Ocean Dwellers
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Bermuda's clear waters are home to many spectacular species of fascinating marine life. Most of the species I have photographed are common around Bermuda. I hope that the next time you enter the Ocean, you will keep an eye out for some of these Ocean dwellers!
My favorite marine animals to try and find and photograph are seahorses. Bermuda's two known seahorse species are protected, so at the end of 2015, I applied for and received a permit to photograph them. I hope you enjoy some images I have taken of their beautiful and secret lives.
Please remember: Many of Bermuda's marine species, including West Indian Topshells and seahorses, are protected. It is illegal to collect or handle them in any way. Please help to keep our ocean free of plastic and debris by always disposing of your litter correctly.
These beautiful nudibranchs are pelagic and rarely seen.
This Purple Ocean snail is eating this man o war. This was the first time I had witnessed this behaviour. Very cool to see.
These 1 cm long nudibranchs live in our sea grass beds.
Arguably the Ocean's most beautiful crab! Another rare and exciting find for me. Isn't he amazing!
Octopuses are incredibly graceful when they are swimming. So beautiful!
Isn't he fancy! Just don't pick him up! These crabs can be found in shallow water in turtle grass beds.
These four inch long colourful shrimp have been on my bucket list forever! So happy to have found this pretty pair in February 2017.
To discover camouflaged Ocean dwellers, slow down and look carefully. Can you see the octopus peeking out from behind these anemones?
This is one of the most spectacular seahorses I have found. Look how camouflaged he is with the red fire sponge.
Of all the beautiful animals to discover in our Ocean, I think octopuses are one of my favorites.
This is not just a rock covered in algae. It is actually an octopus sat on top of a rock covered in algae. Isn't camouflage brilliant?
This beautiful nudibranch (sea slug) is endemic to Bermuda. Their favorite food is blue sponge!
This is a sargassum crab. He looks just like the sargassum seaweed he spends his life on.
I found this little guy washed up on Church Bay. He weighed 47 grams. Adults can weigh up to 550 lbs.
Unfortunately, after four days of care at BAMZ, this baby loggerhead died. This is one of the youngest, live loggerheads to be found in Bermuda.
This baby loggerhead would not have have hatched from an egg in Bermuda although Loggerheads have occasionally nested here. He probably began life in Florida.
This very camouflaged animal has evolved to live amongst sargassum seaweed that floats in the Sargasso Sea. He cannot be found in any other habitat in our ocean.
Aren't these lovely? These are tunicates which are tiny little ocean dwelling invertebrates. Most people probably over look them, but I think they are beautiful.
Look at the funky lips on this guy! These beautiful fish are very common in Bermuda.
This beautiful File fish was hunting for crustaceans and worms along a dock side. Do you see his unicorn horn?
This large octopus made no attempt to camouflage himself with the pincushion mat he was resting on. He also allowed me to carefully and slowly approach him.
Can you see the blenny? This colourful chap is around 3 inches long. Bermuda's Ocean expert Wolfgang Sterrer calls blennies the clowns of the underwater circus!
This little blenny is only around 1 inch long. He is one of many species of blenny found in Bermuda. Very common and very cute!
This image shows a lovely Slender seahorse pair. The lighter coloured male is in labor.
These feisty fish used to be a lot more common in our waters. This one is 4 inches long.
These young turtles move into Bermuda's waters to feed on turtle grass. Eventually they will make their way back out to sea once more.
This lovely little blenny has chosen this fire sponge to rest upon! Better him than me!