Introducing Idiotropiscis aotearoaIn February I found a pair of pygmy pipehorses near the Bay of Islands in northern New Zealand. It was a new species and now it has a name: Idiotropiscis aotearoa.
Small and shy - the life of a triplefinI'm fascinated by the tiny triplefins that make up a big part of the New Zealand reef ecosystem. We have 26 endemic species - triplefins that are only found naturally occurring in NZ.
Octopus eyeOctopuses can do this cool thing - change colour and texture. They can blend into their surroundings and become practically invisible. Thousands of colour-changing cells called chromatophores are manipulated to pull off this remarkable feat.
Clown nudibranchNamed for its polka dots, the Clown nudibranch (Ceratosoma amoenum) livens up New Zealand's underwater world.
Someone is always watchingScorpionfish (Scorpaena cardinalis) behave like rocks so they can ambush their prey. Sometimes they ambush divers.
Yellow-black triplefinThis striking triplefin is found all around New Zealand, from the Three Kings Islands in the north to the Auckland Islands in the south.
Flabellina albomarginataIt's Spring in New Zealand. This is a great time of year to hunt nudibranchs with your camera.
Mimic blennyDisguised as a harmless triplefin, the Mimic blenny launches a surprise attack on passing fish, nipping off a chunk of flesh with its underslung jaw.
Levitating nudibranchThis purple beauty is called Jason mirabilis. I know I've shared photos of this nudibranch with you before but I think it's special enough to share again because it's only found in New Zealand.
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Underwater
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