Ornate ghost fish. (Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010)
Ornate ghost fish. (Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010)

The small critters of the reef

  Indonesia: Sulawesi - July 2010

Dear English-speaking readers, this page is an automatic translation of an article originally written in French. I apologise for any strange sentences and funny mistakes that may have resulted. If you read French, click on the French flag below to access the original, correct text: 


In Indonesia, the word "biodiversity" makes sense. Here in the Sea of Celebes, the underwater world teems with bizarre and fascinating creatures, often tiny.

The beautiful reefs of Bangka Island

Since I have been taking pictures underwater, I have been fascinated by these little creatures that inhabit the tropical reefs. Each time I dive, I am amazed. Like a kid, I never get tired of it.

The reefs of North Sulawesi are definitely worth a visit. Compared to the island of BunakenThe Bangka sites, where I was three years ago, are interesting because they allow you to mix different types of diving:
→ the "Muck-dive." on a sandy bottom, where we carefully scan the coral and seaweed debris, the holes and bumps, to find the bugs that hide there;
→ the classic ride along the drop offs, rich in groves of colorful soft corals and schools of spinning fish.

A lionfish scares me out of the corner of my eye ... (Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Soft corals. (Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

I decided not to go back to Bunaken this year. The place is becoming a bit too famous and crowded. Resorts have developed on the island and it seems that there are more divers and trainee divers than fish underwater...

Bangka is definitely more peaceful, and especially its funds are better preserved. And at MurexThere are great guides, with lynx eyes under water...

Walk along the reef. (Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Here are the small people of the reef, crossed around the Bangka. You just have to click once on a picture : it will open in big size, with its caption, and you will be able to navigate from a picture to another, with the arrows of the keyboard... Have a nice trip !

Toadfish

They are colloquially known as frog-fish or toadfish, because of the English name "frog-fish". It suits them well. The family to which they belong is the antennae family. I like them a lot, these shapeless fish that can hardly swim and that look like nothing but the sponges they like to hide on.

I didn't take the time to look through the identification books to find the name of each one, but my favorite is the little toadfish called "clown" (3rd picture below). Not very cooperative, it remained clinging to its piece of coral without deigning to show me its best profile. The bottom one, with its small orange spots, is a new one for me: a tiny fish, which I had never met before.

Toadfish or antennae. Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia. July 2010.

Toadfish. (Bangka, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Toadfish or antennae. (Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Toadfish or antennae. (Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Small cuttlefish and mini octopus

All these bugs change their appearance and color in an instant, when they feel threatened or try to blend in with the environment. The effect is always striking.

The astonishing little flaming cuttlefish (2nd photo) bristles with pustules and seems to be covered with waves of fire. One could stay for hours admiring the infinite variations of its dress, which gives the impression of undulating permanently.

Cuttlefish. (Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Flaming cuttlefish. (Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Small octopus (hairy octopus) ... Nicknamed Harry Potter by my Indonesian guide! (Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Small cuttlefish. (Bangka Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Seahorses and cousins

How far away my very first encounter with the tiny pygmy seahorse, smaller than the nail on my little finger, seems. And what progress, since then this first picture of 2008 not very clear, and the following

The little sea horses, and their cousins the "ghost-pipe fishes", especially the "ornated ghost-pipe fishes", are a pleasure of macro photography.

A seahorse-pygmy hung on its gorgonian branch. (Bangka, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Another species of pygmy hippocampus. (Bangka, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

Ornate ghost fish. (Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010)
Ornate ghost fish. (Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010)

Bunch of nudibranchs

Nudibranchs? I hear it's a girl thing. Helena, Valérie, Malene are like me They love these small sea slugs, which can take on endless shapes and colors.

Here is a small bouquet harvested in the waters of Bangka. And I'm counting on Anthonywho is not a girl but who likes nudis a lot too, to give us their little scientific name... 😉

Nudibranch. (Bangka, Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 2010.)

😉

  Indonesia: Sulawesi - July 2010

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  1. Selamat pagi Corinne, -or siang, or sore, or malam- it depends when you read me 😉

    It's a feast for pygmies and toads... and even pygmy toads we'd say 😆 - I'm drooling over your "pontohi" seahorse and your polka-dotted nano-frogfish. 😯

    It's true that Murex has always had a reputation for having some of the best guides in the region... 🙂 that obviously doesn't deny itself.

    Happy photo hunt for the rest. 8)

  2. Creatures! Creatures! Creatures! 😀
    Nice pictures anyway. In the neighborhood, imagine how much fun you have to play with your camera and the animals.

  3. For nudibranchs, from top to bottom and left to right, I think it is:
    1 / nembrotha kubaryana
    2 / chromodoris fidelis
    3 / a geographical variation of mexichromis mariei
    4 / jorunna funebris
    5 / glossodoris rufomarginata
    6 / halgerda batangas

    and I love all the other species you describe too! Everything small is cute!

  4. @ Wet & Sea-Ludovic: Selamat malam!!! I'm glad you like my nano-frogfish and the little pontohi... Yes, Aswar, my guide at Murex, is really excellent. And to think he didn't like diving at all at first... Then he discovered the little creatures. Now he's a fanatic. And a connoisseur of the local seabed.
    🙄

    @Mirta: I knew you'd be happy to discover through my eyes those little underwater creatures I've told you so much about... Kisses in the neighborhood.
    😆

    @Manta: You're too good... Next time I want to identify weird bugs, I'll send you an email, it will be faster!!!! Merciiiii !!!
    😀

  5. Yippee, nudibranches! The Halgerda is one of my favorites, but I have to admit that your picture of Jorunna funebris (thanks Manta) pleases me a lot too: it looks like a mini rabbit ambushed in the grass 😉

    Since May and my trip to Lembeh, I've also been hooked on frogfish. And your little polka-dot is very attractive. I'm going to put it on my "must-see" list for my next Lembeh vacation!

    In any case thank you thank you thank you for photos and story.

  6. 😮 Horror!!!! it's been a while since I took the time to visit your site and I almost missed your travelogue!!!!
    Whew I catch up lost time savoring your photos, I enjoy with nudibranchs!
    This confirms my idea of returning to Asia next year:D
    In the meantime I will dive into the Channel (water at 16 ° C it starts to heat up finally ...)

  7. @Malene: Yes, you're not the first to tell me he looks like a little bunny!!!! 😆
    As I write this reply, I'm back in Lembeh!!!! I've found the famous bungalow you know. New photos coming soon... 😉
    @ Helen: 🙂

    @Laurence: Yes, yes, yes... Asia is really worth it. And the water is closer to 29°C than 16°C... 😀

  8. The seabed harbors a rich and abundant variety of animal species for those willing to take the time to observe them... but it's often difficult to spot them because they blend in so well with their surroundings, remain motionless and are so small! 8) Superb photos immortalizing this magical encounter! 8)

  9. @auxBulles: With an eagle-eyed local dive guide who knows the sites like the back of his hand, it's much easier to spot them!
    😉

  10. Hello!
    I got this link from Cathy Haget.
    I also dive N2 & I go to Sulawesi in late July for 4 weeks.
    Browsing through various blogs, I could see that the Togian islands had good 'press' versus Bunaken (too popular) - Apparently you've decided to go even further north... I haven't booked anything yet, do you think it'll be feasible on the spot? I start in Makasar on July 30, cross Sulawesi to finish in Manado & spend 3-4 days in the islands...
    Terima kasih of your return

    Agnes

  11. Hi, silly comment, but nudibranch No. 4, from top to bottom and left to right, looks very much like a tiny white rabbit with black-tipped ears. Maybe I need to go into analysis... 🙂

    PS. Thank you for the beautiful photos ...

  12. @ Agnes Sorry I'm late in replying... You must have been there for a few days already!!!! I think you'll be able to find a place to stay and dive without too much trouble, even if you haven't booked (you always end up finding a place somewhere), so don't worry. The Togian Islands are nice, but it's quite a journey to get there. I wish you a wonderful trip!
    8)

    @Max: No, not "silly" comment at all, because you're not the first to tell me that this nudi looks like a rabbit!!!!
    😆

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