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  • This is a female Radulinopsis derjavini sculpin with a clutch of eggs that are in the process of hatching. The juveniles are only a few millimeters in size. Some of the newly hatched fish can be viewed at 100% magnification.
    radulinopsis-derjavini-sculpin-hatch...tif
  • This is a female Radulinopsis derjavini sculpin hatching her clutch of eggs by agitating them with her mouth. Females of this genus tend to their eggs, using their specialized mouths to suck or vacuum water across the developing juveniles to aerate them. In other sculpin genuses, males take responsibility for nurturing eggs.
    radulinopsis-derjavini-sculpin-eggs-...tif
  • This is a male Opistognathus iyonis jawfish hatching a mouthful of eggs. A few of the juveniles can be seen swimming away. There are also two unfertilized eggs visible. Like other jawfish, the males of this species care for and protect developing juveniles, keeping the eggs in their mouths through the gestation period. The reproductive season is during the summer months. This shy small fish is known from the waters of the northwest Pacific, including South Korea and southern Japan. It reaches a length of about six centimeters.
    opistognathus-iyonis-jawfish-hatchin...tif
  • This is a female Radulinopsis derjavini sculpin hatching her clutch of eggs by agitating them with her mouth. Females of this genus tend to their eggs, using their specialized mouths to suck or vacuum water across the developing juveniles to aerate them. In other sculpin genuses, males take responsibility for nurturing eggs.
    radulinopsis-derjavini-sculpin-eggs-...tif
  • This is a juvenile Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) climbing up and out of the substrate where it had just hatched with dozens of siblings. When spawning takes place, eggs are deposited, fertilized and buried. Upon hatching, the young horseshoe crabs need to burrow up through 10-20cm of sand, mud and muck.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a male Korean seahorse (Hippocampus haema) hatching a juveniles after brooding them for somewhere between three and ten weeks. The adult is about 8cm in length. As they develop, the juveniles are curled up inside the brood pouch. Though some emerge straightened out, many are ejected in curled-up form, eventually unfurling, some soon after emerging, some sinking as they take time to adjust. Note that two of juveniles that have just emerged are still attached to the thin membrane from their egg cases. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-ma...tif
  • This is a close-up view of a female Radulinopsis derjavini sculpin, showing her specialized wide-mouth, which is used to aerate developing eggs by sucking water over and around them. This female had just finished hatching a clutch of eggs. Photographed at two times life-size magnification.
    radulinopsis-derjavini-sculpin-japan...tif
  • These are two newly hatched endangered juvenile Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) juveniles emerging from the ocean bottom.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a juvenile endangered Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) swimming into the water column after birth. Measuring about 7mm, this little crustacean and siblings burst forth from their nest in a frenzy of activity approximately two months after spawning by the adults.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a male spotty goby (Laiphognathus multimaculatus) sending babies into the world. Females of this species deposit eggs into the burrows of males, which fertilize and care for the developing young. When juveniles are mature, the males take the young fish into their mouths, dart out of their burrows and spit the babies into the water, sometimes one at a time, sometimes several at once. The action is rapid, the direction and timing of launching babies unpredictable. When the males send the babies out like this, their bodies usually lose the bright coloration of breeding season, becoming relatively drab, though not quite as dull as normal.
    laiphognathus-multimaculatus-spotty-...tif
  • This scene depicts the birth of juvenile endangered Japanese horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus). During spawning, an adult female deposits clusters of dozens of eggs, which are fertilized by a male that is attached to the female during the spawning season. The gestation period is approximately two months. Juveniles emerge at the same time, sometimes one by one, sometimes in groups like this.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • The birth of endangered Japanese horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus) can be a chaotic process. The juveniles are small, in the range of 5mm to 7mm. They are not agile or adept swimmers. As they crawl out of the muck, many are pushed, pulled and spun by waves and currents. Some get entangled among themselves.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a juvenile endangered Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) setting forth into the world. Measuring about 7mm, this little crustacean and siblings burst forth from their nest in a frenzy of activity approximately two months after spawning by the adults.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a male spotty goby (Laiphognathus multimaculatus) darting out from his burrow in order to send one of his babies into the water. The juvenile fish's eyes are visible inside the adult's mouth. Males of this species care for developing young. When the juveniles are ready, males collect them in their mouths, swim out at high speed and spit the fry into the water.
    laiphognathus-multimaculatus-spotty-...tif
  • This scene depicts the birth of juvenile endangered Japanese horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus). During spawning, an adult female deposits clusters of dozens of eggs, which are fertilized by a male that is attached to the female during the spawning season. The gestation period is approximately two months. Juveniles emerge at the same time, sometimes individually, sometimes in groups.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a male spotty goby (Laiphognathus multimaculatus) sending one of his babies into the world. Females of this species deposit eggs into the burrows of males, which fertilize and care for the developing young. When juveniles are mature, the males take the young fish into their mouths, dart out of their burrows and spit the babies into the water, sometimes one at a time, sometimes several at once. The action is rapid, the direction and timing of launching babies unpredictable. When the males send the babies out like this, their bodies usually lose the bright coloration of breeding season, becoming relatively drab, though not quite as dull as normal.
    laiphognathus-multimaculatus-spotty-...tif
  • This is the moment when a male spotty goby (Laiphognathus multimaculatus) sent one of his babies into the world. Females of this species deposit eggs into the burrows of males, which fertilize and care for the developing young. When juveniles are mature, the males take the young fish into their mouths, dart out of their burrows and spit the babies into the water, sometimes one at a time, sometimes several at once. The action is rapid, the direction and timing of launching babies unpredictable. Such behavior is perhaps necessary to minimize predation. This male was about 4cm in length.
    laiphognathus-multimaculatus-spotty-...tif
  • The birth of endangered Japanese horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus) can be a chaotic process. The juveniles are small, in the range of 5mm to 7mm. They are not agile or adept swimmers. As they crawl out of the muck, many are pushed, pulled and spun by waves and currents. Some get entangled among themselves. And on occasion, bubbles of air released from the substrate knock them flat on their backs.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a male red-spotted blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos) hatching the clutch of eggs that he has been watching over for a period of about five days. Hatching occurs in the evening, with the male stimulating the eggs with his fins and mouth to provide the cue to the juveniles.
    blenniella-chrysospilos-red-spotted-...tif
  • This is a male red-spotted blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos) hatching the clutch of eggs that he has been watching over for a period of about five days. Hatching occurs in the evening, with the male stimulating the eggs with his fins and mouth to provide the cue to the juveniles.
    blenniella-chrysospilos-red-spotted-...tif
  • This is a male red-spotted blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos) hatching the clutch of eggs that he has been watching over for a period of about five days. Hatching occurs in the evening, with the male stimulating the eggs with his fins and mouth to provide the cue to the juveniles.
    blenniella-chrysospilos-red-spotted-...tif
  • This is a male spotty-bellied greenling (Hexagrammos agrammus) protecting several clutches of eggs resulting from spawning with multiple females. During the autumn/ winter breeding season, males keeps watch over developing embryos until they hatch. At the same time, males actively court females that approach, swimming out to greet them and lead them back to carefully prepared spawning areas like the one pictured here. The eyes of developing fish larvae are visible in many of the eggs here, meaning they are close to hatching. Freshly spawned eggs were attached to the opposite side of this cluster. Successful males like this one often attend to a number of egg clusters at different stages of development, each from separate females.
    hexagrammos-agrammus-spotty-bellied-...tif
  • This is a female Radulinopsis taranetzi sculpin tending to her clutch of eggs. Females of this species extend their mouths into the wide shape pictured here to suck or vacuum water around the eggs in order to aerate them and keep them clean and healthy. When the time comes, vigorous vacuuming helps the juveniles to hatch. The eggs pictured here are well-developed, only a few days from hatching.
    radulinopsis-taranetzi-sculpin-nurtu...tif
  • This is a female Radulinopsis derjavini sculpin attending to a clutch of eggs that are on the brink of hatching. Females of this species extend their mouths to suck on the eggs in order to clean and aerate them. The eggs hatched about 15 minutes after this photo was taken.
    radulinopsis-derjavini-sculpin-with-...tif
  • This is a palr of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) engaged in unusual post-mating courtship activity. Whenever the two seahorses separated and were not in direct physical contact, they maintained frequent eye contact, as depicted here with the male in the background (belly full of eggs) looking toward the female. Earlier in the morning, the pair had completed hours of courtship, culminating with the female depositing eggs into the brooding pouch of the male. Once this takes place, the pair usually return to independent activity, most often foraging for food. In this instance, the pair stayed together. The male broods the eggs for three to ten weeks, depending upon the time of year. After hatching the juveniles, the male engages in courtship with the female and mates again throughout the spring and summer breeding season. Pair bonds are reasonably consistent, though there seems to be some mixing that takes place. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-co...tif
  • Pictured here are developing embryos of endangered Japanese horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus). These eggs are on the cusp of hatching, approximately two months after they were deposited. The embryos are mobile inside the eggs, moving their legs and turning in circles. By this stage, the eggs are about 5mm in diameter.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a female whitespotted pygmy filefish (Rudarius ercodes) tending to a clutch of eggs that she has deposited on a rope. Development of this species is rapid, with the juveniles hatching in approximately three days.
    rudarius-ercodes-tending-eggs-whites...tif
  • This is a juvenile of an endangered tri-spine horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus). It measured about 37mm, which suggests that this juvenile was at the fifth instar of development, about a year since hatching. This species takes 15 years to mature, molting 18 times during that period. The estimated lifespan for this species is 25 years.<br />
<br />
These horseshoe crabs are generally only active when the water temperature exceeds 18 degrees Celsius. As such, they are dormant for much of the year, resting in deeper water until the ocean warms again.<br />
<br />
Though habitat loss and overharvesting of these animals for food are primary contributors to the population decline of horseshoe crabs, the biomedical industry is also a major factor. Horseshoe crabs are bled for their amoebocytes (akin to white blood cells), which are used to derive an extract that reacts in the presence endotoxin lipopolysaccharide, which is found in the membranes of gram-negative bacteria. Estimates suggest that between three and 30% of the animals die as a result. There have also been suggestions that taking up to a third of each animal's blood adversely affects their ability to undertake vital functions, such as procreation, even if the animals survive.<br />
<br />
Synthetic substitute tests have been available since 2003. The biomedical industry has however been reluctant to discontinue the practice of bleeding live animals.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-juvenile-tri-...tif
  • This is a pair of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) engaged in spawning. The lighter-colored female on the left is depositing eggs into the brooding pouch of the male (right, looking toward the camera). The male’s pouch is swollen and distended to make room for the eggs, which he fertilizes once they are deposited. The male broods the eggs for three to ten weeks. After hatching the juveniles, the male engages in courtship with the female and mates again throughout the spring and summer breeding season. Pair bonds are reasonably consistent, though there seems to be some mixing that takes place. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-sp...tif
  • This is a female dark sleeper (Odontobutis obscura), a species of freshwater sleeper perch, protecting her brood of eggs. The developing embryos are close to hatching, as the eyes are clearly visible. This fish’s den was located in a tiny crevice in a small ditch by the side of a road.
    dark-sleeper-odontobutis-obscura-wit...tif
  • This is a juvenile of an endangered tri-spine horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus), juxtaposed with a five Yen coin for scale. The animal’s carapace measured about 37mm, which suggests that this juvenile was at the fifth instar of development, about a year since hatching. This species takes 15 years to mature, molting 18 times during that period. The estimated lifespan for this species is 25 years.<br />
<br />
These horseshoe crabs are generally only active when the water temperature exceeds 18 degrees Celsius. As such, they are dormant for much of the year, resting in deeper water until the ocean warms again.<br />
<br />
Though habitat loss and overharvesting of these animals for food are primary contributors to the population decline of horseshoe crabs, the biomedical industry is also a major factor. Horseshoe crabs are bled for their amoebocytes (akin to white blood cells), which are used to derive an extract that reacts in the presence endotoxin lipopolysaccharide, which is found in the membranes of gram-negative bacteria. Estimates suggest that between three and 30% of the animals die as a result. There have also been suggestions that taking up to a third of each animal's blood adversely affects their ability to undertake vital functions, such as procreation, even if the animals survive.<br />
<br />
Synthetic substitute tests have been available since 2003. The biomedical industry has however been reluctant to discontinue the practice of bleeding live animals.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-juvenile-tri-...tif
  • This is a male Korean seahorse (Hippocampus haema) hatching a juveniles after brooding them for somewhere between three and ten weeks. The adult is about 8cm in length. As they develop, the juveniles are curled up inside the brood pouch. Though some emerge straightened out, many are ejected in curled-up form, eventually unfurling, some soon after emerging, some sinking as they take time to adjust. In this photo, a number of curled-up juveniles are just about to be ejected from the brood pouch. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-ma...tif
  • Pictured here are developing embryos of endangered Japanese horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus), about 5mm in diameter. The membranes of some eggs have started to dissolve, indicating that they are on the cusp of hatching, approximately two months after the eggs were deposited.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a female whitespotted pygmy filefish (Rudarius ercodes) tending to a clutch of eggs that she has deposited on a cluster of bryozoans that have grown on the branches of a dead tree lodged in the substrate. Development of this species is rapid, with the juveniles hatching in approximately three days.
    rudarius-ercodes-tending-eggs-whites...tif
  • This is a juvenile of an endangered tri-spine horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus). It measured about 37mm, which suggests that this juvenile was at the fifth instar of development, about a year since hatching. This species takes 15 years to mature, molting 18 times during that period. The estimated lifespan for this species is 25 years.<br />
<br />
These horseshoe crabs are generally only active when the water temperature exceeds 18 degrees Celsius. As such, they are dormant for much of the year, resting in deeper water until the ocean warms again.<br />
<br />
Though habitat loss and overharvesting of these animals for food are primary contributors to the population decline of horseshoe crabs, the biomedical industry is also a major factor. Horseshoe crabs are bled for their amoebocytes (akin to white blood cells), which are used to derive an extract that reacts in the presence endotoxin lipopolysaccharide, which is found in the membranes of gram-negative bacteria. Estimates suggest that between three and 30% of the animals die as a result. There have also been suggestions that taking up to a third of each animal's blood adversely affects their ability to undertake vital functions, such as procreation, even if the animals survive.<br />
<br />
Synthetic substitute tests have been available since 2003. The biomedical industry has however been reluctant to discontinue the practice of bleeding live animals.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-juvenile-tri-...tif
  • This is a male Korean seahorse (Hippocampus haema) hatching a juveniles after brooding them for somewhere between three and ten weeks. The adult is about 8cm in length. As they develop, the juveniles are curled up inside the brood pouch. Though some emerge straightened out, many are ejected in curled-up form, eventually unfurling, some soon after emerging, some sinking as they take time to adjust. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-ma...tif
  • This is a pair of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) engaged in unusual post-mating courtship activity. Earlier in the morning, the pair had completed hours of courtship, culminating with the female (background) depositing eggs into the brooding pouch of the male (foreground). Once this takes place, the pair usually return to independent activity, most often foraging for food. In this instance, the pair stayed together. They maintained body contact, often with their prehensile tails intertwined. The male broods the eggs for three to ten weeks. After hatching the juveniles, the male engages in courtship with the female and mates again throughout the spring and summer breeding season. Pair bonds are reasonably consistent, though there seems to be some mixing that takes place. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-co...tif
  • This is a female dark sleeper (Odontobutis obscura), a species of freshwater sleeper perch, protecting her brood of eggs. The developing embryos are close to hatching, as the eyes are clearly visible. This fish’s den was located in a tiny crevice in a small ditch by the side of a road.
    dark-sleeper-odontobutis-obscura-wit...tif
  • This is a female dark sleeper (Odontobutis obscura), a species of freshwater sleeper perch, protecting her brood of eggs. Here she is flipped upside-down above her eggs. The developing embryos are close to hatching, as the eyes are clearly visible. This fish’s den was located in a tiny crevice in a small ditch by the side of a road.
    dark-sleeper-odontobutis-obscura-wit...tif
  • Pictured here are developing embryos of endangered Japanese horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus), about 5mm in diameter. The membranes of some eggs have started to dissolve, indicating that they are on the cusp of hatching, approximately two months after the eggs were deposited.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • Pictured here are developing embryos of endangered Japanese horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus). These eggs are on the cusp of hatching, approximately two months after they were deposited. The embryos are mobile inside the eggs, paddling with their legs and turning in circles. By this stage, the eggs are about 5mm in diameter.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a female whitespotted pygmy filefish (Rudarius ercodes) tending to a clutch of eggs that she has deposited on a cluster of bryozoans that have grown on the branches of a dead tree lodged in the substrate. Development of this species is rapid, with the juveniles hatching in approximately three days.
    rudarius-ercodes-tending-eggs-whites...tif
  • This is a palr of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) preparing to spawn. About 30 seconds after this photo was taken, the seahorses swam up from the reef, where the lighter-colored female (left) deposited eggs into the abdominal pouch of the male (right). Once spawning takes place, seahorses usually  usually return to independent activity, most often foraging for food. In this instance, the pair stayed together post-spawning and continued courtship-like behavior. They maintained body contact, often with their prehensile tails intertwined. The male broods the eggs for three to ten weeks, depending upon the time of year. After hatching the juveniles, the male engages in courtship with the female and mates again throughout the spring and summer breeding season. Pair bonds are reasonably consistent, though there seems to be some mixing that takes place. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-co...tif
  • This is a male Korean seahorse (Hippocampus haema) hatching a juveniles after brooding them for somewhere between three and ten weeks. The adult is about 8cm in length. As they develop, the juveniles are curled up inside the brood pouch. Though some emerge straightened out, many are ejected in curled-up form, eventually unfurling, some soon after emerging, some sinking as they take time to adjust. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-ma...tif
  • This is a palr of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) engaged in unusual post-mating courtship activity. Whenever the two seahorses separated and were not in direct physical contact, they maintained frequent eye contact, as depicted here. Earlier in the morning, the pair had completed hours of courtship, culminating with the female (right) depositing eggs into the brooding pouch of the male (left). Once this takes place, the pair usually return to independent activity, most often foraging for food. In this instance, the pair stayed together. They maintained body contact, often with their prehensile tails intertwined as pictured here. The male broods the eggs for three to ten weeks, depending upon the time of year. After hatching the juveniles, the male engages in courtship with the female and mates again throughout the spring and summer breeding season. Pair bonds are reasonably consistent, though there seems to be some mixing that takes place. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-co...tif
  • This is a pair of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) engaged in unusual post-mating courtship activity. Earlier in the morning, the pair had completed hours of courtship, culminating with the female (right) depositing eggs into the brooding pouch of the male (left). Once this takes place, the pair usually return to independent activity, most often foraging for food. In this instance, the pair stayed together. They maintained body contact, often with their prehensile tails intertwined as pictured here. The male broods the eggs for three to ten weeks, depending upon the time of year. After hatching the juveniles, the male engages in courtship with the female and mates again throughout the spring and summer breeding season. Pair bonds are reasonably consistent, though there seems to be some mixing that takes place. Described in 2017, this species is found in the waters of Korea, as well as along the southern and western coasts of Japan.
    hippocampus-haema-korean-seahorse-co...tif
  • This is a female East Asian common octopus (Octopus sinensis) protecting a clutch of eggs during the winter, which is not the usual time of year for this species to brood eggs. Reproductive activity is most common during the summer months. This female was eventually successful. Some eggs started to hatch after 62 days, running until 76 days. Hatching during the normal season requires only a few days.
    octopus-sinensis-east-asian-common-o...tif
  • This is a male red-spotted blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos) watching over a clutch of eggs that are nearly ready to hatch.
    blenniella-chrysospilos-red-spotted-...tif
  • This is a male hairchin goby (Sagamia geneionema) protecting a brood of eggs. Males of this species mate several times with females, which lay their eggs on the upper surfaces of confined spaces and then leave the area to the care of the male. In this case, this burrow was at 20m depth, with water ranging between 14 and 16 degrees Celsius. The males protect the eggs until they hatch, somewhere between one and two weeks depending on water temperature, and then mate again. Throughout this process, the male does not eat much. As a result, after several matings, the males become too weak to carry on, and they die. The name for this species in Japanese is sabihaze (サビハゼ).
    hairchin-goby-sagamia-guarding-eggs-...tif
  • This is a female Radulinopsis taranetzi sculpin carrying a bellyful of fertilized eggs. She is in the process of choosing a place to deposit the eggs, which she will then cover with sand and rubble. Females of this species use their wide mouths to suck water over the eggs in order to aerate them and care for the eggs until they mature and hatch.
    radulinopsis-taranetzi-sculpin-pregn...tif
  • Pictured here is a female Japanese pygmy squid (Idiosepius paradoxus) depositing eggs on a blade of eelgrass (Zostera marina). During reproductive season, females receive spermatophores from multiple males (white strands visible) and deposit eggs multiple times. Adults die at the end of the reproductive period. Eggs hatch and mature within a few months, reproducing again to repeat the cycle. Two reproductive cycles take place each year.
    idiosepius-paradoxus-female-depositi...tif
  • This is a male hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus) exhibiting the characteristic lump resulting from infection by the parasitic copepod Sarcotaces pacificus. A maggot-shaped female resides inside the lump, where she lays thousands of eggs. The eggs hatch within the lump and pass through five nauplius development stages before reaching their first copepodid stage, at which point the juvenile parasites are able to infect new hosts.
    antennarius-striatus-striated-frogfi...tif
  • Pictured here is a pair of spotnape cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus notatus) moments after the transfer of fertilized eggs to the male’s mouth during spawning. These fish are paternal mouthbrooders, meaning that the male holds the eggs in his mouth until they hatch. Females in this situation eventually leave the male, but they first exhibit an odd behavior after laying eggs. Shown here, the female (below) is engaged in what appears to be harassment of the male (above), which has their eggs in his mouth. The female chases the male, repeatedly appearing to target the eggs in his mouth. While avoiding these charges by the female, the male spits out and takes the eggs back into his mouth multiple times at blinding speed. The purpose of this post-spawning behavior is not clear. It appears almost as if the female is attempting to steal the eggs from the male.
    ostorhinchus-notatus-spawning-spotna...tif
  • This is a male striped poison-fang blenny mimic (Petroscirtes breviceps) watching over multiple batches of eggs that are at different stages of development. The eggs are adhered to the inside of the bivalve shell, with the eyes of many of the developing fish larvae visible. This male will have mated with several different females at various times, with each female depositing eggs to the inner surface of the shell. The male guards the eggs until they hatch. Pictured here, the male has just opened his mouth for a split-second.
    petroscirtes-breviceps-guarding-eggs...tif
  • This is a female Chirolophis japonicus fringed blenny, which is a prickleback, guarding its eggs. This fish tends to find deep crevices and holes and lay its eggs in the back of its chosen hideaway. The eggs are the white mass visible in the background. On average, the eggs require around 40 days to mature and hatch.
    chirolophis-japonicus-fringed-blenny...tif
  • This is a red-spotted blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos) peeking out from its home, which is an abandoned burrow of a Dendropoma maximum snail. This individual is a male watching over a clutch of eggs that are almost ready to hatch.
    blenniella-chrysospilos-red-spotted-...tif
  • This is a male red-spotted blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos) watching over a clutch of eggs that are nearly ready to hatch. During spawning, males of this species select and prepare burrows like this, often abandoned homes of Dendropoma maximum snails. When a male is able to attract a female, she deposit eggs while the male remains nearby in another burrow. He visits periodically to fertilize deposited eggs. The pair repeats this process until the female is done and departs.
    blenniella-chrysospilos-red-spotted-...tif
  • This is a male hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus) exhibiting the characteristic lump on his head and abdomen resulting from infection by the parasitic copepod Sarcotaces pacificus. A maggot-shaped female resides inside the lump, where she lays thousands of eggs. The eggs hatch within the lump and pass through five nauplius development stages before reaching their first copepodid stage, at which point the juvenile parasites are able to infect new hosts.
    antennarius-striatus-striated-frogfi...tif
  • This is a female Chirolophis japonicus fringed blenny, which is a prickleback, guarding its eggs. This fish tends to find deep crevices and holes and lay its eggs in the back of its chosen hideaway. The eggs are the white mass visible in the background. On average, the eggs require around 40 days to mature and hatch. This individual is infested with parasites (Elaphognathia discolor). There are at least 36 visible from this angle, the most prominent of which is visible below and forward from the fish’s right eye.
    chirolophis-japonicus-fringed-blenny...tif
  • This is a male red-spotted blenny (Blenniella chrysospilos) watching over a clutch of eggs that are nearly ready to hatch.
    blenniella-chrysospilos-red-spotted-...tif
  • This is a male sabretooth blenny (Petroscirtes breviceps) peeking out from the inside of a hollow log that it was using as a home. The sparkling gold-yellow dots lining the wall are developing eggs. Males of this species are responsible for caring for eggs until they hatch.
    petroscirtes-breviceps-blenny-protec...tif
  • Pictured here are four newly hatched lumpsucker (Eumicrotremus awae) juveniles, around 2mm to 3mm in size, about the size of a sesame seed. These baby fish stayed together for a brief time, hidden among intricate folds of red algae (Pugetia japonica), before dispersing around the reef. Known as dango-uo in Japanese, these fish are found along the Pacific coast of the main island of Honshu.
    eumicrotremus-awae-juvenile-lumpsuck...tif
  • This is a 40cm mature male smooth lumpsucker (Aptocyclus ventricosus) watching over a brood of eggs. This species resides in deep water, down to about 1700m. During the winter to spring breeding season, mature fish come up to shallow water. After fertilizing a brood of eggs laid by a female fish, the male watches over and protects the developing young. Adult fish die during the breeding season, the female after laying eggs, the male once the juveniles have hatched. Following extended observation, I realized that the eggs in this photo were not viable. They had not been fertilized and were therefore never going to produce juveniles. The male, unaware of this fact, was destined continue to protect the infertile eggs, weakening day by day, eventually succumbing to death.
    aptocyclus-ventricosus-smooth-lumpsu...tif
  • This is a newly hatched endangered Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus), around 7mm in size. Juveniles emerge fully formed and functional.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a newly hatched endangered Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus), around 7mm in size. Juveniles emerge fully formed and functional. The animal's feet are visible protruding from the rear of the carapace.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a newly hatched juvenile Eumicrotremus awae lumpsucker, a species found along the Pacific coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. The fish is 2mm to 3mm in size, perched on brown algae (Lessoniaceae). The white ring pattern is characteristic of juveniles, disappearing as the juvenile takes on permanent coloration. This one has already begun to adopt an orange-red hue.
    eumicrotremus-awae-juvenile-lumpsuck...tif
  • Close-up view of 3mm eggs of a hemiclonal hybrid sub-species. The female that spawned the eggs passed on her Hexagrammos octogrammus DNA while making use of a Hexagrammos otakii male to produce viable young. All the fish hatched from these eggs will be females that continue this process, in effect perpetuating a line of all-female fish that carry the same maternal DNA through each generation.
    hexagrammos-octogrammus-otakii-hemic...tif
  • This is a newly hatched Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus). It had just crawled out of the substrate and swum into the murky, nutrient-rich water column, which was filled with a frenzy of copepods.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a newly hatched endangered Japanese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus), around 7mm in size. Juveniles emerge fully formed and functional.
    tachypleus-tridentatus-horseshoe-cra...tif
  • This is a newly hatched juvenile Eumicrotremus awae lumpsucker, a species found along the Pacific coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. The fish is 2mm to 3mm in size, perched on brown algae (Lessoniaceae). The white ring pattern is characteristic of juveniles, disappearing as the juvenile takes on permanent coloration. This one has already begun to adopt a greenish hue.
    eumicrotremus-awae-juvenile-lumpsuck...tif
  • This is a newly hatched juvenile Eumicrotremus awae lumpsucker, a species found along the Pacific coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. The fish is 2mm to 3mm in size, perched on brown algae (Lessoniaceae). The juveniles retain this distinct pattern with white rings for a brief time, eventually taking on solid coloration that varies from brown and red to green, pink and other hues.
    eumicrotremus-awae-juvenile-lumpsuck...tif
  • This is a newly hatched lumpsucker (Eumicrotremus awae), 2mm to 3mm in size, about the size of a sesame seed. The fish is perched on a species of red algae, possibly Polypes sp. Known as dango-uo in Japanese, these fish are found along the Pacific coast of the main island of Honshu.
    eumicrotremus-awae-juvenile-lumpsuck...tif
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Tony Wu Underwater Photography

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