Nudibranchs (and a photo of their 'lacy' egg casing)
Nudibranchs are a group of soft-bodied, marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often-extraordinary colours and are casually known as sea slugs.
Sea Hare (Molluscs)
Giant Sea Hare (Aplysia Gigantea), Reticulated Sea Hare (Aplysia dactylomela), Wedge Sea Hare (Dolabella auricularia)
Sea hares have soft bodies with an internal shell, and like all opistobranch molluscs, they are hermaphroditic. They can measure up to 60cm in length and come in a variety of colours. The animals come together to mate and then die after laying their eggs in thin yarn like masses.
Some of these slug-like creatures contain toxins, possibly to do with their consumption of toxic algae, dog owners should be wary of them when they become washed up on beaches.
Other Molluscs
Southern Bailer/Baler (Melo miltonis), Rose-petal Bubble Shell (Hydatina physis) and Cowrie/Cowry
The Southern Bailer, found in Western Australia, can reach a total length of over 45 centimetres. The shells were highly valued by Aboriginal people who used them to store water and were seen by the early Europeans bailing out their canoes with them. The intricate patterns on the brown slug-like foot resemble Aboriginal artwork. These molluscs are generally nocturnal animals often burying into the sand during the day.
Inktober: Bait
A quick sketch in ProCreate using an Apple pencil. A pen and ink version was sketched first (see below). The sketches were inspired by photos taken at Coral Bay, Western Australia and the Inktober topic "Bait".
Rainbow Trout
An Aquarelle (watercolour) pencil sketch
Common WA Blowfish (puffer-fish) and Flathead
A characteristic of the blowfish family is a highly lethal toxin, called tetrodotoxin, present in the fishes’ skin, flesh and internal organs. In Japan, fish from this family are known as ‘fugu’ and are considered a delicacy, requiring specially trained chef to prepare and cook the fish.
Spot the blowfish buried in the sand around the flathead.
Stone fish (Synanceia)
Stonefish are extremely well camouflaged, looking like an encrusted rock or lump of coral. Their stings are extremely painful and potentially lethal. We only noticed this large one when it moved it's eyes to look at us.
Western Australian Seahorse
Scientific name: Hippocampus angustus
Hippocampus is Latin for “Horse Caterpillar”.
Seahorse are fish, swim upright and the males bear the unborn young.
Albany, Western Australia
Sea cucumber
Scientific name: Holothuroidea
Sea cucumbers are echinoderms - like starfish and sea urchins
Sea Urchins
Underwater the iridescence of the spines is awesome to see, as is watching them slowly move, crawling with their tube feet, and sometimes pushing themselves with their spines. Even after death (without the spines) these creatures are beautiful.
Sea stars, brittle stars and feather stars
Western soldier crabs (Mictyris occidentalis) - Broome, WA
Marching en masse, across the mudflats
Crustaceans - golden ghost crabs, sand crabs, nut crabs, hermit crabs, sea spiders (Pantopoda) - not a true spider, glass shrimp and skeleton shrimp (Caprellidae).
Harlequin snake eel (Myrichthys colubrinus) - Broome, WA
This eel resembles the venomous banded sea snake, Laticauda colubrina which is a form of Batesian mimicry.
It was one was one of many out hunting as the tide changed, swimming through pools of water and disappearing or appearing from the myriad of holes in the mud flats. The mimicry worked on us, we stayed at a safe distance - just-in-case.
Cephalopods
These marine animals include cuttlefish, squid, octopus and nautilus.
Fingerlings schooling under a jetty
Sea Anemone
Sea anemones are a group of marine, predatory animals. They move by creeping around on their bases, or casting themselves loose and drifting to a new location. Healthy anemones will periodically expel stale water from within their body and will deflate or appear to turn inside-out during this time (sometimes with amusing, albeit phallic shapes).
Zoanthus
Finger Zoanthus (Zoanthus praelongus) and Cliftons Zoanthid (Isaurus Cliftoni)
These animals can be found as individual polyps or as a mat, and come in a variety of colors.
Air bubbles. "Just breathe!"
Sail boats on the river.
Western Australia
Quiet contemplation as the sun sets.
Disclaimer: I am not a marine expert, but purely have an immense love and respect for the ocean and the diversity of wildlife in our environment. Please protect and conserve our planet.
For more nature related content, meander through Western Australian Orchids or, look to the skies for Western Australian Birds.
