April 4, 2018
The Removal of Shark Parasites
I recently saw some film footage on an episode of David Attenborough’s “Blue Planet II” showing several silky sharks, Carcharhinus falciformis, seemingly scraping parasites off of a whale shark, Rhincodon typus. It occurred to me that this was a form of fish cleaning to add to my growing list. I found confirmation of what I had seen on “Blue Planet... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Sharks & Rays | By Steve Reynolds
April 4, 2018
The Lifespan and Maximum Length of Grey Nurse Sharks
According to the Facebook posting at https://www.facebook.com/FisheriesWA/photos/a.264218617326814.1073741827.246412385774104/486516945096979/?type=3&theater , a tagged 2.5 metre grey nurse shark, Carcharias taurus, caught by a recreational fisher in WA had been caught and released by Fisheries scientists 23 years earlier. Back in 1995, the shark was nearly 1.9 metres long and it was estimated to be four years old. This would mean that the shark... Read morePosted in Sharks & Rays | By Steve Reynolds
April 4, 2018
The blanket octopus, Tremoctopus violaceus
Andrew Wright, General Manager for Calypso Star Charters, recently sent us some photos of what he thought was a blanket octopus that had swum into their shark viewing cage at the North Neptune Island marine park on Good Friday. (Click on the following images to enlarge them.) The octopus that swam into the shark viewing cage (Photo courtesy of Andrew... Read morePosted in Cephalopods, Marine invertebrates, Molluscs | By Steve Reynolds
March 31, 2018
Some Anchor Stories
“Star of Greece” author, Paul Simpson says that this large anchor at Semaphore jetty is the swing anchor from the Star of Greece. The large Trotman anchor at Semaphore jetty (said to be the swing anchor from the Star of Greece) (Taken by Steve Reynolds) “It’s a Trotman anchor,” he says, “she carried two (Trotman anchors) and two admiralty patents... Read morePosted in Citizen Science, Maritime History, Shipwrecks | By Steve Reynolds
March 7, 2018
Sea Turtle Cleaners
To extend upon my series of article regarding cleaning symbiosis and fish cleaners, I will now discuss the cleaning of sea turtles. According to Wikipedia, “Cleaning symbiosis is known from several groups of animals both in the sea and on land. Cleaners include fish, shrimps and birds; clients include a much wider range of fish, marine reptiles including turtles and... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Turtles | By Steve Reynolds
March 5, 2018
Sea Pigs
The sea pigs reported in our 2013 Journal feature in episode 2 of David Attenborough’s “Blue Planet II” which was shown on Channel 9 TV recently. The episode can be viewed at https://www.9now.com.au/blue-planet-ii/2018/episode-2 . I first heard about sea pigs via a Facebook post in 2013. The post at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=666774150010266&set=a.456449604376056.98921.367116489976035&type=1&theater stated, “Sea pigs are marine animals around 15 cm long... Read morePosted in Marine invertebrates | By Steve Reynolds
March 5, 2018
Historic anchor discovery at Edithburgh, South Australia
On 5th of February this year, “Scuba Steve” Simmons and Steve ‘Robbo’ Robinson dived at Edithburgh, South Australia. They both went for a scooter dive from the jetty, as they regularly do. They tend to go looking for crabs or other sea life, or just exploring. They just head off together in a random direction. On this occasion, they chose to... Read morePosted in Dive Reports, Maritime History, Shipwrecks | By Steve Reynolds
March 5, 2018
Osedax worms feature in episode 2 of David Attenborough’s “Blue Planet II”
Osedax worms feature in episode 2 of David Attenborough’s “Blue Planet II”. The program was shown on Channel 9 TV recently. I was able to watch it on my PC a week later. Episode 2 of Blue Planet II can be found at https://www.9now.com.au/blue-planet-ii/2018/episode-2 . A ‘whale fall’ is shown at about 19.30 minutes in to the program. It goes... Read morePosted in Marine invertebrates, Whales & Dolphins, Worms | By Steve Reynolds
February 8, 2018
The Japanese Goby is similar to Krefft’s Goby
I have been helping Catherine McMahon from Port River Shellfish Restoration Project to monitor oysters being kept in baskets in the Port River system. One interesting aspect of the monitoring is the marine life that turns up in the oyster baskets. We have found fish, shells, pygmy squid, nudibranchs, flatworms, shrimps, blue-ringed octopus, etc.. I have been pleased to find... Read morePosted in Bony fishes, Invasive species | By Steve Reynolds
February 8, 2018
Cleaner Clingfish Cleaning Common Seadragons Captured on Camera at Sydney
Further to my article titled The study of fish cleaning behaviour in South Australian waters , at iNaturalist , Mark McGrouther shows two Common Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus images by Andrew Trevor-Jones. Mark reports that the images show an Eastern Cleaner Clingfish, Cochleoceps orientalis on the side of a Common Seadragon. An Eastern Cleaner Clingfish, Cochleoceps orientalis on the side of... Read morePosted in Bony fishes | By Steve Reynolds
Recent Comments