The small critters of the reef

  Indonesia: Sulawesi - July 2010

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 take pictures underwater, I love these little beasts that populate the tropical reefs. At each dive, I marvel. Like a kid, never tired.

The reefs of North Sulawesi are worth the detour. Compared to the island of BunakenIn Bangka, where I was three years ago, the sites of Bangka, a little further north, are interesting because they allow to mix different types of diving:
→ the "Muck-dive." on a sandy bottom, where the coral and algae debris, holes and bumps are carefully scanned for any bugs hiding in them;
→ the classic ride along the drop offs, rich in groves of colorful soft corals and schools of spinning fish.

I decided not to return to Bunaken this year. The place begins to become a little too well known and frequented. The resorts have developed on the island and it seems that we meet more divers and apprentice divers than fish under water ...

Bangka is definitely more peaceful, and especially its funds are better preserved. And at Murex, there are great guides, to the eyes of lynx under water ...

Here is the little people of the reef, crossed around the Bangka. You just have to click once on a picture : it will open wide, with its caption, and you can then navigate from one picture to another, with the arrows of the keyboard... Have a nice walk !

Toadfish

They are colloquially called frog-fish or toads, because of the English name "frog-fish". It suits them. The family to which they belong is that of the antennaires. I like them very much, these shapeless fish that can barely swim and 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 everyone's little name, but my favorite is the little toadfish called "clown" (3rd photo 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 little orange spots, is a tiny fish that I had never met before.

Small cuttlefish and mini octopus

All these creatures change in appearance and color, when they feel threatened or seek to be confused with the environment. The effect is always striking.

The astonishing little flamboyant cuttlefish (photo 2) is bristling with pustules and seems to be covered with waves of fire. We would spend hours admiring the infinite variations of her dress, which gives the impression of constantly waving.

Seahorses and cousins

Ah! How far away it seems to me, my very first encounter with the tiny pygmy seahorse, smaller than the nail on my little finger. And how much progress, since 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.

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 too, to give us their scientific name... 😉

😉

  Indonesia: Sulawesi - July 2010