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  • After engaging in an enormous spawning aggregation in the early morning, thousands of Lutjanus bohar red snappers lingered on near a reef edge. A swarm of the snappers, comprising a couple dozen fish, attacked and devoured a boxfish, the remains of which are shown here, with the main school of snappers visible in the background. I was unable to identify the species of the boxfish before it was attacked, but based on the yellow pattern, I am guessing that it was a yellow boxfish, Ostracion cubicus.
    ostracion-cubicus-boxfish-devoured-b...tif
  • Depicted here is the chaos of spawning of grass puffers (Takifugu niphobles) rushing onto a beach, female in the middle. This species has the unusual habit of spawning on land. At certain times of the year, large numbers in shallow water at high tide. When larger females beach themselves to lay eggs, males follow to fertilize. The fish rely on waves to take them ashore and return them to the ocean. Native to the northwest Pacific, grass puffers are the only pufferfish known to spawn onshore.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-spaw...tif
  • This is a pair of brown-lined puffers (Canthigaster rivulata) engaged in spawning, with the female facing toward the camera. In preparation for spawning, the female has cleared and cleaned the area where she will lay her eggs. The larger male circled the female while she was engaged in preparation, nudging her on occasion. Once the spawning was completed, the male left the area. The female initially departed, but returned within short order to inspect the area.
    canthigaster-rivulata-spawning-japan...tif
  • A swarm of the voracious Lutjanus bohar two-spot red snappers attacked and devoured a boxfish, the remains of which are shown here after they participated in an enormous spawning aggregation in the early morning involving thousands snappers. The attack on the boxfish was fast and furious, reminiscent of a shark feeding frenzy. I was unable to identify the species of the boxfish before it was consumed, but based on the yellow pattern, I am guessing that it was a yellow boxfish, Ostracion cubicus.
    lutanus-bohar-snapper-devouring-yell...tif
  • This is a juvenile Takifugu niphobles grass puffer. It has buried itself partially in the substrate to conceal itself and rest. This is normal behavior among juveniles of this species.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-juve...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
  • Depicted here is the chaos of group spawning of grass puffers (Takifugu niphobles) rushing onto a beach. This species has the unusual habit of spawning on land. When larger females beach themselves to lay eggs, males follow to fertilize. The fish rely on waves to take them ashore and return them to the ocean. Native to the northwest Pacific, grass puffers are the only pufferfish known to spawn onshore.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-spaw...tif
  • Depicted here is spawning of grass puffers (Takifugu niphobles), a small species of pufferfish native to the northwest Pacific. The large female on the right has released eggs and a male has fertilized. There is a smaller male visible trying to flip into position to fertilize as well. This species has the unusual habit of spawning on land. At certain times of the year, large numbers in shallow water at high tide. When larger females beach themselves to lay eggs, males follow to fertilize. The fish rely on waves to take them ashore and return them to the ocean. This is the only puffer species known to do this.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-spaw...tif
  • Depicted here is spawning of grass puffers (Takifugu niphobles), a small species of pufferfish native to the northwest Pacific. This species has the unusual habit of spawning on land. At certain times of the year, large numbers in shallow water at high tide. When larger females beach themselves to lay eggs, males follow to fertilize. The fish rely on waves to take them ashore and return them to the ocean. This is the only puffer species known to do this.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-spaw...tif
  • Cute juvenile star pufferfish (Arothron stellatus), photographed in Ambon, Indonesia.
    star-pufferfish-juvenile-arothron-st...tif
  • Colourful, cute baby longnose cowfish are always popular subjects for photography
    Juvenile-longhorn-cowfish-Lactoria-c..tiff
  • Incredibly cute porcupine pufferfish peeking out from its shelter in a discarded tin can. Makes me want to say "Go home ET".
    cute-smiling-porcupinefish-in-can-le...tif
  • This is a pair of banded sharpnose puffers (Canthigaster coronata) getting ready to spawn. The female is the foreground, male in the rear. Prior to spawning, the female devotes considerable time to selecting and preparing a suitable location while the male follows and looks on. After spawning takes place, the male departs. The female remains for some time to clean and aerate the eggs.
    canthigaster-coronata-banded-sharpno...tif
  • Depicted here is spawning of grass puffers (Takifugu niphobles), a small species of pufferfish native to the northwest Pacific. The female in the foreground has just released yellow eggs. The male in the background is fertilizing the eggs. This species has the unusual habit of spawning on land during high tide at certain times of the year, as shown here.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-spaw...tif
  • This is an ocean sunfish (Mola mola), around 1.5m in length, basking on the ocean surface near land. One hypothesis concerning why these fish engage in such behavior is that they seek the help of ocean-going birds to remove parasites. Sunfish are host to many species of parasites, including copepods and nematodes.
    mola-mola-ocean-surface-pest-removal...tif
  • White-spotted pufferfish being cleaned by a bluestreak cleaner wrasse, with the puffer looking back at the wrasse. Photograph taken at Ambitle Island, one of the two islands in the Feni Island group, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.
    white-spotted-pufferfish-cleaner-wra...tif
  • This is a cute juvenile Valentin's sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster valentini).
    canthigaster-valentini-sharpose-puff...tif
  • Close-up of a sunfish (Mola mola). This individual was floating on the ocean surface, relaxed and calm. The fish approached the boat numerous times, allowing me on one occasion to remove one of the copepod parasites visible in this photograph. When I entered the water and floated nearby, the fish bumped directly into me, resulting in this close encounter.
    mola-mola-sunfish-close-encounter-so...tif
  • Brilliant orange-red juvenile star pufferfish (Arothron stellatus) sifting through sand, looking for food
    cute-juvenile-starry-pufferfish-arot...tif
  • Rear view of juvenile Arothron stellatus starry pufferfish in the Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
    rear-view-Arothron-stellatus-pufferf...tif
  • Depicted here is a female crowned puffer (Canthigaster coronata) above her clutch of yellow eggs immediately after spawning with the departing male. The female spent over an hour searching for the perfect spot before choosing and preparing this place for her eggs.
    canthigaster-coronata-spawning-crown...tif
  • Depicted here is the chaos of spawning of grass puffers (Takifugu niphobles) rushing onto a beach, female in the middle. This species has the unusual habit of spawning on land. At certain times of the year, large numbers in shallow water at high tide. When larger females beach themselves to lay eggs, males follow to fertilize. The fish rely on waves to take them ashore and return them to the ocean. Native to the northwest Pacific, grass puffers are the only pufferfish known to spawn onshore.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-spaw...tif
  • Threadsail Filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer) at night
    threadsail-filefish-stephanolepis-ci...tif
  • This is a pair of banded sharpnose puffers (Canthigaster coronata) spawning. The female is the foreground, male in the rear. Prior to spawning, the female devotes considerable time to selecting and preparing a suitable location while the male follows and looks on. After spawning takes place, the male departs. The female remains for some time to clean and aerate the eggs.
    canthigaster-coronata-banded-sharpno...tif
  • Shown here are two grass puffers (Takifugu niphobles), a small species of pufferfish native to the northwest Pacific, riding a wave onto shore for the purpose of group spawning. This species has the unusual habit of spawning on land. At certain times of the year, large numbers in shallow water at high tide. When larger females beach themselves to lay eggs, males follow to fertilize. The fish rely on waves to take them ashore and return them to the ocean. This is the only puffer species known to do this.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-spaw...tif
  • Male long-spine porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus) pursuing a female fish. This was the culmination of several hours of activity involving a number of males pursuing this female, until finally only one male was left. During the pursuit, the female swam at rapid speed in seemingly random directions, as if she were trying to lose the males. She hid in crevices at times, forcing the males to search for her. The males nipped and bit her constantly. The actual mating event took place well after sundown, with the fish swimming out to a deep part of the channel at about 23 meters, then rushing toward the surface, releasing eggs and sperm at about 12 meters depth.
    long-spine-porcupinefish-mating-diod...tif
  • This playful Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) repeatedly chased and caught a striped cowfish (Aracana aurita) as I swam along and watched. The sea lion brought the fish to me several times, as if offering it to me.
    australian-sea-lion-neophoca-cinerea...tif
  • White-spotted pufferfish being cleaned by a bluestreak cleaner wrasse. Photograph taken at Ambitle Island, one of the two islands in the Feni Island group, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.
    white-spotted-pufferfish-cleaner-wra...tif
  • This is a juvenile Takifugu niphobles grass puffer patrolling extremely shallow water at night.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-juve...tif
  • This is a female banded sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster coronata) tending to her eggs after spawning. With fertilization completed, the male has departed. The female remains for some time to clean and aerate the eggs that she has affixed to the substrate.
    canthigaster-coronata-banded-sharpno...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
  • Close encounter with a friendly sunfish (Mola mola) that was floating on the ocean surface, relaxed and calm. The fish approached the boat numerous times, allowing me on one occasion to remove one of the many copepod parasites visible in this photograph. Mola mola are known to host multiple species of parasites, including copepods and nematodes. The fish is floating on one side, with its mouth open, facing the camera.
    sunfish-mola-mouth-open-with-parasit...tif
  • Three porcupine pufferfish (Diodon holocanthus) pursuing a female. There were originally five males in pursuit when I first came across this group. The courtship process lasts for several hours, culminating when only one or two males remain. This happened in the evening, around 20:00 hours. The female swam to deep water, around 23m, then rushed for the surface at high speed with the males in pursuit. She released a cloud of eggs at 12m, and the males followed with release of sperm. The courtship process is energetic, with the males chasing and biting the female. The female hid from the males on several occasions, forcing them to find her.
    Diodon-holocanthus-porcupinefish-cou...tif
  • Profile of a friendly Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) at the world-famous dive site Blue Corner, with a swarm of redtoothed triggerfish (Odonus niger) in the background
    napoleon-wrasse-blue-corner-palau-Ch...tif
  • This is a juvenile Takifugu niphobles grass puffer patrolling extremely shallow water at night.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-juve...tif
  • This is a head-on view of juvenile Takifugu niphobles grass puffer, about 4cm in length.
    takifugu-niphobles-grass-puffer-juve...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
  • Reef lizardfish (Synodus variegatus) eating a Bennett’s sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster bennetti). Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
    lizardfish-eating-Bennetts-pufferfis...tif
  • Shown here is a pair of roundbelly cowfishes (Lactoria diaphana) spawning, with the male in the foreground and the female facing away.
    lactoria-diaphana-spawning-roundbell...tif
  • Threadsail filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer) bite and latch onto something while they sleep. Here, a pair of these fish are holding onto a rope at about 20m depth while resting. The fish in the background is male. The one in the foreground is female.
    threadsail-filefish-sleeping-stephan...tif
  • Juvenile hairfinned leatherjacket (Paramonacanthus japonicus) being attended to by a multicolored cleaner shrimp (Ancylomenes sp.)
    paramonacanthus-japonicus-juvenile-a...tif
  • Portrait of a threadsail filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer), empahsizing the strong teeth that are characteristic of filefishes. Photographed in the Izu Peninsula, Japan.
    threadsail-filefish-stephanolepis-ci...tif
  • White-spotted pufferfish being cleaned by a bicolor cleaner wrasse. Photograph taken at Ambitle Island, one of the two islands in the Feni Island group, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.
    white-spotted-pufferfish-cleaner-wra...tif
  • Male long-spine porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus) pursuing a female fish. This was the culmination of several hours of activity involving a number of males pursuing this female, until finally only one male was left. During the pursuit, the female swam at rapid speed in seemingly random directions, as if she were trying to lose the males. She hid in crevices at times, forcing the males to search for her. The males nipped and bit her constantly. The actual mating event took place well after sundown, with the fish swimming out to a deep part of the channel at about 23 meters, then rushing toward the surface, releasing eggs and sperm at about 12 meters depth.
    diodon-holocanthus-mating-long-spine...tif
  • Shown here is a male roundbelly cowfish (Lactoria diaphana) nipping a female and nudging her upward just prior to spawning.
    lactoria-diaphana-spawning-roundbell...tif
  • Cute juvenile yellow Japanese inflator filefish (Brachaluteres ulvarum) with pink lips, in front of a pink soft coral. Photographed in the Izu Peninsula, Japan.
    cute-japanese-inflator-filefish-juve...tif
  • Profile of a pinktail triggerfish (Melichthys vidua) photographed in Palau
    pinktail-triggerfish-melichthys-vidu...tif
  • Prickly Leatherjacket (Chaetodermis penicilligera) in Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
    Chaetodermis-penicilligera-prickly-l...tif
  • Cute juvenile yellow boxfish (Ostracion cubicus) in Ambon, Indonesia
    Ostracion-cubicus-juvenile-yellow-bo...tif
  • Juvenile triggerfish (Balistidae) encountered over deep water during a blackwater night dive in Palau. Approximately 4cm in length.
    triggerfish-juvenile-balistidae-pala...tif
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