In an attempt to add some Christmas cheer to todays blog post, the featured image is of a Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) peering out from its burrow in a rock close to Pelican Point, Crocus Bay Anguilla. …
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The Upsidedown Jellyfish (Cassiopea frondosa) is a curious member of the jellyfish class (Scyphozoa), spending most of its life living upsidedown, gently pulsating its body to keep itself in contact with the sea bed. There, they lap up …
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The Lettuce Sea Slug (Elysia crispata) is one of the most ornate sea slugs found in the Caribbean. The pictured specimen here was seen merrily grazing away on algae covered rocks without a care in the world. They …
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Small colonies of Elliptical Star Coral (Dichocoenia stokesi) can easily be confused with the similar Golfball Coral, although corallites of D. stokesi are usually more closely grouped, and can be more irregular in shape. This species is also …
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The Queen Conch (recently reclassified from Strombus gigas to Lobatus gigas) is one of the largest gastropods in the Caribbean, and by far the most delicious. It forms extensive fisheries throughout the region, and is so heavily exploited that …
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The Common Sea Fan (Gorgonia ventalina), as its name suggests, is pretty common in the waters around Anguilla, gently swaying in the water forming forest-like areas where it grows with other gorgonian species. The image here is a …
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I love crabs. Somehow, despite being locked away inside their hard robot-like exoskeleton, they have personality. Often sneaky, and definitely feisty, the Caribbean Land Crab (Cardisoma guanhumi) is no exception. They live in burrows close to salt ponds …
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I spent a long time keeping my eyes open for a Mat Zoanthid ‘colony’, and for the longest time was convinced they were absent from Anguillian waters despite being classed as common in the Caribbean. Then while snorkelling at Little …
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I have to say that the Solitary Gorgonian Hydroid is one of the most bizarre creatures that I have encountered on Anguilla’s reefs. They start out life looking like tumors on the main branches of gorgonians, with the tube they …
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