snorkling

JPF

Member
Went snorkling in Key West. While over a sandy/grassy area I met eye to eye with some mantis. The first looked like a washed out peacock colored mantis whose coloration was a great form of camouflage on the sun dappled sandy bottom. You could sense the intelligence looking back at you. POWERFUL! The other mantis was spotted also in shallow water next to a deep drop off. This mantis was electic chartreuse in color and perfectly matched the local macro algae. Very interesting to see them out hunting in the daylight. They appeared very comfortable and relaxed. Both were sighted in less than 18 inches of water.
 
Most likely you were seeing Pseudosquilla ciliata. They are very common on seagrass and algal beds and often forage away from their burrows during the day - particularly during low tide. This is a very plastic species that changes color to match the background. Maximum size is about 3.5 inches.

Roy
 
Snorkeling in Bora Bora/ Society Islands

Snorkeling in Bora Bora/ Society Islands

I had the fortune of visiting the society islands last year (i.e. tahiti which is the main island). Incredible butterflies, sharks, clams, even staghorns and encrusting motiporas, have pics but have not posted yet. Point is came face to face with a 2 ft unjulate trigger, I kept my distance, but man what a fat fish! I swear, if undjulates were the size of sharks man would not swim in the ocean!:beachbum:
 
pics

pics

No pics......sorry. They looked pretty big but it was probably have been the distortion from the mask. They looked about 5 inches.
 
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