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  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) gathering at dawn in preparation for a spawning aggregation. The heads of some individuals have turned white, indicating that they are ready for spawning activity. The majority of fish, however, are not quite ready. Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of fish gather and mill around until there is consensus reached. Then all the fish rush out to deeper water for group spawning.
    bumphead-parrotfish-gathering-before...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) gathering in shallow water just after sunrise, in preparation for group spawning involving thousands of fish. The fish pictured here are in the transitional time between coming together and the commencement of spawning. Some of the fish have pale faces, which signals their readiness to spawn, while others have yet to take on the pale hue. An outgoing current carrying a lot of suspended particles resulted in low visibility on this day. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • This is a pair of tomato hinds (Cephalopholis sonnerati). The fish looking toward the camera is male. The fish viewed side-on is female, with a belly full of eggs. When I took this photograph, the time for these fish to spawn was approaching.
    cephalopholis-sonnerati-male-female-...tif
  • This is a pair of hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus) just starting to spawn. The orange fish in on the left is the male, the lighter fish on the right the female. The egg raft is visible between the two fish, just starting to be released by the female. Also, at 100% magnification, there is what appears to be the beginning of white fluid being emitted by the male. This might be the sperm.
    antennarius-striatus-striated-frogfi...tif
  • The chaotic action of a bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) spawning aggregation, comprising thousands of fish releasing clouds of sperm and eggs into the water. As depicted here, groups of spawning fish, led by one or possibly more females, rise up from the primary mass of fish to release their gametes, and then rejoin the swarm below. Photographed in the early morning in the Republic of Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • A group of bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) swimming around a grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrynchos), with one of the fish rubbing its body against the shark's skin. Bigeye trevallies and other species of fish engage in this activity from time to time, perhaps to remove parasites or other irritations from their skin. For the most part, the sharks do not seem to mind, though they sometimes take off at high speed. Note also that one of the bigeye trevallies is dark. The change in coloration is associated with reproduction. Photographed at Blue Corner in Palau.
    bigeye-trevally-rubbing-against-grey...tif
  • Juvenile pajama cardinalfish hiding among coral in the calm and safe shallow-water environment of Mandarin Fish Lake in Palau
    juvenile-pajama-cardinalfish-Sphaera...tif
  • This is a Stichaeus grigorjewi, sometimes called a long shanny or northern blenny. It is a deepwater species that resides down to depths of around 300 meters in the Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk. Females come up to shallower water to lay eggs. This fish is edible, but the eggs contain a toxin called dinogunellin, which can cause vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and other unpleasant symptoms if ingested. There are no recorded cases of deaths from consumption of eggs. As pictured here, the fish repeatedly extended and retracted a long, twisted, multi-pronged tongue-like appendage reminiscent of the lure used by stargazers (Uranoscopidae) to attract prey.
    stichaeus-grigorjewi-long-shanny-nor...tif
  • This is a Stichaeus grigorjewi, sometimes called a long shanny or northern blenny. It is a deepwater species that resides down to depths of around 300 meters in the Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk. Females come up to shallower water to lay eggs. This fish is edible, but the eggs contain a toxin called dinogunellin, which can cause vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and other unpleasant symptoms if ingested. There are no recorded cases of deaths from consumption of eggs. As pictured here, the fish repeatedly extended and retracted a long, twisted, multi-pronged tongue-like appendage reminiscent of the lure used by stargazers (Uranoscopidae) to attract prey.
    stichaeus-grigorjewi-long-shanny-nor...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 two male Zoarchias major eelpouts engaging in mouth-to-mouth battle in mid-water. When these fish fight, they usually do not leave the substrate. There are bigger fish around that will happily eat them. These two individuals were evenly matched, which made for a protracted, intense battle.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-males-fighti...tif
  • Solitary longfin bannerfish swimming along a coral reef. This fish appeared to be patrolling a limited area, with a tendency to return to this one spot. After a while, the fish grew accustomed to my presence and approached closely.
    longfin-bannerfish-pennant-coralfish...tif
  • A thorny seahorse (Hippocampus hystrix) missing its snout and mouth. It was unclear how this fish lost its mouth, but it may have been attacked by another fish. The seahorse looked healthy, but it's difficult to see how it could have survived much longer without a mouth.
    Hippocampus-hystrix-seahorse-missing..tiff
  • This composite sequence of six images depicts the spawning sequence of a pair of hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus). When the female is ready to spawn, the male nudges her swollen abdomen and the pushes her up into the water column. The height to which the fish ascend varies from case to case. In this instance, the fish only rose about a meter from the sea floor prior to spawning. This sequence spans between three and four seconds.
    antennarius-striatus-hairy-frogfish-...tif
  • Pictured here are freshly spawned eggs of a fish called spotty-bellied greenling (Hexagrammos agrammus), known as kujime in Japanese. The fish live in coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, East China Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. Each egg is about 3mm in size. A developing embryo is visible at the bottom center of the image, with the eye and jaw structures just becoming discernable. Photographed at a magnification of four times life-size.
    hexagrammos-agrammus-eggs-japan-2019...tif
  • Zoarchias major eelpouts engaged in competitive fighting within a mass of Sargassum hemiphyllum algae. These fish, known as ookazunagi in Japanese, blend-in well with the coloration of this and other algaes and seaweeds, providing them with some protection from predation by larger fish.
    zoarchias-major-male-eelpouts-compet...tif
  • This is a top-down view of a juvenile Eumicrotremus uenoi lumpsucker, estimated length three to four millimeters from head to tip of caudal fin. As these tiny fish mature, they lose the white rings that characterize the juveniles. This fish is sitting on Colpomenia sinuosa algae. The white crystals are grains of sand, which provide a sense of scale. This species is found in the North Pacific, on the western coast of Japan and southern coast of the Korean peninsula. Photographed at magnification of four times life-size.
    eumicrotremus-uenoi-juvenile-japan-2...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
  • 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
  • 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
  • An aggregation of Lutjanus bohar snapper engaged in mass spawning. As pictured here, large groups of fish cluster together before swimming rapidly in unison to release clouds of sperm and eggs. Thousands of fish were gathered for this spawning event. Photographed in Palau.
    Lutjanus-bohar-snapper-spawning-aggr...tif
  • Humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) congregating before spawning in large numbers. These fish gather by the thousands, milling around until the tidal conditions are just right. In this photograph, the heads of the fish have not yet turned white, a color change which is a precursor to mass spawning. Photographed in Palau.
    humphead-parrotfish-bolbometopon-mur...tif
  • This is a part of a spawning aggregation comprising thousands of Bohar snapper (Lutjanus bohar) gathered in deep water in the early morning. Prior to spawning, the fish take on a range of coloration, as pictured here. Of note, the fish do not all seem to take on the same color hues or patterns. Photographed in Palau.
    lutjanus-bohar-snapper-spawning-aggr...tif
  • A pair of bigeye jacks (Caranx sexfasciatus), with the male temporarily turned black in preparation for spawning. Another pair of fish also getting ready to spawn is visible in the background. These fish were among a large school of several hundred jacks swimming above the Blue Corner dive site in Palau.
    bigeye-trevally-mating-spawning-blue...tif
  • A lone great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) opening its mouth and displaying its sharp teeth. This fish stalked many small fish for over an hour at dusk, but it missed every time it made a lightning-quick strike.
    great-barracuda-Sphyraena-barracuda-...tif
  • There are still virgin reefs like this that few people have seen, where unspoiled corals carpet the reef system and countless fish gather to feed in the currents. This photograph is from a dive site called Tokyo Express in the Eastern Fields of Papua New Guinea.
    unspoiled-coral-reef-millions-of-fis...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 lizardfish (Synodus sp.) that has just caught a butterflyfish (Chaetodon sp.). Lizardfish are ambush predators. They lie in wait on the bottom, often perched at a slight angle, such that the fish looks up into the water column. When potential prey passes overhead, the lizardfish darts up in the blink of an eye to grab its meal. While some fish do get away, the many sharp, backward-pointing teeth in a lizardfish’s mouth make escape difficult.
    lizardfish-eating-butterflyfish-2010...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 is a mature male Pteragogus aurigarius wrasse, found in the Northwest Pacific around Japan and Taiwan. <br />
Males compete with one another to establish territorial boundaries. This individual has just engaged in a brief battle with another male. He is departing the area, suggesting that he was no match for the rival male. These fish are normally darker in coloration.  This light hue might possibly be a sign of submission. There is no common name in English for this fish. It is known as uhaguro-bera in Japanese.
    pteragogus-aurigarius-wrasse-male-ja...tif
  • Pictured here is a developing embryo inside of one of the unusually shaped eggs of a seven-lined prickleback (Ernogrammus zhirmunskii), which is a small fish found in the Northwest Pacific and Sea of Japan. The egg is around 2mm to 3mm in size, photographed here at a magnification of four times life-size. The eggs are in a cluster, with each egg interlocked with others around it. Other eggs and fish embyros are visible in the background.
    ernogrammus-zhirmunskii-eggs-seven-l...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 mature male Asian sheepshead wrasse (Semicossyphus reticulatus). The fish has taken on whitish coloration for the breeding season. During this season, the male mates with multiple females, and defends his terrority against other males. Wrasses are protogynous hermaphrodites, so this male, like all other males of this species, started life as a female. At 100% magnification parasites attached to the fish’s face are visible.
    asian-sheepshead-wrasse-semicossyphu...tif
  • Group of twinspot snappers (Lutjanus bohar) gathered as part of an early-morning spawning aggregation involving thousands of fish. Note the range of coloration displayed by individual fish, which most often appear red when seen by scuba divers.
    lutjanus-bohar-spawning-aggregation-...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) engaged in a massive spawning aggregation, with one group of fish pictured here rising above the mass to spawn. There is one female at the center of the mass, with others being male fish. This takes place early in the morning.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...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
  • A small group of humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) that has moved away from the main mass of thousands of fish in order to spawn. This happens repeatedly during mass spawning, with groups of fish swimming away and spawning in rapid succession, leaving the water milky-white and murky. Photographed in Palau.
    bolbometopon-muricatum-bumphead-parr...tif
  • This is a small portion of a mass gathering of thousands of humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) that have come together for spawning. When these fish are ready to spawn, their faces take on the pale coloration depicted here. Of interest, some of the fish that participate in this group spawning activity do not exhibit pale faces. Photographed in Palau.
    humphead-parrotfish-mass-spawning-bo...tif
  • This is a Eumicrotremus awae lumpsucker, known as dango-uo in Japanese. About 1cm in size, this fish uses modified pectoral fins to adhere to surfaces. Here, the fish is leaning to its right because it is being pushed by ocean swell, with the suction-cup function of its modified pectoral fins clearly visible. Photographed in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
    eumicrotremus-awae-lumpsucker-japan-...tif
  • This is a striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus) with its mouth open, providing a clear view of the inside of the fish's mouth. The fish's mottled body pattern and its dermal spinules (which resemble hairs), provide the frogfish excellent camouflage.
    antennarius-striatus-frogfish-mouth-...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
  • Pictured here are freshly spawned eggs of a fish called spotty-bellied greenling (Hexagrammos agrammus), known as kujime in Japanese. The fish live in coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, East China Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. Each egg is about 3mm in size. Photographed at a magnification of four times life-size.
    hexagrammos-agrammus-eggs-japan-2019...tif
  • Two male Zoarchias major eelpouts intertwined in competitive battle, mouths wide open. These fish, called ookazunagi in Japanese, engage in this behavior during the spring and summer, presumably as part of their reproductive process. Despite these confrontations, it does not appear that the fish inflict harm on one another.
    zoarchias-major-males-competitive-fi...tif
  • Portrait of a female Zoarchias major eelpout looking out from a hole in the reef. These fish often occupy holes like this. On one occasion, I saw one fish kick out a blenny to take over the hole. In another instance, I watched as a female eelpout tried to enter a hole and was punched in the face by a small mantis shrimp that was already occupying the hole.
    zoarchias-major-female-portrait-japa...tif
  • White-jawed Cardinalfish (Pseudamia amblyuroptera) encountered at 15m to 25m depth during a blackwater dive just off the reef at Short Dropoff in Palau. This fish was about 10cm in length, suggesting that it is an adult or near adult. The fish was hanging vertically in the water. It showed no concern with divers being present, making no effort to swim away. It also never adopted a horizontal position.
    pseudamia-amblyuroptera-white-jawed-...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) gathering in shallow water just after sunrise, in preparation for group spawning involving thousands of fish. These aggregations seem to occur often when there is a signficant level of suspended particles due to current and tide conditions. Coupled with low light levels, these conditions may provide the optimal chance for fertilized eggs to escape with the current and grow into fish larvae. Photographed in Palau.
    dawn-gathering-for-spawning-bumphead...tif
  • When small fish like basslets, damselfish and other reef residents appear in large numbers with the change of tide at Carl's Ultimate dive site in the Eastern Fields of Papua New Guinea, predators such as bluefin trevally gather in packs to hunt them. This trevally used me for camouflage to approach the swarms of small fish, then charged straight in front of me in an attempt to grab a meal.
    bluefin-trevally-Caranx-melampygus-h...tif
  • This is a juvenile smooth lumpsucker (Aptocyclus ventricosus) with its mouth open. Body size is about seven millimeters. The fish is sitting on Colpomenia sinuosa algae. The white crystals are grains of sand, which provide a sense of scale. This fish grows to a size of around 40cm and is known from Northern Pacific waters down to 1700m depth. It is the only known member of its genus.
    aptocyclus-ventricosus-juvenile-smoo...tif
  • White leaf scorpionfish with lighting at an extreme angle to highlight the fish from the background clutter of the reef
    white-leaf-scorpionfish-Taenianotus-...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
  • Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) with clutch of eggs in its mouth, eyes of the developing embryos visible. These fish are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
    Pterapogon-kauderni-endangered-Bangg...tif
  • Large school of crescent-tail bigeye fish (Priacanthus hamrur) in deep water, swarming over sand and coral bottom at the entrance to Tiputa Pass in Rangiroa, Tahiti
    schooling-crescent-tail-bigeye-fish-...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
  • This scenes depicts the split-second just before a Okhotsk Atka Mackerel (Pleurogrammus azonus) swallowed a swimming Eumicrotremus taranetzi lumpsucker. The mackerel regurgitated the little fish moments later. Lumpsuckers apparently do not taste good.
    eumicrotremus-taranetzi-pleurogrammu...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout attempting to dislodge a male from a hole in the reef. Females sometimes approach males and curl up next to them, rub against their bodies. This has been misinterpreted as behavior suggesting affection, in the courtship context. Males do the same to females as well. In reality, one fish is attempting to dislodge the other from a prime piece of real estate. Sometimes the intruder succeeds, sometimes not. Image 3 of 6 in a sequence illustrating this behavior.
    zoarchias-major-female-pulling-male-...tif
  • Two male Zoarchias major eelpouts with mouths wide open facing off in the middle of Sargassum hemiphyllum algae. The fishes blend-in well with both the coloration and texture of these brown algae and other surrounding vegetation and substrate, providing some measure of protection in the form of camouflage from larger fish patrolling the reef.
    zoarchias-major-eelpouts-fighting-sa...tif
  • This is a 7mm-long juvenile smooth lumpsucker (Aptocyclus ventricosus) sitting on Colpomenia sinuosa algae. The white crystals are grains of sand, which provide a sense of scale. This fish grows to a size of around 40cm and is known from Northern Pacific waters down to 1700m depth. It is the only known member of its genus.
    aptocyclus-ventricosus-juvenile-smoo...tif
  • This is an Indian anchovy (Stolephorus indicus), one of the anchovy species that Eden’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) feed upon in the Gulf of Thailand. It is also a primary ingredient for fish sauce, as well as many other foods in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
    indian-anchovy-stelophorus-indicus-g...tif
  • This is a Nihon grunt sculpin (Rhamphocottus nagaakii), a fish that is native to the northwest Pacific. The Japanese name is kuchi-bashi-kajika. Photographed in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
    rhamphocottus-nagaakii-nihon-grunt-s...tif
  • This is the face of a mature male Agonomalus proboscidalis fish, with a blue bat seastar (Patiria pectinifera) in the background. This species is easily recognized by the distinctive elongated proboscis. It is native to the cold polar waters of the northwest Pacific.
    agonomalus-proboscidalis-barbed-hunc...tif
  • This is a mature Eumicrotremus taranetzi lumpsucker viewed from the side. The fish wraps its caudal fin around its body in this fashion while swimming.
    eumicrotremus-taranetzi-lumpsucker-j...tif
  • This is a mature Eumicrotremus taranetzi lumpsucker viewed head-on. The fish's ability to control each eye independently is apparent.
    eumicrotremus-taranetzi-lumpsucker-j...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 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 a sea raven (Hemitripterus villosus), a fish native to the northwest Pacific.
    hemitripterus-villosus-sea-raven-jap...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 species of clingfish (Aspasma minima) that is found in the northwest Pacific. This individual was one of a pair that was living on a large growth of brown algae (Ecklonia cava). As can be seen here, the fish is capable of turning its eyes to look directly overhead.
    aspasma-minima-clingfish-japan-20210...tif
  • This is a head-on view of a Neoclinus lacunicola chaenopsid blenny, a species that can be found in shallow waters of the northwest Pacific. The species reaches a maximum length of about 6cm. The Japanese name for this fish is iwa-ana-kokeginpo. Photographed at a magnification of two times life-size.
    neoclinus-lacunicola-chaenopsid-blen...tif
  • This is a male spotty-bellied greenling (Hexagrammos agrammus) watching over several clutches of developing eggs, which are situation just below the fish's left pectoral fin. Males of this species are tasked with caring for and protecting eggs.
    hexagrammos-agrammus-spotty-bellied-...tif
  • Like other cardinalfish, spotnape cardinalfishes (Ostorhinchus notatus) are paternal mouthbrooders. When a pair of fish are ready to spawn, male and female align side-by-side. As the female pushes out a cluster of eggs, the male fertlizes them, then rapidly moves behind the female to take the eggs into his mouth for brooding. Once the transfer of eggs is accomplished, the male will care for the eggs until maturity. The gestation period varies with water temperature, but hatchout takes place after approximately two weeks. Females in this situation eventually leave the male, but they first exhibit an odd behavior after laying eggs. They appear to harass the male, chasing him and targeting 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, as pictured here. The male has just turned quickly to evade the female (visible in the background) and spit out his mouthful of eggs, sucking them back into his mouth in a fraction of a second. 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 female Zoarchias major eelpout (the orange fish) wrapping her caudal fin around the head of a male eelpout occupying a hole in the reef. The female is preparing to try to displace the male from the hole. Image 1 in a sequence of 4 photographs.
    zoarchias-major-eelpout-female-displ...tif
  • These are Zoarchias major eelpouts. The orange individual is female; the one in the hole is male. The female has approached the male, curled around him and rubbed him in a manner that divers in the area interpreted as affection or interest in the courtship context. In actuality, the female is trying to dislodge the male from the hole in order to occupy it herself. It is an antagonstic encounter, not one characterized by amorous interest. Given that these fish come up from deeper waters to congregate and socialize in this specific place at a specific time of year, the possibility that this activity is related to reproduction in the greater context is high, though how and when reproduction takes place remains unknown. Image 2 in a sequence of 3.
    zoarchias-major-female-getting-ready...tif
  • These are Zoarchias major eelpouts. The orange individual is female; the one in the hole is male. The female has approached the male, curled around him and rubbed him in a manner that divers in the area interpreted as affection or interest in the courtship context. In actuality, the female is trying to dislodge the male from the hole in order to occupy it herself. It is an antagonstic encounter, not one characterized by amorous interest. Given that these fish come up from deeper waters to congregate and socialize in this specific place at a specific time of year, the possibility that this activity is related to reproduction in the greater context is high, though how and when reproduction takes place remains unknown. Image 1 in a sequence of 3.
    zoarchias-major-female-getting-ready...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout attempting to dislodge a male from a hole in the reef. Females sometimes approach males and curl up next to them, rub against their bodies. This has been misinterpreted as behavior suggesting affection, in the courtship context. Males do the same to females as well. In reality, one fish is attempting to dislodge the other from a prime piece of real estate. Sometimes the intruder succeeds, sometimes not. Image 5 of 6 in a sequence illustrating this behavior.
    zoarchias-major-female-pulling-male-...tif
  • This is a female Zoarchias major eelpout attempting to dislodge a male from a hole in the reef. Females sometimes approach males and curl up next to them, rub against their bodies. This has been misinterpreted as behavior suggesting affection, in the courtship context. Males do the same to females as well. In reality, one fish is attempting to dislodge the other from a prime piece of real estate. Sometimes the intruder succeeds, sometimes not. Image 4 of 6 in a sequence illustrating this behavior.
    zoarchias-major-female-pulling-male-...tif
  • This is a juvenile smooth lumpsucker (Aptocyclus ventricosus) concentrating very hard on catching something to eat. Body size is about seven millimeters. This fish grows to a size of around 40cm and is known from Northern Pacific waters down to 1700m depth. It is the only known member of its genus.
    aptocyclus-ventricosus-juvenile-smoo...tif
  • This is a juvenile Eumicrotremus uenoi lumpsucker, estimated length 3mm from head to tip of caudal fin. Adults of this species are generally a single color, losing the white rings that characterize the juveniles. This fish is sitting on Colpomenia sinuosa algae. The white crystals are grains of sand, which provide a sense of scale. This species is found in the North Pacific, on the western coast of Japan and southern coast of the Korean peninsula. Photographed at magnification of four times life-size.
    eumicrotremus-uenoi-juvenile-japan-2...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, with some of her eggs visible in the background. 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
  • Slender Sandgoby (Fusigobius gracilis) watching over a clutch of eggs hanging from the ceiling of an extremely narrow burrow. The silver reflection from the eggs are the eyes of the embryonic fish. The goby was about 4cm in length, the burrow at 15m depth.
    slender-sandgoby-fusigobius-gracilis...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
  • Massive aggregation comprising tens of thousands of sailfin snapper (Symphorichthys spilurus) in preparation for group spawning. These fish normally live in deep water. They gather several times a year for this spawning phenomenon. Photographed in Palau.
    sailfin-snapper-aggregation-for-grou...tif
  • Close encounter with an inquisitive crescent-tail bigeye fish (Priacanthus hamrur). Photographed at Tiputa Pass in Rangiroa, Tahiti.
    priacanthus-humrur-crescent-tail-big...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) coming together in deep water early in the morning as part of their preparation for group spawning involving thousands of fish. Their faces turn pale prior to commencing group spawning. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-bolbometopon-mur...tif
  • Bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) spawning aggregation, early morning in deep water, with groups of fish coalescing to release sperm and eggs into the current. Photographed in Palau.
    bumphead-parrotfish-spawning-aggrega...tif
  • 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
  • A beautiful Lori's Anthias (Pseudanthias lori). This fish is male, with characteristic red, orange, yellow, blue and purple coloration on its body. Photographed at Carl's Ultimate dive site in the Eastern Fields of Papua New Guinea, a submerged coral reef atoll in the Coral Sea
    Pseudanthias-lori-basslet-anthias-ea...tif
  • School of Yellowstripe Scad (Selaroides leptolepis) swimming under the jetty at Samarai Island in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, one fish with its mouth wide open.
    Selaroides-leptolepis-yellowstripe-s...tif
  • When the tides change and the currents run at Carl's Ultimate dive site in the Eastern Fields of Papua New Guinea, fish of all description swarm the reef by the millions. I've seen more fusilier damselfish (Lepidozygus tapeinosoma) like the ones pictured here at this dive site than I have at any other location I've ever dived. It is truly one of the world's greatest spectacles.
    Luzonichthys-waitei-basslets-swarmin...tif
  • Porcupine pufferfish are really cute up-close. Their oversized eyes and puckered up lips give these fish a signature ET look.
    Cyclichthys-orbicularis-Porcupine-pu..tiff
  • This is a mature Eumicrotremus taranetzi lumpsucker. From this angle, the disk that comprises the fish's modified pelvic fins is visible. This is the sucker that lumpsuckers use to adhere to rocks and other surfaces.
    eumicrotremus-taranetzi-lumpsucker-j...tif
  • Pictured here are fresh eggs of a six-lined prickleback (Ernogrammus hexagrammus), a fish that is found in the Northwest Pacific. The eggs are around 3mm in size.
    ernogrammus-hexagrammus-eggs-six-lin...tif
  • This cryptic bottom-dweller is known as a velvetfish (Paraploactis sp.). These fish lack swim bladders, which means that they are negatively buoyant and cannot swim well.
    paraploactis-velvetfish-200903-2477.tif
  • This is a female Radulinopsis taranetzi sculpin attending to a clutch of eggs, which are attached to a rock. The fish extends her mouth and sucks on the eggs to keep them clean and aerated.
    radulinopsis-taranetzi-sculpin-with-...tif
  • This is a female Radulinopsis taranetzi sculpin attending to a clutch of eggs, which are attached to a rock. The fish extends her mouth and sucks on the eggs to keep them clean and aerated.
    radulinopsis-taranetzi-sculpin-with-...tif
  • This is an Okhotsk Atka Mackerel (Pleurogrammus azonus), an important food species in the northern Pacific. The fish is known as Hokke in Japanese.
    pleurogrammus-azonus-okhotsk-atka-ma...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 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
  • Pictured here is a pair of juvenile smooth lumpsuckers (Aptocyclus ventricosus), sheltered among folds at the base of wakame seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida). Pattern and color variation among juveniles is normal. Juveniles of this species spend the early part of their lives in shallow water, then descend to the deep. These fish are around 6mm in size, photographed at magnification of two times life-size.
    aptocyclus-ventricosus-lumpsucker-ju...tif
  • This is a Gymnocanthus herzensteini sculpin, native to the Northwest Pacific Ocean. Normally found at depths of 50m to 100m, this fish ascended to a shallow area during an upwelling of cold water from the deep. It measured about 30cm in length and was highly inquisitive.
    gymnocanthus-herzensteini-sculpin-ja...tif
  • This is a Gymnocanthus herzensteini sculpin, native to the Northwest Pacific Ocean. Normally found at depths of 50m to 100m, this fish ascended to a shallow area during an upwelling of cold water from the deep. It measured about 30cm in length and was highly inquisitive.
    gymnocanthus-herzensteini-sculpin-ja...tif
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