Anemonefish Eggs: Look Them in the Eyes

Diving in Gorontalo never ceases to amaze guests of Miguel's Diving. The other day our dive master spotted a Clark's anemonefish fanning a large patch of mature eggs in order to aerate them. Unlike the reddish eggs of Saddleback anemonefish, these are golden green. The photo shows the pair of eyes in each egg and sometimes an open mouth! Individual eggs are about the size of a pinhead. Click on the photo to see a large version of the photo.

Today, however, the highlight was on the larger size: a pod of 12 Risso's dolphin, 9 Bumphead parrotfish, 1 White-spotted eagle ray, 1 Hawksbill turtle and 3 species of tuna!

Shocking surprise

While out looking for a new muck site, Miguel's Diving staff came across a Spiny devilfish (Inimicus didactylus). Although not as venomous as the deadly stonefish, devilfish will give anything touching its venomous spines a nasty shock. Devilfish are not only camouflaged but also like to stay semi-buried in the sand. This is one more reason for good buoyancy skills and for staying off the substrate! This one started opening its pectoral fins in warning as divers approached to inspect something else. This species is identified by its spectacular banded pectoral fins. It also crawls around on pelvic fingers. With bulging eyes and pitted face, this very ugly fish was perhaps flattered by all the flashes going off. Rarely seen because of their secretive nature, this is only the third one sighted in Gorontalo in five years.

Surprise off a northern island

Last week Miguel's Diving staff took a survey trip to one of the islands off Gorontalo's northern coastline in the Sulawesi Sea. These waters are a different ocean that the one we usually dive and marine life is different. While absorbed in photographing Grape stalk tunicates that are not found in our southern dive sites, our dive master noticed some flashes of blue in some very nearby rubble: a highly agitated Blue-ring octopus. Dumping lots of nudibranch photos from the memory card, he managed several shots of the ever-moving octopus before it disappeared down a crack.

Durban hinge-beak shrimp

Durban shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis) are a favorite of divers not only because of their striking color pattern but also because of their behavior. The high rostrum (nose) is distinctive of hinge-beak shrimp. They are found in deep crevices and holes, usually living together in large numbers. When they move, they tend to hop about, which is quite humorous to watch. A patient photographer can wait until the shrimps are no longer afraid and begin to hop out of their holes and into the view finder. But don't be surprised if the shrimps keep hopping towards the camera housing as if to inspect a new addition to their home. Who is watching whom? Miguel's Diving staff knows only one spot where these funny shrimps congregate.

Baby Cuttlefish & Big Mama

Miguel's Diving staff gets a little stir crazy during off-season. This week we braved the growing swells of May to check out a new muck site. Directly below the dive boat, hiding in the shadow of a pink sea pen was the first of three baby cuttlefish we found during the dive. All were merely the size of a thumbnail and no doubt recently hatched. It was pink like the sea pen and absolutely still. Only a careful observer like Yunis our dive guide would ever spot it. Beneath its semitransparent body, you could see its cuttlebone in the camera's viewfinder, a body part only found cuttlefish. The next baby was brown and hovering among some dead leaves but too skittish to photograph. The third one lay perfectly still among Molle tunicates, only its distinctive half-moon eye slit betraying its presence. Toward the end of the dive we discovered one of the largest adult cuttlefish we have ever seen, its girth bigger than a dive tank's diameter. This Big Mama drifted unconcerned over the sand bottom for a spectacular photo. Click the thumbnail to see a larger photo of a baby cuttlefish.

Mating Sea Turtles

Yesterday's diving in Gorontalo included encounters with Green sea turtles. On the way to our first dive site, Miguel's Diving crew spotted some unusual flapping on the still blue ocean surface: a pair of turtles mating. We proceeded past the happy couple then stopped in order to watch them from a discreet distance and so not to disturb them. On the second dive at the spur-and-groove coral formations of Alleyways, we saw another couple of turtles on a deep coral point. One quickly disappeared over the wall, perhaps the jittery suitor. The other one stayed perfectly still as we made a wide arc past their location below. Miguel's Diving asks guests to swim past sea turtles, rather than straight at them, and view them from the side, so as not to frighten these gentle creatures. Turtles in Gorontalo are not accustomed to humans, although a total of six saw us yesterday.

The Big & the Bold

With no macro photographers in sight, Miguel's Diving concentrated by request on larger marine life and current diving over the last several days. From the first dive's glimpse of a Scalloped hammerhead to today's jumping marlin, Gorontalo delivered big time. We stopped counting Nap.olean wrasse and couldn't count the hundreds of Bigeye trevally spirally up the water column. Divers saw Green turtles every day, a Blacktip reef shark, a school of Queenfish, then a school of Chevron barracuda, then spooky Great barracuda, and a Spanish mackerel so big that our dive master first thought it was a tuna. Amongst the frenzied schools of plankton eaters, divers saw schools of mature batfish. We had a face-on encounter with a Giant trevally and a slow pass by a Short-finned devilray, also called pygmy manta or mobula. In the mix were sunny skies, flat blue seas, warm water, and vis approaching 30 meters.

By the Dozen

Diving in Gorontalo brings surprises every day. On the way to the second dive site this morning, we encountered several pods of Risso's dolphins, basking on the surface and shallow diving. One was even a baby! Risso's lack a protruding nose and become whiter in color with age. Distinctive scarring occurs when attacking deep-sea squid and when fighting with each other. Risso's are found in tropical and warm temperate waters worldwide but usually sighted only in deep waters near the continental shelf edge. That edge comes within a few meters of land in Gorontalo, which has resident pods of these shy cetaceans.

In addition to dozens of dolphins, by special request we went in search of boxer crabs and stopped counting after finding eleven.

Coral Maze

Manado-based marine biologist Sebastian from Germany got his first look at the biodiversity found underwater in Gorontalo yesterday. Miguel's Diving staff was able to show him some of our endemic fishes and new shrimp discoveries. What made the biggest impression on him was the dense and diverse hard coral colonies that are a hallmark of Gorontalo. With over 500 species, hard corals here come in a bewildering variety of shapes and colors, including several neon hued ones. Flat seas, sunny skies, warm water, and 25-meter vis at all dive sites visited completed the day.

Casualties of Time

Time has taken its toll on some of the largest attractions in Gorontalo. The dozens of Foxtail colonial tunicates, featured in our new book Gorontalo: Hidden Paradise, have been swept away during the half year of rough weather that hits our area during off-season. Most of these streamers were almost 1.5 meters long. New colonies are growing elsewhere.

Also hit was the largest sponge at Traffic Jam dive site. Its center cavity was over two meters long. It is pictured here in a photograph taken in March 2004. This gigantic sponge has fallen from the wall, as has a huge Salvador Dali sponge featured in our promotional ADEX and airport photos. This unusual morphology of Petrosia lignosa is only found in Gorontalo, where it is quite common.

The most surprising transformation occurred to the 50-meter long Japanese cargo wreck. It has perched mostly intact since it sank in 1942. However, sometime during the month of December the lower portion of the hull detached from its side, sending the upper surface sliding down the rocky slope. Now the interior of the main section is open, albeit slightly below 40 meters depth. The sides and top deck (up-side-down) are still in place, as is the larger stern portion. This change actually makes the wreck more interesting.

Food Fight with a Mako

Fisher friends off a point where Miguel's Diving offers some dive sites were catching large Yellowfin tuna for export early this morning. They were in the process of hauling in an 81-kilo tuna when a large shark decided it wanted breakfast. A tug of war ensued between the two fishermen and the shark. Eventually, men were able to haul their fish into their small outrigger canoe. The shark kept swimming around the boat looking for the missing tuna. It was a Shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus), measuring almost three meters long. Ironically, fishermen here call it the "Tuna-tail shark" because of the distinctive shape of its tail.

Sea Pens: Wild Hosts

Sea pens are a special group of octocorals that live in sandy bottoms. A sea pen has a foot that keeps it anchored into the sand and an above ground rod that contains the feeding coral polyps. Many sea pens are beautifully branched, creating a shape reminiscent of a quill pen. Although most are nocturnal, some emerge from the sand during the day. One of Gorontalo's muck sites is home to at least four very different species of sea pens. Only one of them appears in marine life books, the large Lemon sea pen (Pteroeides sp.).

A photograph of one sea pen caught the eye of a researcher friend, its maroon axis edged with white spicules. Miguel's Diving staff knows right where a large patch of these emerge on overcast days. Of the sea pen species found here, this maroon one tends to host more marine life than others. To help our friend, we braved rough surf to locate these unusual soft corals. On the maroon ones, we found at least two species of commensal crabs hiding amongst the branches, a shrimp or two, and a very active maroon worm. With the surge being felt as deep as 20 meters, none of the pictures of the maroon beauties were in focus. Over the next two months, the winds will shift to the west, leaving calm seas and other opportunities to visit these beautiful corals.

Rare Sighting: Black-lined filefish

Yesterday Miguel's Diving staff went exploring a new location. Among the wonderful marine creatures seen during the dive was a very secretive and puzzling filefish. It turned out to be the cryptic and rarely seen Black-lined filefish (Pervagor nigrolineatus). She was hiding inside a black crinoid but soon disappeared into Gorontalo's dense coral growth. Found only in the Western Pacific, this filefish has several color phases. One is greenish with distinct black lines; another is brown with a thick irregular, mid bodyline with a white line on its nose. The one is our photo has none of these characteristics and the white on her face is actually a bit of skin she is shedding. However, her elegant nose is distinctive to this species. The fish in the photograph is female.

Uncommon Sighting: White-mouth moray

Today's dive at one of Gorontalo's multiple pinnacle dive sites turned up a number of surprises. But the most impressive was a shy White-mouth moray (Gymnothorax meleagris). Although this species can grow over a meter in length, the one today was clearly a juvenile. Found in tropical waters, this beautiful moray is uncommon in most of the Indo-Pacific area and mainly seen in northern Sulawesi, where Gorontalo is located, up to the Philippines. Nice photo!

Whale of a Season

As diving season in Gorontalo draws to a close, whales are showing up just off areas where Miguel's Diving takes guests diving. Several days ago Miguel's Diving staff thought a bomb exploded only to see a 12 to 14 meter long Bryde's Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) blowing, sending spray up almost four meters. It played on the surface for half an hour before sinking back into the deep. The next day two 10-meter long Cuvier's Beaked Whales (Ziphius cavirostris) passed, breaking the surface on their way east. This type of whale is common enough in Gorontalo that local fishermen have their own name for it. But yesterday, we decided to go diving in the other direction to find a newly discovered specie of commensal shrimp. Had we returned to the other location, we would have seen more than 100 Cuvier's Beaked Whales sunning on the surface.

Another Endemic Specie

The list of undescribed and/or endemic species found in Gorontalo continues to grow. Miguel's Diving can now show guests a recently discovered undescribed specie found only in northern Sulawesi and Tomini Bay. The Yellow crown demoiselle (Chrysiptera sp.) is commonly found in Gorontalo's coral rich reefs. It is also quite easy to photograph. Distinguishing features include the broad yellow crown, yellow pectoral spot, and tiny black ear spot. One photographer this season photographed what we thought was another Yellow crown demoiselle. However, the picture shows an amazingly beautiful blue wash around the yellow crown. According to our international fish expert, this color pattern has never before been documented. Maybe it's a Gorontalo crown demoiselle!

Hear Them Breathing

Guests from Taiwan, Japan, and Jakarta have seen multiple pods of both Bottlenose and Risso's dolphins each day. Rarely seen elsewhere, Risso's dolphins are resident in Gorontalo. They have distinctive white bodies with scaring, black dorsal fin, no nose, and are noticeably larger than Bottlenose. Today on the way to a dive site, a pod of nine Risso's was sleeping on the surface. We could hear them breathing. At sunset right before the night dive, a pod of Bottlenose were jumping and tail-slapping. The sound of their exhales carried across the still water, colored red by the sunset.

Those Mantas

Here's William Tan's brilliant picture of those mantas from the day before Christmas dive. We count seven in his photo. Double click on the photo to see a larger version. Enjoy!

Sharp-tailed Sunfish in Gorontalo

Several days ago another sunfish showed up in the river mouth where Miguel's Diving ties the dive boat. About this time last year a similar one appeared. Both fish were caught by hook at night during the dark moon. We sent a cutting of the first one to an international Mola mola researcher. DNA testing identified it as Masturus lanceolatus, the Sharp-tailed Sunfish, which is less common that the usual Oceanic Sunfish or Mola mola. As its name implies, the one found in Gorontalo has a small sharp tail, whereas the regular Mola mola has none at all.

Neon Blue - A Rare Lionfish

One of our new discoveries this diving season is the presence of the rarely seen Gurnard lionfish (Parapterois heterura). This shy lionfish usually stays buried in the muck unless disturbed or out for a night's hunting. Growing only to about 23 cm in length, it has very long filaments that wave uncertainly as it scurries along the substrate. Its most dramatic feature is the neon blue radiating lines on the pectoral fins, which is unfurls like gurnards do. Miguel’s Diving staff has discovered this beautiful fish at three different dive sites in Gorontalo.

New Angel Sighting

Guests diving in Gorontalo this past week have been enjoying 25-meter visibility on the wall dive sites. At the popular Shadowlands dive site, we spotted a pair of rarely seen Black-spot angelfish (Genicanthus melanospilos) near the bottom of the third cave. It is a deepwater species that feeds on plankton. Males and females are strikingly different in appearance. This Western Pacific fish is only seen on outer reef drop-offs that are rich in growth.

Six Risso's Dolphins

Divers in Gorontalo wise enough to choose Miguel's Diving today not only enjoyed spectacular visibility, swirls of schooling fishes, pristine coral, and new or rarely seen species. They also swam with a pod of six Risso's Dolphins! One of our sharp-eyed boat crew spotted them snoozing on the surface of the calm sea. They were right off the wall of one of Gorontalo's popular diving sites. They allowed those snorkeling a chance to see their white and scarred undersides, the key distinctive of this specie. Gorontalo has several resident pods. These six were all juveniles.

Four Pygmy Sea Horses

Diving season opened with regulator-muffled shouts of joy when Dive Master Frangky found four pygmy seahorses within the first five minutes of our first dive. Located at our ever-intriguing Shadowlands dive site, all were on one sea fan. One was pregnant. All were very small. They were Hippocampus denise of the uncommon orange coloration. In case pictures taken by our guests don't turn out well, you might want to do some diving in Gorontalo and take some shots yourself.

Tryon Nudibranch

Nudibranch watchers are sure to love Risbecia tryoni nudibranchs that are, well, stuck on each other. Nudibranchs of this genus are always found in pairs and moving with the one behind grasping the end of the one in front. They also have a high body profile with the mantle protruding from the nudibranchs' body. Growing up to 10 cm, Tryon nudibranchs have an eerie pattern that looks three-dimensional with tan and white zones around black spots. The mantle is edged in bluish purple. This pair was photographed in March at the popular Sentinels dive site, although it is more common at new site Miguel's Diving is opening called Sand Pit for muck divers.

Morning Becomes Electra

With seasonal winds blowing, William Tan’s second photo shoot in Gorontalo was mainly confined to early morning diving in a few protected sites. Most of the time we were muck diving, including the lagoon side of a little barrier reef where we spent three days with one yellow ribbon eel.

Also at the site were a colony of Electra headshield slugs (Chelionura electra). In the photo, you can see the shadow of its internal shell. This slug feeds on acoel flatworms, which are abundant in Gorontalo. Named after the Greek goddess Electra whose name means the brilliant one, the usual form of this slug is pale white with lemon yellow edging on its wings and tail flaps. However, Sulawesi species have patches of black or grey maze and the yellow edging is scarcely detectable.

Sperm Whale Washes Ashore

In early May the carcass of a Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) washed onto the reef in west Gorontalo. Miguel’s Diving staff made a whirlwind trip to the remote location. We found the whale in about one meter of water, laying on its side, and barely floating on top of the reef. We estimate its length to be 12 meters. The carcass was in an advanced state of decay, giving new meaning to the phrase “bloated whale.” Evidently the current brought the carcass into shallow waters.

Although local fishermen had never seen a sperm whale, Miguel’s Diving boatman Sahir had seen one swim under his small fishing boat in the Togian Islands where he was raised. Sperm whales have a very distinctive head and jaw. The lower jaw has a row of conical teeth that can weigh up to a kilo each. Our intrepid dive master swam down to inspect the jaw and discovered that local Bajo fishermen had already removed the teeth.

We are sending a small chip of jawbone to a cetacean research center for analysis. We are told that sperm whales often die in combat with deep-sea squid, their favorite meal.

Neon Pygmy-goby

With the help of a fish expert, Miguel�s Diving can now confirm the presence of the striking Neon pygmy-goby (Eviota pellucida) in Gorontalo waters. Only this year has a picture of this fish appeared in a fish book. A resident of the Asian Pacific, especially Micronesia, it is also found in Indonesia, including in rich coral areas here in Gorontalo. Guests this year able to photograph this shy pygmy-goby, which measures at most two centimeters in length.

Its mid body is reddish, but its back and belly are translucent. Most striking are the pair of neon yellow stripes over each eye. The lower stripe on the eye descends along the body, ending at the belly. The stripes on the tops of the eyes run parallel to the back of the fish�s head where a single neon line runs down the fish�s back below its transparent dorsal fins. Most striking is the neon blue streak on its belly bordered on the bottom with black. We are told that this goby has sensory canals and pores on its head. Look for it in shaded areas near coral either solitary or in small groups.

70 New Fish Discoveries in Indonesian Waters

Indonesia�s position as the nation with the most biologically diverse waters on earth increased with the announcement of 70 recently discovered fish unknown to science. A month long expedition jointly conducted by Indonesian and Japanese researchers of deep water fishes off the coasts of Sumatra and Java turned up an astonishing number of undescribed fish species. These fish were captured at depths of 400 to 1,100 meters. The Department of Fisheries will be evaluating the commercial viability of fish catches in the areas studied. Two fish species among those caught are believed to have aphrodisiac properties.

The waters of Tomini Bay off Gorontalo are much deeper, dropping to under 4,000 meters. Occasionally, local fishermen will catch some strange deep-water creature like the Armored Gurnard in the photo and contact Miguel�s Diving staff for information. We suspect this particular fish only has aphrodisiac qualities to its own kind.

Killer Dolphin

The water was pink with blood. Miguel?s Diving staff were out on a run testing a new boat when we saw the large Bottlenose dolphin (Torsiops truncatus) jump a couple meters out of the water, make a tight loop in the air, and plunge straight down, making hardly a splash. We watched as the dolphin repeated the dramatic leap twice more before we passed. Although the ocean surface was perfectly calm, the place where the dolphin had been leaping was bubbling from some unseen disturbance below. What was the dolphin so vigorously killing? Or was she calving? Our cetacean expert is unsure. Local fishermen, who have witnessed this behavior before at close range in their tiny canoes, say that the water is always pink and is caused by, well, dolphin diarrhea. Hmmm?.

This strange cetacean sighting took place in waters several hundred meters deep just off the Honeycomb dive site. Three days prior fishermen friends saw a school of Cuvier?s Beaked Whales (Ziphius cavirostris) about a half hour south of our Traffic Jam dive site. The whales were breaching the surface as they slowly swam. These numerous cetacean sightings indicate the beginning of an interesting season for those who venture to Gorontalo for diving.

Whale Shark Visits Again

For the second time this month, a five-meter long Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) visited the protected bay where Miguel?s Diving brings divers. In fact, this spotted creature showed up in front of the house where one of our staff lives. Dive guide Yunis reports that the Whale shark was merely ten meters from the beach. His four-year-old son, who normally has to be cajoled to get out of the water, refused to swim in the sea with such a big fish. Because Gorontalo?s coral walls begin just off the shoreline, cetaceans come in very close to land.

Now that calm seas are returning to Gorontalo, the Whale shark was not the only cetacean seen. Miguel?s Diving staff observed two small schools of Risso?s dolphins (Grampus griseus), about 15 individuals in all, playing in waters above the Japanese cargo wreck. Although not seen regularly elsewhere, Gorontalo seems to have several resident schools of this ghostly white dolphin.

Flasher Wrasses of Indonesia

Seven described flasher wrasse species (Paracheilinus) live in Indonesia waters. Sometimes flasher wrasses are called fairy wrasses, given their magical appearance. Two of the seven are considered endemic to Indonesia. One is the Togean flasher wrasse (P. togeanensis), pale white in color with outlined fin segments. The other is the iridescent Cyan flasher wrasse (P. cyaneus), found in Papua, Kalimantan, and the Togean islands. Both species were named in 1999. But several distinctive ones have been photographed but not yet described scientifically. This includes what is usually called the Hybrid flasher wrasse. This is the one we see at a few dive sites here in Gorontalo.

Photographing this undescribed flasher wrasse requires a certain strategy. Always in small schools, these wrasse stay close to loose rubble along slopes, often ducking for cover if threatened. Only one or two fish in the school will be the spectacular male with tall fins and trailing filaments, which he flashes at regular intervals. This particular specie is also highly territorial. If a patient photographer simply waits, the school of Hybrid fairy wrasse will come right back to the same place. Although we have a photograph of the females, no one has yet to capture the male on film. Since Miguel?s Diving staff knows exactly where these rare beauties live, you can get your shot when diving resumes in November.

Changing Spots

Miguel?s Diving staff often sees what looks like the Twinspot cardinalfish (Archamia biguttata) but without the twin spot! This particular species has a distinctive, large dark spot on its cheek. A smaller twin spot appears on its tail base. However, this twin spot can be turned on and off at will. Twinspot cardinalfish seen here in Gorontalo never have the twin spot and always have a dark angular band below the eye, which reminds us of a beard. Although our dive staff knows where to find this fish, it has yet to be photographed.

One of our fish expert friends recalls his experience of cardinalfish changing their spots. Flower cardinalfish (Apogon fleurieu) have a rounded tail spot when water temperatures are cool. In shallower, warmer waters the spot becomes larger and covers most of the tail base. Fish that look like this are called Ringtailed cardinalfish (A. aureus). Once in Bali our friend watched an entire population change when the water grew warm, hence appearing to change from one species to another. Is this confusing? We think so, especially since the Twinspot cardinalfish in Gorontalo?s warm waters don?t have the twin spot!

Strings of Blue Jewels

Because of Tomini Bay?s geographic isolation from adjacent oceans, many fish that live here are different than ones found in adjacent waters, such as in Sulawesi?s diving hot spot, Bunaken Marine Park in North Sulawesi. When our Italian marine biologist friends visited here last year, they shot many photos of a beautiful chromis found at the top of our dramatic coral walls. Although a similar specie is found in Bunaken, this one remained a mystery until recently. Miguel?s Diving staff can now confirm the presence of the lovely Lined chromis (Chromis lineata). It is easily identified by the brilliant yellow caudal spot on its tail. This fish is only found from Indonesia and Christmas Island to the Great Barrier Reef. Those diving in Gorontalo can enjoy this fish dressed in strings of blue jewels during safety stop at the five-meter reef crest.

Another New Endemic Specie!

The newest edition of Indonesian Reef Fishes (Kuiter & Tonozuka 2004) includes an undescribed specie of dottyback. The Togean dottyback (Pseudochromis sp.) is thought to be confined to Tomini Bay, Sulawesi, making it endemic to these waters. Rudie Kuiter first noticed this fish during an expedition to the Togian (Togean) Islands in 1994. Photographed in Gorontalo in 2003 by Italian marine biologist Massimo Boyer, this new fish differs from its closest cousin, the Slender dottyback (P. bitaeniatus). Its distinctive features include:

Also, the eye socket appears to have blue edging and the darker band looks deep blue underwater. We have seen this fish at several of our dive sites but only in areas of dense coral growth, such as Gorontalo�s Honeycomb dive site where these pictures were taken. We consistently find it at about five meters depth. A shy fish, it likes to hide in coral crevasses with entrances on two sides, so as to make a hasty retreat.

Tomini Bay is already considered one of Indonesia�s areas of local endemism with six official species of fish considered to live only in these waters (Allen & Adrim 2003). Gorontalo forms its north shores.

Acoel Flatworms

On a day without a single photographer, our dive master found dozens of acoel flatworms (Waminoa sp.) covering a colony of bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)at the ever popular City Limits dive site. Less than a centimeter in diameter, these brownish worms are basically flat discs, giving the white vesicles of the bubble coral a spotted appearance.

A number of acoel flatworm species reproduce asexually by fragmentation. They are believed to feed on microscopic flora and fauna trapped in the mucous of their host. We tend to find these strange creatures a couple times each dive season. Paola photographed acoel flatworms on soft coral in this shot taken in Gorontalo last year. John�s photo is from our Shadowlands dive site taken in March.

Oceanic Sunfish on Ice

One dark and starry night in January a local college professor was ready to quit fishing off the deep-water docks in Gorontalo City. As he reeled in his empty hook, suddenly he snagged something. After patiently bringing his catch to the surface, he discovered that his empty hook had snagged the eye socket of a huge, strange fish. It looked like a silvery, flattened disk with long upper and lower fins but no tail. It measured two meters long! A remora stubbornly stuck to the strange fish�s face. The catch was taken to Gorontalo Provincial Fisheries Department. No one had ever seen such a creature, so they decided to preserve it in a local cold storage facility.

Last week during the Coral Preservation Campaign, local fishermen told Miguel�s Diving staff about the strange catch. After seeing its picture in the Fisheries Department office, we immediately realized it was an Oceanic sunfish (Mola mola). Seen in the oceans since the time of ancient Troy, its Latin name means millstone, since it looks like the flat round stone used for grinding grain into flour. The Oceanic sunfish is the largest bony fish in the ocean, measuring up to three meters and weighing up to two tons. It swims by flapping its long dorsal and ventral fins from side to side. Although pelagic, it is often near the surface. It is most often observed in the wild while floating motionless on its side, basking in the sun.

Its huge surface area is an ecosystem for thousands of parasites. Mola molas will come close to coral reefs for cleaning by tropical fish, including bannerfish. Once observers saw a huge sunfish floating on the surface, so that seagulls could pick it clean. The huge fish then flipped over, giving the gulls its other cheek. Mola molas mainly feed on jellyfish and plankton but can blow water to search for food along the substrate. Its hide is up to 15 centimeters thick! Causes of its eventual death are parasites, nets, and great white sharks. It is found in all oceans both tropical and temperate. One of the best places in the world to see this unusual fish is off Nusa Penida in Bali during the summer months. Click this link for great photos of this swimming millstone.

Blue Chip Plankton

An unpredictable but annual visitor to Gorontalo is what we affectionately call the Blue chip plankton. Seen only in the first couple meters of the water column, this marine creature looks like a chip of iridescent blue paint. It measures about five millimeters. If you approach one with your finger, it will swim away a bit before extinguishing its color and disappearing into transparency.

Tiny Terrors

Unlike other anemone dwellers, Saddleback clownfish (Amphiprion polymnus) are extremely territorial. The larger fish in a colony will aggressively chase divers away. In fact, they will come right up to a diver?s mask. The threatening chomping noise they make with their jaws is quite audible. They prefer living in association with the carpet-like Haddon?s anemone (Stichodactyla haddoni). In Gorontalo these tiny terrors are found only at the Alleyways dive site on the sand bank leading to the reef. Here they are quite plentiful and excess populations have moved to adjacent rocks since all the anemones are full. The population boom shows no sign of abating. During a beach dive last weekend, Miguel?s Diving staff spied two large ones laying eggs.

Gorontalo Exclusive: White Foxtail Colonial Tunicates

Gorontalo is close to Sulawesi diving hot spots of Bunaken Marine Park, Lembeh, and the Togian (Togean) Islands. However, we are often finding things unknown to those familiar with diving in these adjacent locations. One striking example is what Phuket?s dive guru calls White foxtails after a recent visit. These are colonial tunicates whose translucent white members grow from a central basal stalk. These foxtails are found in Gorontalo hanging from sheltered overhangs and deep pinnacles where they are protected from the current. Some colonies are almost a meter in length.

Tunicates are marine animals that have an incurrent and an excurrent siphon for pulling in food and releasing waste. Tunicates are also called ascidians or sea squirts. Most of our marine biologist buddies had never seen these until diving here. You are only likely to see these beautiful foxtails by diving in Gorontalo, Sulawesi?s newest location for finding unusual marine life.

Crown of Thorns: No Problem

This weekend�s collection of about 3,000 Crown of Thorn starfish (Acanthaster planci) by diving clubs in North Sulawesi� Bunakan Marine Park underscores the different marine environment here in Gorontalo. Miguel�s Diving staff sees this ravenous coral eater once or twice a year. Its rarity here and minimal destructive impact to Gorontalo reefs are probably based on the abundance of predators. We have healthy populations of Helmet and Triton trumpet shells (Cassis cornuta and Charonia tritonis), as well as large triggerfish, such as the Yellowmargin Trigger (Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus), all of which eat Crown of Thorns. Those who enjoy diving in various Sulawesi destinations often comment on the quality of Gorontalo�s hard corals. One reason is surely the lack of this thorny problem.

Get the Signal? It's a Goby!

One of Gorontalo?s cuter residents is the Signalfin goby. Growing up to three centimeters in length, this translucent fish has tiny dark spots sprinkled over its body. Its iris is red-brown and a green light shines from its pupil. Its first dorsal fin has matching red-brown markings. Although it sits motionless on the sand near clumps of coral, it is easily noticed because it flicks its dorsal fin up and down. Found in the Western Pacific from Indonesia to Australia, it is quite common on the sandy slopes of our Sentinels dive site where this picture was taken. The Signalfin goby is only profiled in one fish book, the new Reef Fish Identification: Tropical Pacific (Allen, Steene, Humann, Deloach). Although only named in 1988, the scientific community seems split as whether it should be called Coryphopterus signipinnis or Fusigobius signipinnis.

'Tis Not the Season

Miguel?s Diving staff braved two to three meter swells to do a quick fish survey at the Japanese Cargo Wreck for the web site. A total of 122 fish species have been recorded from the wreck up to the coral wall and basin above it. The area is only about 100 meters long. In addition to the usual suspects like our new and endemic species, yesterday?s survey turned up a few surprises. A pair of rare and totally black Midnight Angelfish (Centropyge nox) hid near the anchor. While ?oo?ing and ?ah?ing over yet another Orangutan crab (Achaeus japonicus), the dive master was inundated by a large school of Scissortail fusiliers (Caesio caerulaurea), seen here for the first time.

Although the White-belly damsel (Amblyglyphidodon leucogaster) is quite common in Gorontalo, we were only able to confirm its identity today. It is found from north Sumatra in Indonesia west to the Great Barrier Reef. Another distinct, blue-eyed damsel common at this site does not appear in fish books. Blackspot cardinalfish (Archamia melasma) form dense congregations among coral at the top of the eastern pinnacle that overlooks the wreck. This fish with the ?beard? is currently known only from Papua New Guinea to Australia. Underwater photographers and fish enthusiasts are sure to have fun in Gorontalo when dive season resumes in November. In the mean time, take a look at the partial species list for this new dive site.

Portuguese Invasion (Not Euro Cup)

Constant offshore winds during wave season have carried small Portuguese Man-of-War (Physalia physalis) to the shores of Gorontalo. Rarely seen here, this marine creature is actually a colony of four different hydroid polyps, each with a different function in the colony. The most recognizable feature is its translucent, bluish bladder that is filled with nitrogen gas and floats on the ocean�s surface. This serves as a sail, carrying the colony to food sources. The three polyps that hang from the bladder are for paralyzing prey, digesting it by secreting enzymes, and for reproducing. Stings from the man-of-war�s tentacles can be quite dangerous to humans who are allergic. Portuguese Man-of-War are not present in Gorontalo waters during dive season. In fact, the day after we discovered them, the current had already carried them away.

Flathead: Eyes and Grin Only

Last week we discovered several flathead fish at our Alleyways dive site where beach diving is possible. Buried in the sand around one small coral head, the eyes and upturned lips with teeth are the only parts visible. Fanning away some sand only makes the fish wiggle a bit deeper. Identifying which of the many flathead species a particular fish is requires measuring the distance between the eyes. Also helpful is to observe the fish sitting exposed on the sand, something only likely at night when it emerges to hunt. Usually solitary, flathead fish group annually to breed. Perhaps that accounts for their sudden appearance at Alleyways. One was still at the same place today.

How Does Diving Compare?

What fish did you see while diving in Gorontalo that you don�t see in Thailand? This is what we asked guests from Phuket whom we hosted this week. Besides Gorontalo�s new or endemic species, fish you see here but not there include: the up-side-down hovering Coral shrimpfish (Aeoliscus strigatus), Solor boxfish (Ostracion solorensis), elegant Gilded triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus), Teardrop butterflyfish (Chaetodon unimaculatus), locally abundant Purple queen anthias (Pseudanthias tuka), and huge Napole an wrasse. Named after its discovery in these equatorial waters, Tomini bristletooth (Ctenochaetus tominiensis) is not found west of Indonesia. Also, not found in Andaman waters is the relatively new Allen�s tubelip wrasse (Labropsis alleni, 1981), a species found in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Micronesia. With Gorontalo edging the most biologically diverse marine environment on earth, those diving here notice the sheer abundance of diversity. However, while as we only found a few small Yellow-edged morays (Gymnothoras flavimarginatus) this week, those diving out of Phuket are sure to see a number of large morays of several species.

Archerfish

Baby Banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix) love the brackish waters where Miguel�s Diving docks its boat. Especially at high tide, these pale, banded fish are evident around the pilings. Called �Spitting fish� locally (ikan ludah-ludah), these fish have the unique ability to squirt water to hit insects above the water. Adult archerfish are able to hit something at a distance of two meters or more. When the bug falls into the water, it is quickly gobbled up. These archers make water bullets by pulling in their gill flaps and squirting water out their mouths. In order to hit their target, these fish must compensate for the angle of refraction of light, quite a feat in itself. This particular species grows to 30 cm in length. Plentiful in the mangrove forests of the Togian Islands, locals use little lizards (cicak) as bait, proving that these archers eat more than bugs.

Leaping Dolphins

As our diving season here in Gorontalo closes, we were treated to an amazing encounter with a large pod of Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). We were still in the river mouth heading out to dive when a large dolphin leapt several meters out of the water, spinning its body. Suddenly, we noticed numerous dolphins breaking the surface on both sides of the boat. A pair of adult dolphin surfaced about three meters from us, arching their backs in perfect union as they dove. To the east a smaller dolphin raised its flukes as it went down. With so many dolphins active on the surface all around, we have no estimate as to how many individuals were involved.

Another Rare Beauty

Miguel’s Diving staff have confirmed the presence of Redhead fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus solorensis) in Gorontalo waters. The color of its back varies considerably from aqua to green to orange. Found only occasionally in Gorontalo, it mixes with schools of our plentiful endemic Orangeback wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis). In its nuptial phase it is quite distinct with red head, white belly, and dark chin strap. In Tomini Bay where Miguel’s Diving operates, this wildly colored plankton feeder remains in its nuptial phase coloring. In other locations this coloration is only occasional. It is endemic to central Indonesia, being found only from Bali and Sulawesi to Flores.

Fishermen Rescue Pilot Whales

Sulawesi waters teem with life of all sizes, including cetaceans. Last week a pod of 18 whales beached near the border of Gorontalo and North Sulawesi provinces, only a few hours east of diving sites. Miguel’s Diving staff confirmed with fishermen friends that these were Short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). For some reason the pod entered a small cove that only has a narrow outlet to the sea and beached. Using only their small outrigger canoes powered by tiny motors, local fishermen were able to tow the whales outside the inlet to the open sea. Fifteen were saved. The huge carcasses of the three that died were also towed out to sea away from homes. We have reported the incident to the biologist at North Sulawesi’s Bunaken Marine Park.

Orangutans in Gorontalo

Indonesia is famous for its orangutans in the jungles of Sumatra and Kalimantan. But Indonesian waters are the habitat of a special type of decorator crab, Achaeus japonicus. Commonly called Orangutan crab, this marine crab has long hairs on its body to which it attaches small particles, often filamentous algae. With its disguise complete, only its eyes remain uncovered. In Gorontalo we have found it on bubble coral, as in the picture from the Sentinels dive site. On a single dive this season we found one at 40 meters on the tanker wreck and another one on the coral wall above. Both were draped in the folds of bubble coral. Last week we found at least four.

Vase of Zebras

During the safety stop recently at the City Limits dive site, we discovered five Zebra lionfish (Dendrochirus zebra). They were tucked in various folds of a huge Vase sponge that was growing on the upper wall. This fish is not common here. It has large, webbed pectoral fins that lack the free filamentous rays typical of other lionfishes, such as Pterois volitans. Also, its body stripes are much wider. This fish has also been sited at other Gorontalo dive sites.

More Manta Tales

Right before sunset on February 29th, more than ten Shortfin devil rays (Mobula kuhlii) were jumping in the small bay where the Sentinels dive site is located. Large schools of tiny fish also filled these waters. In fact, local fishermen had just netted many bucketfuls for sale in the local market. Not only were the devil rays jumping, but they also grabbed the anchor line of a midsize wooden fishing boat. Three times residents in the tiny fishing village had to pull back on the land line to prevent the devil rays from pulling the boat out to sea. The rays had already pulled a mooring buoy away.

Fishermen here are very familiar with this particular ray and can describe it in detail. It is about one meter across and colored dark brown above and white below. Its tiny doral fin is white-tipped. Its small tail has no stinger. It is called bumengo in Gorontalo language.

Manta Tales

Perhaps for Leap Day (February 29th) a meter-long Devil ray (probably Mobula kuhlii) leapt on the tranquil waters of Tomini Bay to the delight of the boat crew. Its booming splash was heard underwater. These rays are smaller than the giant Manta ray (Manta birostris) but have the distinctive ?horns? and no noticeable tail.

One of Miguel?s Diving staff had an unforgettable encounter with a group of at least five of these rays. A couple of years ago here in Gorontalo, he and his uncle were using a pair of lanterns to fish at night. Their traditional canoe is just wide enough to sit in. A type of small fish that evidently these rays like was in dense schools, attracted by the light. The two men could see rays passing below them and heard the splashes all around. When the rays were no longer visible below, they lowered the anchor. Suddenly, a ray caught the anchor, towing the tiny wooden canoe. It was like being tied to a speedboat going full throttle. As they were zigzagging back and forth, the uncle yelled, ?Get the knife! Cut the rope!? They were able to cut the anchor line before being pulled underwater.

Let?s hope these beautiful creatures don?t wait another four years for their next leap!

Squid Lovers

One of Miguel�s Diving staff usually brings in the night�s catch of squid from his village on his way to work in the mornings. Residents and visitors alike love the fresh squid available in Gorontalo. The last few days no squid have been caught. Why? �They have been scared away,� he says. The culprit? Bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus). These fast pedators also love the taste of squid and run in big schools off a deep point adjacent to several dive sites. Not to be out done are local Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). This recent photograph shows a pod of ten right off a popular restaurant in Gorontalo City. They were shallow diving in a very tight group and completely ignored the dive boat. We heard a lot of breathing and found squid blood in the water.

What Eats Starfish?

On a single day Miguel�s Diving staff witnessed the devouring of two different starfish. In one of the holes that dot the wall at Honeycomb dive site, a couple of triggerfish had eaten most of an up side down Choriaster granulatus. At another dive site a large Triton�s trumpet (Charonia tritonis) had almost completely sucked a common blue starfish (Linckia laevigata) inside its shell. Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera picta) also feed on starfish, eating it a bite at a time starting with an arm, so as to keep the starfish alive as long as possible.

We have Belly Bars!

No, it�s not some new tattoo but a new cardinalfish.

It has taken Miguel�s Diving staff a couple of visits back to the same patch of sand to identify the schools of cardinalfish that seem suddenly to have appeared. One group of about a dozen shelters in the same clump of branching fire coral where last year we found a pair of ghost pipefish. As if the fire coral is not enough, the spot is aggressively guarded by three Saddleback anemonefish (Amphiprion polymnus). They click their teeth vigorously while rushing at your dive mask. Since their anemone is not to be seen, perhaps they are guarding eggs. Also hovering around the sand is an unusual juvenile lionfish, opaque white with narrow bars. The outer edges of its pectoral fins have a string of large pink spots. All that protection has made it difficult to get a close look at those cardinalfish.

Only named in 1994, the Belly-barred cardinalfish (Apogon ventrifasciatus) is a beautiful reddish brown with white lines through its eyes, a distinctive white dorsal spot, and faint belly bars. Another group hovers nearby around a sand anemone. Both groups are in only three meters of water. Known from the Indo-Malay Archipelago to the Solomon Islands, we have yet to find this fish at other locations.

Jewels among the Acropora

Gorontalo�s Hole-in-the-Rock is the only dive site offered by Miguel�s Diving that has dense patches of single specie branching Acropora. Among the branches, at least seven species of cardinalfish hide. These include the large Eight-line cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus alleni), the Five-line cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus) with its yellow tail blotch with spot, the Banda cardinalfish (Apogon bandanensis) with orange tipped fins, the bearded Twinspot cardinalfish (Apogon biguttata), the beautiful Ochre-striped cardinalfish (Apogon compressus) with its distinctive neon-blue iris, and the hilariously decorated Pajama cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera). Another cardinalfish common at this location has iridescent blue face lines and will require closer inspection to determine which specie it is.

The real surprise is the discovery of three colonies of the elusive Pinkeye goby (Bryaninops natans). Two colonies have at least 20 fish each. Friends say this rare fish can only be found as one small colony in North Sulawesi�s Bunaken Park. Miguel�s Diving staff knows where to find these fish at two different dive sites.

Beauty Not to be Touched

Yesterday while diving the popular City Limits dive site, we discovered a Flower sea urchin (Toxopneustes pileolus) in a section of coral rubble popular with photographers. Considered the most venomous of all sea urchins, this creature�s numerous nonvenomous spines are interspersed with taller flower-like stalks. The pinkish �flower� is actually a triple jaw with venom glands on its jaw tips. When an unsuspecting fish rests on the deadly bed of flowers, the jaws of each flower clamp down, releasing a peditoxin. For the unfortunate human stung by this creature, reactions include severe pain, respiratory distress, relaxation of the limb muscles, loss of control of facial muscles, and paralysis of lips, tongue and eyelids with its consequent difficulty in speaking. Contact has been deadly. Even after the flowery stinging jaws (called pedicellaria) detach from the urchin, they are locked into the skin and continue to pump in venom. These should be removed promptly. We are told that pain usually disappears in an hour, but facial paralysis can persist up to six hours. The Flower sea urchin yesterday was mostly buried in rubble, typical behavior for its species. Its countless flowers were opening and closing in a most alluring manner.

Whales Here Have a Taste for Tuna

Cuvier�s Beaked Whales (Ziphius cavirostris) have been sighted five days in a row off the point where Miguel�s Diving takes guests for diving. Our staff and local fishermen report seeing one, three, and over five whales at a time. These whales appear when schools of yellowfin tuna run along this section of the vast Tomini Bay. Fishermen say that when a whale finds the school of deep-water tuna, it signals others with a �voice� that sounds like blowing through a pipe. In the days that follow the first sighting, more whales appear. The tuna then start fleeing to the point that some even beach themselves, trying to avoid being eaten.

In Gorontalo local fishermen catch one tuna at a time by hand line. But when Cuvier�s Beaked Whales are around, many times the only thing a fisherman pulls in is the tuna�s head and a few bones. Even the eyes have been eaten! Two days ago a fisherman landed half a tuna weighing 40 kilos; a whale had eaten the rest.

Cuvier�s Beaked Whales in Indo-Pacific waters are distinctly brown. They have an under slung, goose-like mouth with two teeth protruding from the bottom lip. Adults are about six to seven meters in length. Before diving, they will arch their backs steeply. Dives last between 20 and 40 minutes and are very deep. They are only seen close to land where the continental shelf is narrow and coastal waters deep. Tomini Bay certainly qualifies with depths of over 4,000 meters. These whales typically eat deep-sea squid. And obviously tuna, fillet-style!

Latest Sightings

Miguel?s Diving staff report these sightings from dive trips over the last few days:

? Pod of eight dolphin (probably Bottlenose) rest on the surface
? Two sea turtles swim under the boat, one a meter across
? Our colony of Pink-eye gobies have had babies
? Damsels chase huge Humphead parrotfish away from nest
? Boxer crab found at yet another dive site
? Pair of rarely seen Five-line coral gobies (Gobiodon quinquestrigatus) located
? Now we know why the Twinspot chromis (Chromis elerae), considered to be uncommon, is so common in Gorontalo: spawning!

Pinkeye Gobies Discovered!

Diving in Sulawesi jumped another notch with the discovery of Pinkeye gobies (Bryaninops natans) at one of our dive sites. Guests this week said that these tiny fish could only be found at one place in North Sulawesi�s Bunaken Marine Park, a location unknown to most dive operators. Since this type of goby stays in the same place, future divers with Miguel�s Diving can request a look at this unusually colored creature. Sometimes this fish is called Redeye goby or Purple eye goby.

The boxer crab (Lybia tessellata), Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera picta), and Teddy bear crab (Polydectus cupulifer) are also residents of Gorontalo but are often difficult to find. Those diving Gorontalo this week found them at two different dive sites that are several kilometers apart.

In addition to these unusual and sought-after critters, Gorontalo diving offers new and undescribed species yet to be photographed. Again this morning we found a type of flasher wrasse that does not appear on Fish Base.

Sulawesi diving offers wonderful opportunities for discovery. Are you ready to experience what diving in Gorontalo has to offer?

More Harlequin Shrimps

Guests at Miguel�s Diving were delighted that we found additional Harlequin shrimps (Hymenocera picta) at another dive sight. We also found another Painted frogfish (Antennarius pictus) and another Boxer crab (Lybia tessellata ). But the Teddy bear crab complete with anemones in hand sent our group of photographers into stunned ecstasy. Here is a photo of the shrimp from the other day. Xie-xie, Jolly!

We Stop for Dolphins and Whales

Miguel?s Diving has been drafted into the Indonesia Oceanic Cetacean Program. Program Director and cetacean expert Benjamin Kahn notes that Indonesia is located uniquely in the Indian/Pacific Ocean access for migratory whales. The program is run by APEX Environmental with its main goal to fill in the gaps in knowledge of Indonesia's whales and assist with marine mammal conservation. APEX is especially active in eastern Indonesia with projects from Komodo to Alor to Sangihe-Talaud. Benjamin is particularly interested in baleen, sperm, beaked and killer whales (Orcas), since very little is known about them from Indonesian waters.

The Sulawesi diving locations that Miguel?s Diving offers in the equatorial waters of Tomini Bay provide opportunities for cetacean sightings. We see whales annually and dolphins regularly, often during surface interval or on the trip back to town. Miguel?s Diving intends to follow the responsible code of conduct that APEX promotes, so that wild whales and dolphins are watched with minimal disturbance.

Our first report on the standard data sheet provided by APEX is about the sighting of two pods of Risso?s Dolphin (Grampus griseus) just a few meters from the wall where we dive. Over 25 dolphins in all were playing on the surface of the water one morning a few days ago. Some were even doing the ?head-stand? characteristic of this species.

It?s no wonder that Gorontalo is a prime location for Sulawesi diving.

An Undescribed Specie of Commensal Shrimp

Miguel?s Diving staff has collected two samples of an undescribed specie of shrimp for scientific analysis that is only found on bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa). The usual specie (Vir philippinensis) is transparent and easily identified by the purple lines down each leg and claw arm (cheliped), its purple antennae, and the purple bodyline. This Philippine bubble coral shrimp was only described in 1984.

Perhaps early next year, a new specie discovered in Papua New Guinea will be described officially. This specie does not have the lines but instead has purple joints. A shrimp very similar to the PNG one is the most common commensal shrimp found on bubble coral in Gorontalo. It measures only about one centimeter long and only a few millimeters wide. Is the Gorontalo specie the same? We will post the results as soon as we hear back from Australia. In the mean time, come diving in Gorontalo to see this pretty little creature.

Salvador Dali sponge identified

The strikingly beautiful sponge we here at Miguel�s Diving call the �Salvador Dali� sponge is Petrosia lignosa. Samples from two sponges were sent to Nicole J. de Voogd of the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Zoological Museum, University of Amsterdam. After looking at the maze of spicules under a microscope, she was able to identify it. Nicole says that the genus name Petrosia actually means �stony hard.� When compared with other sponges, all Petrosid sponges are hard and rock-like. So far, this sponge is known only from vertical walls in Indonesia. Friends say that this sponge does not occur in Bunaken (North Sulawesi). Nicole, however, disputes this. We at Miguel's Diving suspect this means that it is not present in the most common Bunaken dive sites. Its presence in most current dive sites in the Togian (Togean) Islands remains uncertain. But it is often seen here in Gorontalo on walls in Tomini Bay. This unforgettable sponge was first described in 1925 from the Togians.

The extensive vertical walls of Gorontalo host many fine examples. The samples Nicole saw were taken from the Traffic Jam dive site. Both sponges live at 20 meters on a wall exposed to the open ocean. The smaller sponge is shaped like a squashed vase, measures about 40 cm tall, and has light colored skin. The other one forms a long tube or funnel and is almost one meter long with dark skin. Advanced divers can see a huge one at about 40 m at the Jinn Caves dive site. Sponge samples were taken in such a way as not to be noticed by passing divers.

Divers in Gorontalo can be sure to see this surrealistically carved sponge. Thanks, Nicole, for your help. And our prayers for the safe delivery of your baby!

New Specie!

The commensal shrimp that we typically see diving here in Gorontalo turns out to be a new specie!

Named after the Hindu goddess of the arts by Okuno in 2002, the Sarasvati anemone shrimp (Periclimenes sarasvati) has purple-edged white spots on its transparent body. Its antennae are white and its claws are white with purple stripes. As with some other commensal shrimp species, it has a red band across each eye.

Not all anemones in Gorontalo host this shrimp. Instead, we usually see it on mushroom corals (Heliofungia) and also bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa). Come dive with us to see this goddess of artful beauty.

Look at a beautiful picture of a pair of these shrimp on bubble coral taken in Gorontalo on our Honeycomb dive site page. Another photo is on the Hole-in-the-Rock Wall dive site page. These pictures as well as others appear on the Edge-of-reef.com.