They are everywhere. You can see a well camouflaged moving shell from a distance … it moves faster than its original owner would be able. If you get closer you can see legs and antennae. But you must get really close to be able to admire the details … the “fur”, the beautiful combination of […]

Look at these colour varieties. The same skin (it looks prickly but is relatively soft) but such a contrast of colour and pattern. Though I usually find cucumbers that are dark brown-red, covered with a layer of silt and overall blend with the surrounding environment, some individuals are of a bright colour and pattern and […]

I usually meet clown nudibranches crawling on rocks or algae so was quite surprised when I met them on the sandy bottom of Mahurangi Harbour for the first time. They didn’t seem to be happy though, I thought they could not get a proper grip on the fine sand / mud so could not fight […]

Mahurangi Harbour with its fine sandy (sometimes muddy) bottom is a good place for comb sea stars to live in … and for divers to observe them. Keywords: sea star “sea star” starfish comb “comb sea star” “comb star” Astropecten polyacanthus “Astropecten polyacanthus” arm spiny spine underwater undersea Pacific ocean temperate echinoderm bottom “bottom dwelling” sandy […]

It’s called wandering anemone, however, it’s an anemone so don’t expect it to run around. It moves (very) slowly or it lets currents and wave movements do the job. Anyway, its big column with corn-like tubercles makes it a great subject for observation / photography. Keywords: “wandering anemone” anemone “Phlyctenactis tuberculosa” Phlyctenactis tuberculosa close-up “close up” […]

Though officially not a “jewel” anemone (there are “real” jewel anemones) for me this anemone is a jewel in its own way. The combination of white and orange colours plus the translucency of its column make it a great object for a macro photographer. Also it does not move which is a great bonus 🙂 […]