Rarities underwater

[Luiz Rocha]

Sorry for such a long time without updating guys, but only now I finally dedicated some time for photography and got shots worth sharing. Here are three interesting ones taken during my last trip to the Red Sea, I will let you do the ID!

 

[SDguy]

Lyretail hog, klunzingeri wrasse, fasciatus BF.

Great shots as always!

 

[Luiz Rocha]

Here is a crazy one:

 

[r-balljunkie]

Here is a crazy one:

nice coloration....I'ts suprising how big some clownfish get...some folks see them in the trade dont realize they can grow to 6"+

 

[SDguy]

Is that a bicinctus??

 

[Luiz Rocha]

Is that a bicinctus??

Yes, crazy bicinctus! And here two more from the same trip (the Coris is really hard to photograph!):

 

[SDguy]

I wish those anthias would come into the trade... very unique.

 

[SDguy]

And hey Luiz, don't hold back on the butterfly pics

 

[Luiz Rocha]

Haha, here is another:

I always thought these C. auriga from the Red Sea would be genetically different from the widespread ones (they all lack the black spot on the dorsal), but our tests showed that they are identical...

 

[YKTea]

Luiz,

that Pseudanthias taeniatus is amazing! Have you shot P. heemstrai in the Red Sea?

 

[SDguy]

Haha, here is another:

I always thought these C. auriga from the Red Sea would be genetically different from the widespread ones (they all lack the black spot on the dorsal), but our tests showed that they are identical...

I too am surprised. Besides the dorsal spot, the chevron markings are pretty different in color/size, especially where they meet the yellow...

 

[Winwood]

Haha, here is another:

I always thought these C. auriga from the Red Sea would be genetically different from the widespread ones (they all lack the black spot on the dorsal), but our tests showed that they are identical...

How is that possible? What would cause the variation then?

 

[Luiz Rocha]

Luiz,

that Pseudanthias taeniatus is amazing! Have you shot P. heemstrai in the Red Sea?

I collected it, but no photos! For some reason I only saw them in dives when I didn't have my camera with me...

 

[Luiz Rocha]

How is that possible? What would cause the variation then?

I think the most reasonable explanation is that the Red Sea population was separated just recently, and the genetic differences are not yet detectable in the DNA sequences that we are using (we are just analyzing a very small portion of the genome). But stay tuned, we are now using much more advanced techniques, including sequencing some whole genomes!

 

[Luiz Rocha]

Here a few more, the first two from the Red Sea and the last from Socotra.

 

[YKTea]

I collected it, but no photos! For some reason I only saw them in dives when I didn't have my camera with me...

aw shucks. Heemstrai is a beautiful fish. and i've been hoping to see more pictures of it. together with P. regalis from fatu hiva. that single picture of yours is hung up on my bedroom wall. P. regalis is a dream for me.

what is the deepest you've dove in the red sea? Dr. Brokovich photographed C. blatteus at 65m

 

[Luiz Rocha]

aw shucks. Heemstrai is a beautiful fish. and i've been hoping to see more pictures of it. together with P. regalis from fatu hiva. that single picture of yours is hung up on my bedroom wall. P. regalis is a dream for me.

Nice!

what is the deepest you've dove in the red sea? Dr. Brokovich photographed C. blatteus at 65m

I have seen (and collected) C. blatteus at 65m but the deepest I took my camera was about 40m... Right now I have a research grant proposal being reviewed that, if funded, will allow us to do trimix diving to 100m there!

 

[YKTea]

Nice!



I have seen (and collected) C. blatteus at 65m but the deepest I took my camera was about 40m... Right now I have a research grant proposal being reviewed that, if funded, will allow us to do trimix diving to 100m there!

i have not recovered from the appearance and beauty of C. claire yet. i'm afraid if you bring up a blatteus any time soon i might actually get warded. :rollface:

 

[evolved]

i'm afraid if you bring up a blatteus any time soon i might actually get warded. :rollface:

Go ahead and bring up two please.

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

three!