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  • A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae kuzira) that had an unusual dorsal fin, one that was split into three sections. It was not possible to determine whether this split dorsal was present from birth, or whether it was the result of an accident such as a propellor strike. I photographed this same whale in 2016 at Point Adolphus. (see unusual-dorsal-fin-humpback-whale-alaska-201607-2096.tif). In 2018, this whale was in a bubble-feeding group active in the Icy Strait, around Pleasant Island and Gustavus. This was one of two whales in the 2018 group that I recognized from 2016.
    unusual-dorsal-fin-humpback-whale-al...tif
  • Dorsal fin of a blue whale. Note the distinctive crease on the dorsal surface behind the dorsal fin. This, plus several white spots on this whale's body (including the two white spots visible on the right fluke), made this individual easy to recognize. Photograph taken under permit.
    blue-whale-dorsal-fin-Balaenoptera-m...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) with significant scarring on its dorsal surface. Note the fresh scar along the dorsal ridge near the right edge of the image. Like a prism, the whale's breath has split the sunlight into a rainbow.
    humpback-whale-dorsal-scarring-rainb...tif
  • A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that had an unusual dorsal fin, one that was split into three sections. It was not possible to determine whether this split dorsal was present from birth, or whether it was the result of an accident such as a propellor strike. This whale was one of eight or nine that engaged in bubble net feeding together during an overcast day.
    unusual-dorsal-fin-humpback-whale-al...tif
  • This humpback whale’s dorsal fin has both a split and a unique bump at the frontal end, making it easy to identify. Split dorsal fins are both easy to spot and relatively uncommon. This whale was one of a pair of whales traveling together, probably both male, though I was unable to whales’ ventral areas to confirm. The other whale had white pectoral fins.
    humpback-whale-split-dorsal-fin-tong...tif
  • A male humpback whale with a split dorsal fin. This was one of eight whales engaged in an intense heat run at Toku Island. It was one of the most action-packed heat runs I've come across, with lots of grunting, snorting, lunging and other physical contact among the whales.
    humpback-whale-split-dorsal-fin-Mega...tif
  • Dorsal view of a female and calf Bryde’s whale pair (Balaenoptera edeni). Note that Bryde's whales in this area seem to have few cookie cutter scars, in contrast with those in most other locations.
    brydes-whale-mother-calf-dorsal-view...tif
  • Clear view of the dorsal fin of injured humpback whale calf Tahafa (201114), showing the wound that probably resulted from a bite. I took this photograph during my seventh encounter out of nine total encounters with this calf. This encounter was at Toku Island. The calf and his mother were the center of attention of multiple males competing for the female. There was a primary escort, with at least five other males approaching aggressively. On one occasion, I watched the primary escort another male in the belly, hitting him full force, nose-first. The impact was audible. There was also singing during the heated action, perhaps from the primary escort. My best guess is that a false killer whale attack is the cause of the injuries to the calf.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-dorsal-f...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) with a split dorsal fin. This characteristic shows up every once in a while among the whales that visit Vava'u in the Kingdom of Tonga.
    split-dorsal-fin-humpback-whale-tong...tif
  • One of several humpback whales in a rampaging heat run. There was a lot of body contact in this heat run, resulting in minor scrapes and injuries to several of the whales. It was not clear whether the dorsal fin of this whale was severed during the heat run or at a separate time.
    humpback-whale-with-injured-dorsal-f...tif
  • One of several humpback whales in a rampaging heat run. There was a lot of body contact in this heat run, resulting in minor scrapes and injuries to several of the whales. It was not clear whether the dorsal fin of this whale was severed during the heat run or at a separate time.
    humpback-whale-with-injured-dorsal-f...tif
  • Dorsal fin of southern humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) with acorn barnacles (Coronula diadema) and whale lice (Cyamus boopis) visible.
    southern-humpback-whale-dorsal-barna...tif
  • A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) with an unusual notch or split in its dorsal fin. These types of notches and splits are useful for recognizing individual whales.
    humpback-whale-split-dorsal-fin-tong...tif
  • Adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) with a split dorsal. She was the mother of male calf 201411 in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    split-dorsal-fin-female-humpback-wha...tif
  • An average-looking, normal humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) dorsal fin shape
    humpback-whale-dorsal-fin-megaptera-...tif
  • Dorsal fin of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that was one of three (female, calf and escort) that swam into Neiafu Harbor at sunset in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga. The whales rarely swim all the way into the harbor, as there are many boats and people. Some of the whale's vertebrae are also visible from this angle.
    humpback-whale-dorsal-fin-sunset-ton...tif
  • Dorsal fin of a large Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) exhibiting the characteristic hooked shape of this species. This particular whale has a small notch on the trailing edge of its dorsal fin, making it easy to recognize. Note also the injury on the dorsal surface. The whale was also missing the left tip of its fluke, perhaps from an attack earlier in its life.
    brydes-whale-balaenoptera-edeni-trin...tif
  • View of the back of a massive humpback whale (Megaptera novaengliae) coming for a breath of air. When viewed from this angle, the whale's blowholes resemble the shape of a person's nose.
    humpback-whale-dorsal-surface-with-n...tif
  • Pronounced dorsal fin of a Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) in the shallow waters of the upper Gulf of Thailand. This whale was one of three that were foraging on anchovies. This whale's name is Jao Taengthai.
    brydes-whale-dorsal-gulf-thailand-20...tif
  • Humpback whale female (Megaptera novaeangliae) relaxing with her male calf. The adult has a split dorsal fin. Photographed in Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga.
    humpback-whale-female-calf-tonga-201...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in southeast Alaska ermerging from the water to breathe
    humpback-whale-surfacing-to-breathe-...tif
  • Adult female humpback whale that had fresh scratch/ shred marks her dorsal surface, posterior to the dorsal fin, with blood still visible. I have seen this scraping wound pattern often on both adults and calves, though I have not been able to determine the cause. This whale was the mother of calf 201145 (female).
    scraping-wound-dorsal-surface-humpba...tif
  • This male Neoclinus bryope blenny has an unusual dorsal fin with two prominent blue spots. Most individuals of this species have one spot. Photographed at a magnification of two times life-size.
    neoclinus-bryope-blenny-unusual-dors...tif
  • This male Neoclinus bryope blenny has an unusual dorsal fin with multiple blue spots. In this location, most individuals of this species have one spot. A few have two. This one has four large spots and a number of smaller ones, a nice example of genetic variation.
    neoclinus-bryope-blenny-unique-dorsa...tif
  • This female humpback whale calf and her mother both had scratch/ shred marks on their dorsal surfaces, posterior to the dorsal fin. I have seen this pattern many times, but I am unable to determine a cause.
    humpback-whale-calf-unidentified-inj...tif
  • Injured humpback whale calf Tahafa (calf #14 of the 2011 season) beside his mother. The calf’s wounds on its dorsal surface are visible in this photo, which I took during my initial encounter with this pair. The wounds are relatively fresh, with raw flesh exposed. A substantial portion of the anterior part of the calf’s dorsal fin is missing. Over the course of nine encounters spanning 33 days, I watched this young whale grow from a scared, injured baby to a confident young male. His mother also progressed from being understandably cautious and agitated to relaxed and confident. My best guess is that a false killer whale attack is the cause of the injuries to the calf.
    humpback-whale-calf-injuries-dorsal-...tif
  • Dorsal view of a pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda)
    pygmy-blue-whale-dorsal-view-201502-...tif
  • Mature Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) diving down to forage for food. This whale had an injury to the left lobe of its fluke, perhaps resulting from an attack when it was younger. The whale also had a prominent notch in the trailing edge of its dorsal fin, and an injury on its dorsal surface on the left side of its dorsal fin. These markings make it easy to identify this whale.
    brydes-whale-injured-fluke-balaenopt...tif
  • This photograph shows the progress of healing of the wounds on the dorsal surface of injured humpback whale calf Tahafa (calf 201114). I took this photo during my ninth and final encounter with this calf and his mother. The missing chunk on the anterior portion of the calf’s dorsal fin is clearly visible, though the wound has healed quite a bit since my first sighting of this calf just over a month earlier. The other wound on his back, anterior of the dorsal fin, has healed nicely, with just a small open area still visible. My best guess is that a false killer whale attack is the cause of the injuries to the calf.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-recoveri...tif
  • This is a piece of skin that was shed from the dorsal surface of the fluke of a female humpback whale. The whale repeatedly held her fluke above the surface of the ocean while resting in a head-down position, such that her body was oriented vertically in the water. There was significant peeling or shedding of skin from the fluke’s dorsal surface, most likely due to normal sloughing off of skin. I speculate that another possibility could be that the whale may have had sunburn as a consequence of her resting behaviour. Note the pattern of the skin. Date of encounter was 18 August 2017. See separate photos of fluke above water.
    humpback-whale-skin-201708-5917-5933.tif
  • First encounter with Tahafa (calf #14 of the 2011 season) with his mother. The calf has visible wounds on its dorsal surface. The anterior portion of its dorsal fin appears to have been bitten off. The adult female is nearly all black. I had nine encounters with this calf over 33 days, watching it grow from a shy, injured baby to a confident young male. My best guess is that the wounds were inflicted by a pack of marine mammals, possibly false killer whales.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-tahafa-w...tif
  • Fluke of a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) diving to forage for krill in deep water. Note the distinctive crease on the whale's dorsal surface, just behind the dorsal fin. This, plus several white spots on this whale's body (including the two white spots visible on the right fluke), made this individual easy to recognize. Photograph taken under permit.
    blue-whale-fluke-Balaenoptera-muscul...tif
  • Adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) engaged in tail slapping with her calf. The calf is slapping its fluke in the normal manner, with ventral side down, while its mother is tail slapping with dorsal side down, hitting the dorsal surface of her fluke on the ocean surface. This type of joint activity is common with humpback whale mother and babies. The calf is Orion, the 13th calf I counted in the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whales-mother-calf-tail-sla...tif
  • Female sperm whale diving. This particular individual had many white patches (unique pattern of birthmarks) on her abdomen and a bit on her dorsal surface, making her easy to identify. She was quite shy, and dived quickly. Note the stream of bubbles trailing from her dorsal fin as she dives.
    sperm-whale-diving-trailing-bubbles_...tif
  • Female humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) with mysterious scraping injuring along its right flank. This type of wound is relatively common among the humpback whales that visit Tonga. The scraping pattern is usually seen along both sides of the dorsal ridge, from the dorsal fin to the fluke, with bilateral symmetry.
    humpback-whale-calf-injury-scraping-...tif
  • Fluke of a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) diving to forage for krill in deep water. Note the distinctive crease on the whale's dorsal surface, just behind the dorsal fin. This, plus several white spots on this whale's body (including the two white spots visible on the top of the right fluke), made this individual easy to recognize. Photograph taken under permit.
    blue-whale-fluke-sri-lanka-Balaenopt...tif
  • Adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) engaged in tail slapping with her calf. The calf is slapping its fluke in the normal manner, with ventral side down, while its mother is tail slapping with dorsal side down, hitting the dorsal surface of her fluke on the ocean surface. This type of joint activity is common with humpback whale mother and babies. The calf is Orion, the 13th calf I counted in the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-mother-calf-tail-slap...tif
  • Top-down view of a mature male Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) cruising over healthy coral reef
    male-napoleon-wrasse-cheilinus-undul...tif
  • This is a male hairy frogiish (Antennarius striatus) with illicium (rod) and esca (lure) extended for the purpose of attracting prey. The wormlike shape of the esca is characteristic of this species. The illicium and esca are part of the frontmost of three dorsal fins.
    antennarius-striatus-striated-frogfi...tif
  • This is a large male hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus) with his esca, or lure, extended to entice prey. The esca is situated at the end of a long rod called the illicium, which is the fish’s front-most dorsal fin. The white hair-like protrusions of the fish’s body are small skeleton shrimp (Caprellidae), clearly visible at 100% magnification. This photograph was taken five days prior to this fish spawning with a smaller female.
    antennarius-striatus-striated-frogfi...tif
  • This bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is a part of the endangered Sea of Okhotsk subpopulation, with population estimates in the low hundreds. This individual was turned upside-down while performing loud percussive slaps on the ocean surface with the dorsal surface of its fluke. Orca rake marks are visible on the corners of the whale’s fluke. The whale was part of a large social gathering, comprising well over 50 whales. This whale’s tail slapping could be heard for a long distance. When this whale stopped, the gathering dissolved, with whales breaking moving away as singles and in smaller groups.
    balaena-mysticetus-endangered-okhots...tif
  • This is one of several mature humpback whales engaged in bubble net feeding. The injury marks on its left dorsal surface look like they may be the result of a run-in with the propellor of a boat, perhaps a small vessel. I photographed this same whale in 2016 (see humpback-whale-ship-propellor-injury-alaska-201607-0621.tif) , also participating in a bubble-net feeding group at the time. In 2016, the group with this whale was working the coast between Point Retreat and Funter Bay. In 2018, this whale was with a group feeding in the nearby Icy Strait area, primarily around Pleasant Island and Gustavus.
    humpback-whale-ship-propellor-injury...tif
  • This is an adult female humpback whale that repeatedly held her fluke above the surface of the ocean while resting in a head-down position, such that her body was oriented vertically in the water. There was significant peeling or shedding of skin from the fluke’s dorsal surface, as seen in this photo. Though the peeling was most likely due to normal sloughing off of skin, it was reminiscent of how human skin peels when sunburned. I speculate that another possibility could be that the whale may have had sunburn as a consequence of her resting behaviour. Date of encounter was 18 August 2017. See separate detail photograph of skin recovered from the fluke of this whale.
    humpback-whale-fluke-sunburn-peeling...tif
  • Mature male killer whale (Orcinus orca), with his tall dorsal fin in full display, swimming in the cold waters of Norway
    mature-male-orca-norway-201601-0566.tif
  • Lutjanus bohar are commonly referred to as twinspot snapper, and sometimes as red snapper. As shown here, this species is capable of taking on coloration other than red. This happens during spawning aggregations, but also when fish are alone, as is the case here. The two dorsal spots can also appear and disappear. This species is an active predator, as suggested by the prominent canine teeth.
    lutjanus-bohar-twinspot-snapper-prof...tif
  • Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) surfing. Note that the dolphin’s eye is closed. Also note the teeth rake marks on the dorsal surface of the animal. These are likely to be scars from encounters with other dolphins.
    indo-pacific-bottlenose-dolphin-sout...tif
  • This is a comet (Calloplesiops altivelis), an elegant, cryptic fish that possesses a false eye on its dorsal fin, probably to mislead predators. When alarmed, comets poke their heads into a hole or crevice and expose their tail ends in order to discourage potential predators by mimicking the head of the moray eel.
    comet-fish-Calloplesiops-altivelis-l...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap, with dorsal surface hitting the surface of the ocean. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-meg...tif
  • This is a top-down view from the dorsal side of a male spotty blenny (Laiphognathus multimaculatus). This male was looking out from his burrow in the early morning, searching for females to court during the breeding season. From this perspective, the fish's ability to control each eye in an independent manner is apparent.
    laiphognathus-multimaculatus-spotty-...tif
  • Japanese pygmy squids (Idiosepius paradoxus) possess an attachment organ under the dorsal surface of their mantle, which they use to secure themselves to seaweed such as this eelgrass. This individual is a female, as evidenced by her collection of elongated white spermatophores that have been provided by multiple males.
    idiosepius-paradoxus-female-with-spe...tif
  • This is a view from underwater of an adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) executing a reverse tail slap or penduncle slap. Pictured here, the whale has just slapped the surface of the ocean with the dorsal side of her penduncle and fluke, resulting in the copious whitewater and froth visible in this image. This whale did this repeatedly as part of extended play with her female calf, which was executing tail slaps and breaching.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-und...tif
  • Mature male orca (Orcinus orca) in the foreground, with other mature males visible in the background. Pairs and small groups of mature males were common in this area of Norway, swimming apart from their larger social units. Mature males are easily recognizable by their prominent dorsal fins.
    orca-adult-male-norway-orcinus-orca-...tif
  • Scarring on the dorsal surface of a female humpback whale’s fluke, most likely rake marks left by marine mammal predators such as killer whales (Orcinus orca) or false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). This female was seen with calves in Tonga in 2008 and 2009. The scarring on her fluke made her easy to recognize. Her 2009 calf is visible in this photo, hiding under the adult’s body.
    scarred-fluke-humpback-whale-with-ca...tif
  • Humpback whales with white dorsal surfaces on their pectoral fins are relatively uncommon around Tonga. They are more common in the northern hemisphere. Here is a humpback whale with white pectoral fins breaching during the 2012 breeding season, when there were an unusually high number of these individuals in the area.
    breaching-humpback-whale-white-pecto...tif
  • This is Toluua, the 32nd calf I identified during the 2011 season in Vava'u, Tonga. This calf was female and extremely friendly and playful. This is the second time I have photographed this female with a calf. She is easily recognizable by her unique dorsal fin, which is more of a stump than a traditional fin shape, and has white rune-like markings on both sides. The first time I came across this adult was in 2009, when she was with Luna, calf #13 of that season, also a friendly little female. In both 2009 and 2011, the adult female was extremely relaxed, demonstrating a consistent disposition across the two-year interval.
    humpback-whale-mother-and-calf-megap...tif
  • This is a female humpback whale that was the center of attention in a heat run of five humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Behind her is one of the males, easily recognizable by the step-like rear edge of its dorsal fin.
    female-humpback-whale-in-heat-run-me...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap, with dorsal surface hitting the surface of the ocean. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-meg...tif
  • Southern hemisphere humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) female with calf, photographed in the Vava'u island group in the Kingdom of Tonga. This is the second time I've come across this adult. I first met her in 2009 with a female calf (Luna, #13 of that season), and I recognised this whale immediately upon resighting her in 2011. She has a unique dorsal fin that is more of a stub than a fin, with easily recognisable rune-like, white markings. She also has a relaxed, friendly disposition, which remained unchanged from 2009 to 2011. This adult is the fifth individual I've been able to document with repeat visits to Tonga with calves since I started keeping track in 2008. The playful calf pictured here is also female (Toluua, calf #32 of the 2011 season in Vava'u). In 2011, I photo-identified 48 calves in Vava'u, by far the highest tally so far.
    Megaptera-novaeangliae-humpback-whal...tif
  • This is a view from underwater of an adult female humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap or penduncle slap. The whale has just slapped the surface of the ocean with the dorsal side of her penduncle and fluke, resulting in the copious whitewater and froth visible in this image. This whale did this repeatedly as part of extended play with her female calf, which was executing tail slaps and breaching.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-und...tif
  • Pictured here are three male Neoclinus bryope blennies. They are engaged in a stand-off during the reproductive season. As is apparent in this photo, the blennies are able to adjust their coloration to fit the situation and their surroundings. When these blennies emerge fully from the protection of their holes in the reef, they often become drab and bland in color as seen here, perhaps to blend-in with the background. The color of their distinctive dorsal fin spots also seems capable of shifting in hue.
    neoclinus-bryope-blennies-engaged-in...tif
  • This male humpback whale calf (Megaptera novaeangliae) was attacked and injured when it was very young. From this angle, the half-torn pectoral fin on the calf’s right side is visible. The most severe injuries were on the calf’s dorsal surface. My best guess is that the calf was attacked by false killer whales. This photo was taken approximately two and a half weeks after the attack. Despite significant injury, the calf had grown considerably. It was healthy and active.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-with-mot...tif
  • This is a rear view of the Eden’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) Somtam. This whale has a cut in dorsal fin, visible from this angle. Also visible are the protrusions that mark the spinous process of each of the whale’s vertebrae.
    balaenoptera-edeni-gulf-thailand-201...tif
  • This is one of several mature humpback whales engaged in bubble net feeding. The injury marks on its left dorsal surface look like they may be the result of a run-in with the propellor of a boat, perhaps a small vessel.
    humpback-whale-ship-propellor-injury...tif
  • This photograph is from my third of nine encounters with injured humpback whale calf Tahafa (201114). Here, the calf’s wounds are clearly visible, dorsal fin nearly severed and multiple scars from attempted bites. The calf’s mother is visible below. There was an escort with the pair during this encounter. With the presence of an escort, the mother became noticeably more relaxed than in the two earlier encounters when there was no escort present. The calf was energetic and playful during this encounter. My best guess is that the wounds resulted from a coordinated attack by false killer whales.
    humpback-whale-calf-injuries-tonga-2...tif
  • Juvenile lizardfish (Synodontidae), about 2cm long, encountered during a blackwater night dive in Palau. The second dorsal fin is an adipose fin (with no rays in it).
    juvenile-lizardfish-synodontidae-pal...tif
  • A blue whale diving down to feed on krill in the Indian Ocean, south of Sri Lanka. This whale was relatively inquisitive, proactively approaching on several occasions, and swimming along underneath our boat in one instance. This whale is easily recognizable by the white patch on the left side of its head. It also has a white area on the right side of its nose, two white spots on the right side of its fluke, and a large, visible indentation on the dorsal surface of its caudal region. Photograph taken under permit.
    blue-whale-diving-Balaenoptera-muscu...tif
  • Tahafa, humpback whale calf #14 of the 2011 season in Vava'u, swimming along with his mother. This calf sustained significant injury all over its body, possibly from an attack by false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). One of the most egregious wounds was inflicted to the anterior part of the calf's dorsal fin, which appears to have been bitten off. The wound is partially visible here. Despite the traumatic encounter, the calf grew into a strong, healthy juvenile over the 33-day period during which I came across this mother and baby nine times in both the Vava'u area and Toku Island. There was a long-term escort that accompanied this pair for at least 14 days.
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-swimming...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap, with dorsal surface hitting the surface of the ocean. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-meg...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) executing a reverse tail slap, with dorsal surface hitting the surface of the ocean. This was an adult female with an accompanying calf. The mother and baby spent several hours playing together, slapping the ocean surface with their tails, breaching, and engaging in other activities. The calf was Orion, the 13th calf I counted during the 2007 season in Vava'u, Tonga.
    humpback-whale-reverse-tail-slap-meg...tif
  • Unusually patterned clown anemonefish (Amphiprion percula), missing the orange patch on its anterior dorsal area just behind the white stripe. This photograph is a film scan.
    unusual-clown-anemonefish-amphiprion...tif
  • Adult female sperm whale swimming upside-down in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. This is a position frequently adopted by sperm whales near the surface to make use of their sonar to investigate floating objects like me. I may have been the first person she had ever come across. Notice that there is a small piece missing from the dorsal edge of her right pectoral fin.
    sperm-whale-blue-water-indian-ocean_...tif
  • Adult female sperm whale swimming upside-down in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. This is a position frequently adopted by sperm whales near the surface to make use of their sonar to investigate floating objects like me. I may have been the first person she had ever come across. Notice that there is a small piece missing from the dorsal edge of her right pectoral fin.
    female-sperm-whale-sri-lanka_201104_...tif
  • This is a school of juvenile Japanese striped eel-catfish (Plotosus japonicus) feeding on a dense cloud of planktonic organisms at night. The fish are swimming in their characteristic ball-like formation. The first dorsal fin and pectoral fins have venomous spines. Photographed in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.
    plotosus-japonicus-striped-catfish-j...tif
  • This is a large male hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus) opening his mouth. Frogfishes exhibit this type of yawning behavior relatively frequently. In this image, the frogfish's illicium (rod) and esca (lure) are folded back and tucked away on top of the fish's head, comprising the front-most of three dorsal fins. The white hair-like protrusions on the fish's body are small amphipods known as skeleton shrimp (Caprellidae). This photograph was taken three days prior to this fish spawning with a smaller female.
    antennarius-striatus-striated-frogfi...tif
  • Profile of a crab-eye goby (Signigobius biocellatus), a small fish that swims in a stuttered back-and-forth motion. This unique pattern of motion is said to be reminiscent of the side-to-side movement pattern that is characteristic of crabs. with the large signature spots on the fish’s dorsal fins resembling eyes.
    crab-eye goby-signigobius-biocellatu...tif
  • This bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is a part of the endangered Sea of Okhotsk subpopulation, with population estimates in the low hundreds. This individual was turned upside-down while performing loud percussive slaps on the ocean surface with the dorsal surface of its fluke. Orca rake marks are visible on the corners of the whale’s fluke. The whale was part of a large social gathering, comprising well over 50 whales. This whale’s tail slapping could be heard for a long distance. When this whale stopped, the gathering dissolved, with whales breaking moving away as singles and in smaller groups.
    balaena-mysticetus-endangered-okhots...tif
  • This is a view of the blowholes of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae australis) from the rear.. There are several wounds visible, the most prominent of which is on the nostril ridge of the whale’s left side, with several other injured areas visible on the dorsal surface of the right side. These circular areas of exposed flesh are the scars left by cookiecutter sharks (Isistius brasiliensis), which swim up from deep water at night to take bites from larger animals.
    humpback-whale-cookiecutter-shark-bi...tif
  • This is an adult female humpback whale that repeatedly held her fluke above the surface of the ocean while resting in a head-down position, such that her body was oriented vertically in the water. There was significant peeling or shedding of skin from the fluke’s dorsal surface, as seen in this photo. Though the peeling was most likely due to normal sloughing off of skin, it was reminiscent of how human skin peels when sunburned. I speculate that another possibility could be that the whale may have had sunburn as a consequence of her resting behaviour. Date of encounter was 18 August 2017. See separate detail photograph of skin recovered from the fluke of this whale.
    humpback-whale-fluke-possible-sunbur...tif
  • Very close pass with a pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) in murky water. Note the patches of white pigmentation on the right nostril and left dorsal area. These make this whale easy to recognize, even from above water.
    pygmy-blue-whale-balaenoptera-muscul...tif
  • Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) playing on the ocean surface in an unusual position. The whale is flipped over on its back, raising its fluke high into the air and slapping the surface repeatedly with the dorsal surface of its posterior. The whale is using its pectoral fins to maintain balance while engaging in acrobatics.
    humpback-whale-playing-at-ocean-surf...tif
  • Top-down view of Tahafa, an injured male humpback whale calf that was the 14th calf I photo-identified during the 2011 season in Vava'u, Tonga. This encounter was the fifth of nine with this mother and calf, this one in the murky waters near Port Maurelle. The pair were accompanied by an escort that stayed with them for at least 14 days. Deep scars are visible all over the calf's body, with the most serious injuries being to the front of the dorsal fin, which is almost entirely severed, and the right pectoral fin, which is cut nearly half way through in the middle of the fin. Despite the injuries, the calf was healthy, active and friendly. The size and shape of the wounds suggest the possiblity of an attack by marine mammals, possibly false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens).
    injured-humpback-whale-calf-megapter...tif
  • Known as koke-ginpo in Japanese, this chaenopsid blenny is a male Neoclinus bryope. This dark coloration with the bright blue dorsal fin spot is indicative of the winter breeding season in this area, where he and other males shake, shimmy and perform to attract the attention of females. Photographed at a magnification of two times life-size.
    neoclinus-bryope-blenny-male-reprodu...tif
  • Adult female sperm whale swimming upside-down in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. This is a position frequently adopted by sperm whales near the surface to make use of their sonar to investigate floating objects like me. I may have been the first person she had ever come across. Notice that there is a small piece missing from the dorsal edge of her right pectoral fin.
    upside-down-sperm-whale-sri-lanka_20...tif
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Tony Wu Underwater Photography

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