The elusive
Masked burrowing crab has been found by Chay Hoon at Changi on Day 4 of the Northern Expedition of the
Mega Marine Survey! Marcus came with his Big Camera and took a nice photo of this mama crab and
blogged about their trip.
Another flurry of field trips with all kinds of interesting finds.
I came in the afternoon for Day 4 and as usual, it was a hive of activity at OBS. Rene shows us a
Seagrass sea anemone (on the screen) that was found the day before. It has yet to be identified. Other amazing anemones found include a
'Strawberry sea anemone' from a dredge! I didn't know they live so deep down!
Today, Grace Chua of the Straits Times is visiting the Expedition! Here's Prof Peter sharing about the special crab he found, with Rob Lasley kindly holding up the crab for them.
Grace is intrigued by the flow chart.
Yes, there is method in all the madness. I love how in the centre of everything is "Relaxation"! This is where the animals are calmed down so they are the most beautiful before they are preserved.
It was then a rush to head off for the field trips. I am joining the team to Chek Jawa this evening. Everyone is taking photos of everyone else.
We pass the other team who are surveying Pulau Sekudu as we head off for Chek Jawa, with small boat in tow.
Because, we are making an amphibious landing on Chek Jawa! I haven't done this since
before reclamation on Chek Jawa was deferred!
We had to break up into smaller groups for the landing. Here's the second group, on the horizon the locations of the other field trips going on at the same time at Changi and Pulau Sekudu.
By the time I arrived, the rest of the team were already hard at work.
Dr Prosanta Chakrabarty shows me a fish in the seine that he had described. Wow! He is also tweeting about the Expedition which should show up on the the Mega Marine Survey blog too. Thank you!
Dr Arthur Anker is also working with the yabby pump while others are taking a really close look at the shore.
Dr Helen Larson is showing Grace Chua a goby they have found while Dr Zeehan Jaafar is looking for more.
Dr Helen shows me a pretty little goby that Dr Zeehan says is our first record for Chek Jawa.
The sandy shore is full of all kinds of marine life which I forgot to take photos of. We find this little
'Strawberry sea anemone' because that is what it looks like when its tentacles are tucked into its red spotted body.
The survey continued after sunset and we ended only when the tide turned. Just before we left, Dr Joelle Lai gives me a
Grey bonnet snail, my first time seeing this on Chek Jawa. As we wait for the small boat to pick us up, here's a nice shot of Dr Zeehan and Dr Joelle.
Meanwhile, the teams are also working hard on other shores. Seine netting is going on at Changi too.
A stunning variety of fishes can be found here!
They too worked well after sunset.
Kok Sheng shared this marvellous photo of these
Mitre snails which seem to be laying eggs. We only recently started to see these snails in numbers at Changi.
I missed the happenings earlier in the day and didn't even get a chance to catch up with the sorting team, but I'm sure more amazing stuff have been found. Thanks to others for keeping up with documenting of the simultaneous field trips.
Posts by others on Day 4 of the Northern Expedition
