimidiatus
Cleaner wrasse
Cleaner wrasses pick parasites from the bodies of other fish. The fish being cleaned usually seem to enjoy
it. They will often come in and pose motionless for a cleaner to do its work. At times, however, the
cleaner nips a bit too deeply and causes pain to its client; here an annoyed parrot chases off the cleaner.
3012
Cleaner wrasses
Pterocaesio tile
These cleaner wrasses are picking parasites from a group of fusiliers that gather at a cleaning station.
3018
Labroides bicolor
Cleaner wrasse
Sphyraena barracuda
Great barracuda
Even larger fish enjoy being cleaned. This Great barracuda’s mouth
appears a bit damaged; perhaps it was caught by a trolling fisherman
and either escaped or was released. Large barracuda such as this one are
likely to cause ciguatera fish poisoning if eaten.
3028 Cheilinus undulatus
Humphead or Napoleon wrasse
The largest of the wrasses—in fact, one of the largest fish you see on
the reefs—is the Napoleon wrasse. These can reach 2 meters in length, longer and much thicker than most
people. They are relatively shy and tend to keep their distance from divers.
3034 Oxycheilinus digrammus
Bandcheek wrasse
This young wrasse passes in front of a gorgonian (Subergorgia mollis).
3038 Cheilinus fasciatus
Chomper fish
Chomper fish tend to follow divers looking for any possible prey the
diver might accidentally scare up. This one is apparently swallowing a
mollusk or some hard-shelled prey.
3046 Novaculichthys taeniourus
Dragon wrasses
Dragon wrasses seek prey by moving rocks, which is why they are also
called Rock mover wrasses. When they dig, they expose crabs, shrimp,
worms, small urchins, and other prey, which are quickly consumed.
3055 Novaculichthys taeniourus
Dragon wrasse
Juvenile Dragon wrasses always appear to be blowing in the wind.
3100 Hemigymnus fasciatus
Barred thicklip wrasse
These wrasses feed by picking up a mouthful of sand and rubble from the bottom, chewing it around for a
while to remove anything organic, and spitting back out the undigestibles. You can usually see them
watch what they spit in case they missed anything.
3107
Cirrhilabrus johnsoni
Johnson’s wrasse
Cirrhilabrus balteatus
Girdled wrasse
There are several kinds of fish in this picture, including two different species of Cirrhilabrus wrasses. The
more common fish are male and female Cirrhilabrus johnsoni, named from Kwajalein specimens first
observed by David Johnson, an avid fish enthusiast and photographer at Kwaj from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and
early ‘90s. The wrasse with the red blotch on its side is Cirrhilabrus balteatus. There are also several
small goatfish zipping about.
3116 Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus
Yellowband wrasse
The Yellowband wrasse is common on lagoon reefs and pinnacles. The
figured individual is a male. Females are orange with white undersides.
3121 Cirrhilabrus balteatus
Girdled wrasse
This male Girdled wrasse is displaying at some nearby females. I
suppose spreading his fins out like this is supposed to be impressive.
3126 Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis
Diamond tail or Golden wrasse
The Golden wrasse is found fairly deep on the seaward slope. It is a
fairly popular aquarium fish. The recompression chamber at Kwaj has treated at least one aquarium fish
collector from Majuro who was hit with decompression sickness while trying to catch these fish.
3130 Pseudocheilinus sp
White barred or purple wrasse
This purple wrasse has not yet been officially described, but scientists
are working on it. They live in ledges and caves at 20 meters and deeper
on the seaward slope.
3137 Trimma sp
Dwarf goby
This little Dwarf goby must have a hot seat—it’s resting on fire coral.
3141 Exalias brevis
Leopard blenny
These blennies are relatively common living among the branches of
large branching corals in very shallow water.
3145 Hoplolatilus starcki
Starck’s tilefish
Starck’s tilefish is quite common on the seaward reef slope deeper than 20 meters. They hover over the
reef, drawing down close to their holes at the approach of a diver. If you get too close, the fish will
disappear into their holes.
3152 Plagiotremus tapeinosoma
Sabertooth blenny
Sabertooth blennies make their living by biting chunks of flesh from passing fish. Some of them even
resemble cleaner wrasses, both in their coloration and in the way they swim. When some unsuspecting
fish sidles up to be cleaned, it instead receives a painful bite. Sometimes, they’ll even bite divers. It’s not
a well-liked little animal. Robert Myers, in Micronesian Reef Fishes, calls it a “nasty little fish.” When
not out harassing passing fish, sabertooths often hide in holes in coral.
3156
Plagiotremus tapeinosoma
Sabertooth blenny
3159 Nemateleotris helfrichi
Helfrich’s dartfish
The Helfrich dartfish is a pretty little inhabitant of the deeper seaward
reef. They are common below about 20 meters. Shallower, their habitat
is taken by its relative, the Firefish seen in 3211 below. All of these
dartfish hover over the reef, diving rapidly into small holes when
threatened.
3207 Nemateleotris helfrichi
A dartfish dives into a hole.
3211
Helfrich’s dartfish
Nemateleotris magnifica
Firefish
3216 Nemateleotris magnifica
Two Firefish dive into a hole.
Firefish
3222 Irregular sea urchin
These irregular urchins spend most of their time buried in the sand.
Sometimes you see them out wandering about at night. Something must
be able to find them, though. Their empty, fragile, white skeletons are
common.
3227 Lissodiadema lorioli
Glass urchin
This urchin has long, very thin and fragile spines. They live under rocks
or well back in surge channel caves on the seaward reef.
3233 Heterocentrotus mammillatus
Pencil urchin
The Pencil urchin lives on shallow seaward reefs. They use their thick spines to wedge themselves into
crevices or between coral colonies to prevent the shallow water surge from carrying them away.
3237
Ophiomyxa sp
Red brittle star
Eucidaris metularia
Small pencil urchins
Many of the brittle stars are tasty morsels for predatory fish. So when one is exposed to light, as this red
one is, it runs for cover. Here it passes between three small pencil urchins.
3245 Ophiolepis superba
Superb brittle star
Most brittle stars are able to move pretty fast, unlike their true seastar cousins. This one, however, is one
of the slowest.
3253 Acanthaster planci
Crown-of-thorns starfish
Crown-of-thorns stars are live coral eaters. A star devours a coral
colony by crawling over it, extruding its stomach over the coral, and
dissolving the tissue right out of the skeleton, leaving a white, dead
coral. This one happens to be eating lettuce coral. It is always a
disturbing sight to see these spiny monsters killing off the coral. In
some areas, large aggregations of Crown-of-thorns have been
responsible for killing much of the live coral on a reef. I suspect a few
reefs here at Kwaj may have seen such problems in the past, and even
now there seem to be too many of the stars in many areas. However, it
is risky to try to do anything about it. Damaging or injuring the stars may do no more than cause them to
reproduce sooner, effectively increasing the population. Cut them up and they will regenerate. About the
only way to kill them is to take them out of the water. But it is not wise to mess with things without
knowing what the consequences will be. Some studies have indicated that the stars actually provide a
service by killing off established coral colonies and opening up space for new settling of younger, more
vigorous corals. Also, the spines on these beasts are sharp and toxic. Not only do they cause considerable
pain, they are tipped with a substance that interferes with blood coagulation. A puncture wound from the
spine of a Crown-of-thorns will bleed for a long time.
3259 Choriaster granulatus
Choriaster, a common seastar at Pohnpei and other islands to the west,
is quite rare at Kwaj. Only a few individuals have been spotted on the
seaward reef. This one is in a clump of Caulerpa algae.
3305 Fromia milleporella
Fromia is a common starfish on Kwajalein reefs. They are often seen
right out in the open, so are probably not very edible. This unusual
individual has six arms, one more than the standard five.
3310 Linckia laevigata
Blue starfish
It must be the season for six armed starfish. This Blue Linckia also has
an extra arm. These stars are most common in very shallow water on
interisland reefs. This individual was observed at Ebwaj (Shell Island).
3315 Comanthus schlegeli?
Crinoid or feather star
Feather stars, also called Crinoids, are related to the starfish and are
common inhabitants of lagoon pinnacles and the seaward reef. While
several species come out only at night, a few will sit right out in the
open during the day. They perch on top of corals or gorgonians to get a better position for capturing
plankton from the passing currents. Most species are variable in color and are not always easy to
positively identify.
3319
Comanthus bennettii?
Crinoid
3323 Comanthus schlegeli?
Crinoid
This bright yellow individual is perched on a colony of Pocillopora
coral.
3327
Comanthus schlegeli?
Crinoid
Pterocaesio tile
Blue streak fusiliers
Behind the Crinoid, schooling fusiliers zip back and forth.
3336 Spirobranchus giganteus
Christmas tree worm
Christmas tree worms have holes in live coral or reef rock. The paired spiral “Christmas trees” that extend
from the hole are used for both respiration and capturing planktonic food. They vary considerably in
color; here three different colored individuals emerge from live coral.
3344 Spirobranchus giganteus
Christmas tree worm
When disturbed, the worms can retract into their holes in the blink of an eye.
3349 Paralepidonotus ampulliferus
Segmented worm
This crawling creature that appears to be wearing armor is one of the
free-living annelid worms. They hide under rocks most of the time.
When this one was exposed to light, it immediately began looking for
cover. A fish would find it a tasty tidbit.
3356 Leocrates sp
Worm
Free-living annelid worms come in a variety of shapes and colors.
3403 Pherecardia striata
Striated bristle worm
This worm is one of the bristle or fire worms. Those bristles protruding from both sides are hard and
sharp. They easily puncture skin, and when they do, they tend to pull out of the worm and stay in the
wound. A good stinging burns like fire, hence the common name fireworm.
3413 Stylaster elegans
Pink coral
This delicate pink coral in a small ledge is cupping a clump of Halimeda algae and growing in front of a
fan gorgonian.
3418
Stylaster Pink coral
Distichopora
Yellow coral
Pink coral and its yellow relative are growing together in a ledge. This
yellow coral has an interesting distribution pattern. It is not found in the
southern portion of the Kwajalein atoll at all. A few pieces start to show
up on lagoon pinnacles about one third of the way up the atoll. By mid
atoll, it is common on pass pinnacles and on the seaward reef.
3422
Distichopora
Purple coral
Labroides pectoralis
Cleaner wrasse
Chromis agilis
Bronze reef chromis damsel
Related to the yellow coral in the previous scene is this purple coral. It is common throughout the atoll.
The two fish, a damsel and a cleaner wrasse, rise into view.
3427 Fungia
Razor corals
Razor corals are quite variable in color. Each of these free-living disks is a single animal, rather than a
colony as are most bushes of coral.
3430 Fungia
Orange razor coral
Sometimes Razor corals generate their own light. This bright orange one looks bright orange ad depth
over 30 meters, deep enough that all the orange light from the sun would have been absorbed by the water
above. It it looks orange, it must be producing the light on its own. Here it is on a colony of blue Porites
coral.
3436 Goniopora stokesii
Stokes’ gonioporid coral
These small colonies grow in ball-like clumps, resting but not attached
to the bottom. The long tentacles hide the coral’s skeleton.
3440 Goniopora sp.
Another coral with long tentacles; there is a hard skeleton hidden down
at the base.
3445 Euphyllia panacora
Sausage coral
The bubbly tentacles with sausage-shaped tips hide a hard coral skeleton.
3454 Dendronephthya
Soft coral
Dendronephthya soft corals form these bush-like structures growing up
from the bottom or down from cave ceilings. They come in many
colors. This one is a pale colored form growing in a shaded ledge on a
shallow lagoon reef.
3459 Dendronephthya
Soft coral
This large pink soft coral grows on a steep seaward reef dropoff.
3503 Sarcophyton
Leather coral
This group of colonies is spreading over the top of the seaward reef.
3508 Rumphella antipathes
Marshallese black coral
This gorgonian is locally called Marshallese black coral. Although it
has a black skeleton, it is not closely related to the true Black coral used
in the jewelry trade.
3517 Stylaster
Pink coral
A small colony of Pink coral grows in front of a large red fan
gorgonian. As the camera zooms out, an Emperor angelfish passes
behind the fan.
3525 Orange gorgonian
This small orange gorgonian closes off a small cave opening. A squirrelfish (Neoniphon) can be seen
moving around behind.
3530 Gorgonians and pink coral
Gorgonians often prefer growing in a shaded ledge.
3534
Astrogorgia?
3539
Gorgonian in a deep cave.
3545 Ellisella in front, Subergorgia mollis behind
Several crinoids are perched on top.
Red gorgonian
Gorgonians
3553 Eurypegasus draconis
Short dragonfish
Dragonfish are apparently very rare at Kwaj. The only one we’ve seen
was in the shallows near the harbor’s boat ramp. These are related to the pipefish.
3600 Corythoichthys schultzi
Schultze’s pipefish
This pipefish uses its long, thin beak to pecks at something behind
Halimeda algae. They typically eat very small crustaceans and other
minute food. Because their mouths are so small, they tend to be hard to
feed if kept in an aquarium.
3606 Doryramphus dactyliophora
Banded pipefish
These long Banded pipefish live well back in caves and ledges on the
seaward reef.
3612 Corythoichthys amplexus
Black square pipefish
Some pipes, such as this black one, prefer to live under rocks.
3616 Solenostomus
Ghost pipefish
Kwajalein is home to at least two kinds of Ghost pipefish. These pipes
typically have large fins and are very cryptic. All are rare, although they
are so hard to see that they may be more common than we think. This individual is swimming across a
sand patch on a surgy day.
3621 Solenostomus
Ghost pipefish
Typically, the Ghost pipes drift head down and sway in the surge. This species has been found in seaward
reef surge channels, sometimes near drifting algae and bits of palm fronds that have washed into the water
from nearby islands.
3628 Solenostomus
Halimeda ghost pipefish
This one is well camouflaged in its normal habitat, around Halimeda
algae. These are rare, but have been observed both in seaward reef surge
channels and on lagoon reefs. Although they look like they would make
great aquarium inhabitants, they are very sensitive and difficult to feed,
and are therefore not recommended.
3640 Arothron nigropunctatus
Blackspotted puffer
Various species of puffers can be found in virtually all atoll habitats.
Probably the most common is this Blackspotted puffer. Normally, it is gray to white with a few black
spots. This one is near soft coral and black coral in a seaward reef ledge.
3645 Arothron nigropunctatus
Blackspotted puffer
The Blackspotted puffer also comes in a golden yellow color form.
3650 Arothron meleagris
Spotted puffer
Puffers can eat a variety of foods. This spotted species is usually
observed feeding on live coral. Here, it bites off a chunk of the coral
Porites rus, and shows its hard white fused teeth as it chews up the
coral.
3655 Arothron hispidus
Whitespotted puffer
This one is feeding in a patch of Halimeda algae, spitting debris out the mouth with some falling out the
gill openings. Various other fish, including a school of small goatfish, mill around hoping the puffer’s
feeding scares up something they can get.
3705 Arothron hispidus
Whitespotted puffer
This individual is being cleaned by the wrasse Labroides dimidiatus.
3711 Arothron caeruleopunctatus
Bluespotted puffer
The Bluespotted puffer is relatively uncommon at Kwaj. This one is being cleaned by the wrasse
Labroides dimidiatus.
3716 Arothron stellatus
Star puffer
This is the giant puffer you see patrolling the seaward reef dropoff. They can be found in the lagoon as
well. These are large fish, but they are not edible. Like all puffers, their internal organs and skin are
highly toxic. In some places, puffer flesh is called fugu and is considered a delicacy. Apparently the flesh
has just enough of the toxins to make a diner’s lips numb. But it takes special training to prepare it safely,
and even then, there are deaths every year from eating fugu that has been improperly prepared.
3721 Arothron stellatus
What a face!
Star puffer
3730 Diodon hystrix
Porcupine fish
Another kind of puffer is the Porcupine fish. When one of these is
disturbed and puffs up, the hard sharp spines lying against its body erect
and point straight out. It is an effective means of avoiding being eaten
by something bigger. This one is being cleaned by the wrasse Labroides
dimidiatus.
3736 Ostracion cubicus
Box fish
Boxfish have hard square bodies. Hard plates just below the skin
enclose most of the body; the fins, eyes, and mouth are about the only
parts that move. In addition to the box, boxfish are protected by poison
as well. The toxins they secrete can kill other fish kept in the same
aquarium.
3742 Ostracion meleagris
Spotted box fish
Females of this species are black with white spots, like this. Males have
sides that are blue with orange spots.
3747 Canthigaster coronata
Crowned sharpnose puffer
The sharpnose puffers are small, but quite poisonous to eat.
3752 Paraluteres prionurus
Mimic filefish
This filefish resembles two species of poisonous sharpnose puffers, the
previous Canthigaster coronata and Canthigaster valentini (not in this
tape).
3757 Paralueres prionurus
Mimic filefish
A juvenile of the preceding filefish pecks at something on a rock.
3803 Amanses scopas
Broom filefish
This medium sized filefish is rather shy. They generally retreat under coral when divers approach.
3813 Alutera scriptus
Netted leatherjacket filefish
These large filefish have huge tails. They are also rather shy and usually move away when divers
approach. They eat a variety of foods, including hard corals and jellyfish.
3818 Sufflamen chrysoptera
Halfmoon triggerfish
This juvenile triggerfish is contemplating diving into a hole to escape the photographer. In the end, he
decides to just swim away.
3822 Odonus niger
Redtooth black triggerfish
This species can change color from the light blue shown in this
specimen to nearly black. This one is being cleaned by a cleaner wrasse
(Labroides dimidiatus)
3827 Odonus niger
Redtooth black triggerfish
These triggers are often seen schooling up in the water above the
seaward dropoff.
3833 Rhinecanthus rectangulusWedge picassofish or Humuhumunukunukuapuaa
These triggers live in shallow water on the seaward reef. This one is being cleaned by the wrasse
3840 Balistoides conspicillum
Clown triggerfish
The most strikingly colored trigger is the Clown. They live on the seaward reef and on some lagoon
pinnacles. They can do well in aquaria. In fact, we think this is one that lived for several years in our
aquarium. This scene was shot a year or two after we released one in this very spot. We think this is the
same specimen because it was considerably more relaxed around divers than Clown triggers usually are.
3845 Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus
Yellow margined triggerfish
This is a juvenile. You can see the beginnings of the yellow edging on
the fins that gives this species its name. Behind it are several yellow
tunicates (Phallusia julinea).
3851 Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus
Yellow margined triggerfish
A larger specimen shows this trigger’s typical coloration, but even this
one is still not fully grown. Large specimens can exceed half a meter, or
more than a foot and a half long.
3857 Balistoides viridescens
Mustache triggerfish
This large trigger is blowing a hole in the sand looking for buried worms, mollusks, and other potential
prey. At one point, he eats something that he blows out of the hole.
3905 Balistoides viridescens
Mustache triggerfish
Like many other triggers, the Mustache lay their eggs in a small
depression in the bottom, and spend the time until the eggs hatch
protecting them from predators. If they leave the nest, numerous small
fish swarm in to devour the eggs. Consequently, these fish can be a bit
testy during nesting season, and will even charge an innocently passing
diver. They have been known to cause bruises by ramming people, and
even on occasion to bite. Their teeth are huge and ugly, and capable of
inflicting a nasty wound. In this scene, a nesting trigger charged right
into the camera. Right about the time the scene cuts off, all hell broke loose.
3913 Chelonia mydas
Green turtle
The Green turtle is one of the two kinds of sea turtle that frequent Kwaj’s reefs. Although on the
endangered species list and protected in many countries, they are still hunted for food in the Marshall
Islands.
3921 Chelonia mydas
Green turtle
This is a very young Green turtle swimming near the surface in shallow water.
3928 Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill turtle
The other sea turtle common at Kwaj is the Hawksbill, shown here rising from behind coral.
3937 Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill turtle
A Hawksbill turtle passes over an old coral outcrop on the seaward reef.
3951 Aetobatis narinari
Spotted eagle rays are found throughout the atoll.
Spotted eagle ray
3955 Aetobatis narinari
Spotted eagle ray
Younger individuals often have distinct spotting and very long tails.
4007 Taeniura meyeri
Blotched stingray
The sting of this large, Blotched stingray has been blamed for at least one human fatality.
4021 Taeniura meyeri
Blotched stingray
These rays can be found in lagoon and seaward reef habitats. They spend much of their time resting
motionless on sand.
4029
Taeniura meyeri
Blotched stingray
4036 Pastinachus sephen
Fantail stingray
The Fantail stingray is found in sandy lagoon habitats. Several small
ones live in Kwajalein harbor. Another group lives in the sand flats on
the lagoon side of Roi-Namur Island. A remora follows the one in this
scene.
4043 Himantura fai
Pink whipray
This large sand dwelling stingray is resting in a sandy depression he
created. Many stingrays dig for food in the sand, excavating holes to turn up burying echinoderms and
mollusks. A remora hangs under the ray’s tail.
4048 Himantura fai
Pink whipray
Sometimes rays pay little attention to divers. This one allowed the camera in for a close-up of its head.
4054 Urogymnus africanus
Thorny ray
The Thorny ray is covered with somewhat sharp little bumps. This
relatively rare species does not have a venomous stinger. They are
usually seen resting on sand in both lagoon and seaward reef habitats.
4102 Manta birostris
Manta ray
Accompanied by three remora, a Manta cruises along right under the
surface on a shallow lagoon reef. Mantas come in two color forms that
some scientists think might be two different species. Some mantas, such
as all those seen in this tape, have mostly black undersides with a few white blotches. Others have white
undersides with a few dark spots. The extent and layout of the underside white or black blotching can be
used to recognize particular individuals.
Manta ray
This Manta came into a lagoon reef to visit a cleaning station. Several
large cleaner wrasses are working him over for parasites.
Manta ray
The largest Mantas we see cruise along the seaward reef dropoff.
4135 Nebrius ferrugineus
Nurse shark
During the day, nurse sharks are usually seen resting on the bottom in a
cave or beneath an overhang. We have seen them pulling clams out of the reef at night.
4146 Triaenodon obesus
Whitetip reef sharks
The Whitetip is one of the sharks most frequently observed by divers.
Whitetips are pretty much harmless to people. The only time they may
behave aggressively is in the presence of speared fish. However, they
should not be mistaken for the much larger, thicker, and potentially
much more dangerous Silvertip shark.
Three on shallow seaward reef
Often a Whitetip will come in for a close look.
Whitetip reef sharks
Whitetip reef shark
Whitetip reef shark
Here a Whitetip tries to get at something, possibly an injured fish, hiding under the coral.
4220
Triaenodon obesus
Whitetip reef shark
4228 Carcharhinus melanopterus
Blacktip reef shark
The Blacktip is the most common shark on the intertidal reef flat and in
very shallow water. Only occasionally are they seen out near the
seaward reef dropoff. Usually small and shy, they too can become
aggressive if fish are being speared.
4234
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Blacktip reef shark
4241 Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Gray reef shark
The most potentially dangerous shark most people will ever see is the Gray reef. They are common on
lagoon pinnacles and on the seaward reef, especially in mid and far western atoll areas where they are not
accustomed to divers. In infrequently dove spots, Gray reefs will often show up as soon as you anchor the
boat. They usually hang around for 10 minutes or so after divers enter the water, sometimes showing the
beginning of aggressive behavior. Then, they are generally satisfied that they don’t have to worry about
divers as competitors, and usually fade out of sight. They’d be back in a second, though, if a fish is
speared.
4249
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Gray reef shark
4257
Gray reef shark
4304
Gray reef shark
Gray reef shark
Coming in for a close look then rapidly turning away is a typical
behavior.
Gray reef shark
The danger from Gray reefs is not that they want to eat divers; the risk
is that they may consider divers as possible competitors. This can
stimulate aggressive behavior, which is characterized by a particular
swimming posture. In this scene, the Gray reef goes into a full
aggressive posture, effectively telling the photographer that he is not
welcome here. It is when the shark is swimming in this manner that it is
most dangerous. Any sort of movement from the diver that the shark
considers a threat stands a good chance of eliciting an attack. When the
shark attacks, it breaks out of its posture and barrels straight in on its victim. It is moving so fast that, by
comparison, a diver is in slow motion. It is highly unlikely that any human could move fast enough in the
water to fend off an attacking Gray reef. But it is easy to avoid an attack. Just do nothing. Do not lunge at
the shark. Do not wave a knife at it. Do not take a flash picture of it. Don’t even try to swim away—
flapping fins in the shark’s direction could be considered a threat. Stay still until the shark goes out of its
posture—it usually will within a few seconds. Then, as soon as its back is turned, beat a calm yet hasty
retreat.
4345
4350
Credits over jellyfish
Gray reef shark

Discover Kwajalein`s Living Reef

Transcription

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