Spawning anemones
It's a mystery how they synchronise... when the phase of moon and tides align New Zealand's jewel anemones explode in a mass spawning event.
 Male jewel anemones In the New Zealand winter jewel anemones swell with eggs and sperm in the lead up to a mass spawning event.
 Demoiselle nest site During the summer spawning season male Demoiselles hug the rock, protecting their nest site and its silvery patch of eggs.
 Clown nudibranchs Clown nudibranchs (Ceratosoma amoenum) are one of the most common nudibranchs on the east coast of the far north of New Zealand. Individuals come together to copulate and may even form groups.   Blue-spotted Elysia Like most sea slugs, Elysia sp. sap-suckers are hermaphrodites. The reproductive genital openings are found on the right side of the body in the neck area. The slugs coil together in a head to tail position to line up their genital papillae for copulation.
 Have you seen this undescribed Trinchesia nudibranch? Taken on a night dive in Blue Maomao Arch at the Poor Knights Islands in New Zealand, these photographs have been reviewed by mollusc expert Dr Willan and this nudibranch is an undescribed species of Trinchesia - a new species to science.
Two individuals were discovered at a depth of about eight metres and appeared to be spawning, laying down a white egg coil. The specimens were approximately 30 millimetres long. Have you seen this nudibranch? Please email Alison@InspiredToDive.com.  Feeding eagle ray A silty haze in the entrance of Scary Cave at the Poor Knights Islands was being produced by this eagle ray as it hoovered around in the sand for food. A male sandager's wrasse was skulking nearby hoping to nab a tasty morsel.
Male demoiselle guarding nest Having turned a vivid blue for breeding season, a small male demoiselle will not hesitate to confront a predator many times its size when guarding his nest of eggs.
Happy Valentine's Day I hope you're getting to spend it with a loved one.
Ceratosoma amoenum nudibranch reproduction Ceratosoma amoenum (the Clown nudibranch) is experiencing a boom in numbers on our New Zealand reefs right now. Reproductive behaviour can be observed, both copulation and the laying of egg ribbons.
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