Slugs are a particular favourite with the team!We spent a lot of time on Tanah Merah with Chay Hoon, Kok Sheng and James, so of course lots of nudibranchs were encountered. James took these great photos of them: clockwise from left Hoplodoris nodulosa, Ceratosoma sp., Jorunna funebris, Ategma intecta.
And also lots of other molluscs, which includes snails and related squishy animals. Photos shared by James and found by various team members included: clockwise from left Arabian cowrie (Cypraea arabica), Rare-spined murex (Murex trapa), Bobtail squid (Suborder Sepiolidae), Hoof-shield limpet (Scutus sp.).
Tanah Merah is also full of amazing fishes! More photos shared by James and found by the team include: clockwise from left a very long twig-like halfbeak (Family Hemiramphidae), a school of Razorfishes (Family Centriscidae), the Brown-spotted moray (Gymnothorax reevesii), and a juvenile batfish (Platax sp.)!
Kok Sheng made a more adventurous peek at a slippery side of Tanah Merah and shared these astounding photos of the teeming reefs there: clockwise from left Tomato anemonefish (Amphiprion frenatus) in a Bubble tip anemone (Entacmea quadricolor), horn coral (Hydnophora sp.), circular mushroom corals (Family Fungiidae), ridged hard coral (Merulina sp.) and sandpaper coral (Psammocora sp.).
Kok Sheng also shared these finds on the more sandy and sedate side of Tanah Merah: clockwise from left the banded peacock anemone, a Haeckel's anemone out of water (Actinostephanus haeckli), a long-spined black sea urchin (Diadema sp.) and what looks like a Spatula sponge (Lamellodysidea herbacea).
From Terumbu Raya, James shared these photos of his encounters: clockwise from left Platydoris scabra, Gymnodoris rubropapulosa, Tomato anemonefish (Amphiprion frenatus) in a Bubble tip anemone (Entacmea quadricolor) and an upside down jellyfish (Cassiopea sp.).
Kok Sheng also shared some interesting finds from Pasir Ris including a bright blue striped hermit crab (Clibanarius sp.) and a Cake sea star (Anthenea aspera)!
Marcus found lots of interesting marine life at Pulau Sekudu including: clockwise from left the Miliaris cowrie (Cypraea miliaris), the Volvatella sap-sucking slug (Volvatella vigourouxi) (NEW fact sheet done), Atagema intecta and Hypselodoris kanga.
Chay Hoon finds many of the most interesting things, which are then photographed by everyone else. Here's some her photos which the others did not include: the Carpet eel-blenny (Congrogadus subducens) and the Red-tipped flatworm (Pseudoceros bifurcus) both first entries into the wildfact sheets.
Strangely, the team has been encountering the moult of masked burrowing crabs (Family Corystidae) on various shores. The one on the left was shared by Liana from St. John's Island, the one on the right by Marcus on Pulau Sekudu. The Anemone Team also saw these moults on Cyrene Reef.
The shore trips are fast and furious this time of the year, and I hardly have time to process photos before it's time for another round of gruelling field trips! So I've kind of ignored many of the tiny slugs the team found at St. John's. Perhaps later after this low tide madness is over.Thanks to those who found the critters, and who took photos and shared about them!
See all the photos in full glory and read about the adventures on the contributors' blogs:
- Colourful Clouds by Chay Hoon
- Half a Bunny and the Salmon of Doubt by Liana
- Singapore Nature by James
- The Annotated Budak by Marcus
- Wonderful creations by Kok Sheng
