Some Intriguing Facts About Fascinating Ocean Animals Called Flatworms

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Make sure to read until the end. The most intriguing fact awaits you at the end.

 1. Diversity. Flatworms represent a diverse group of invertebrates that come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Known over 20,000 of flatworm species.

2. No Body Cavity. Flatworms lack a body cavity between their gut and body wall. This unique feature gives them a flat, ribbon-like appearance and inspired their common name. 

3. Regenerative Abilities. If a flatworm is cut into several pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a complete organism. This ability to regrow missing body parts is truly extraordinary! 

4. Hermaphroditic Nature: Most flatworms are hermaphroditic, meaning they possess both male and female reproductive organs. This enables them to engage in reciprocal mating, where two individuals fertilize each other’s eggs. 

5. Predatory Behavior: Some flatworms are voracious predators, feeding on small invertebrates and even other flatworms. They use their muscular bodies and adhesive secretions to capture and consume their prey.

6. Unique Reproductive Behavior: In certain species of flatworms mating involves a peculiar behavior called ‘penis fighting.’ During this process, two flatworms extend their long, extendable penises and engage in a battle of sorts. The goal is to inseminate the opponent while avoiding being inseminated in return. It’s an intense and unusual reproductive strategy observed only in the world of flatworms!

 Flatworms are truly captivating ocean animals, showcasing a range of adaptations and behaviors. Their unique biology and ecological roles make them a fascinating subject of study for marine enthusiasts and scientists alike!

More about them you can find in the Marine Flatworms of the Tropical Indo-Pacific

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Dangerous beauty of the night dive: sea anemone Alicia pretiosa

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Alicia pretiosa, Dahab, Red Sea, night dive

Alicia pretiosa is a species of sea anemone in the family Aliciidae and can be found from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean to Central Pacific. This sea anemone is rare, but can sometimes be seen at night, usually on mixed reef slopes near corals and seagrass. It looks very attractive. But touching its long translucent tentacles is highly not recommended. The tentacles are covered with small tubercles, as can be seen in the picture. These are nematocyst batteries and a powerful sting can kill small prey and stun medium-sized prey.

It is generally believed that such sea anemones feed on zooplankton. But this photo shows that their appetite can cope with an impressive predator – a fireworm!

Capturing a fireworm, Ras Abu Galum

The sea anemone Alicia pretiosa comes in a variety of colours. This photo was taken in the Philippines.

Note the small but brave nudibranch – anemone predator!

One of the most beautiful Aeolid nudibranchs feeds on this extremely dangerous sea anemone – meet a brave Limenandra barnosii!

Limenandra barnosi, Anilao

I still have to find a Limenandra barnosi in the Egypt Red Sea, where I live.

More information about nudibranchs you can find in the Nudibranchs of the Coral Triangle book

Best Regards, Andrey Ryanskiy

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Red Sea macro discoveries: marine worms

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Have you seen a sponge peppered with small dark dots, as it seems from a distance of 1-2 m? Getting closer we see them moving, then we understand it is a tiny marine life form. And only supermacro lens reveals these creatures in a full glory – Polydorella spionid worms.

Red Sea, Makadi Bay Jetty, depth 3 m

To learn more about The Weird and Wonderful World of Marine Worms

Red Sea Marine Life book

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Giant Moray and its Brave dentist

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Giant Moray and Common Cleanerfish

The job of a dentist cleaning teeth only seems dangerous in this case. A moray eel will never offend its Cleaner Wrasse. Cleaner Wrasse eats the parasites in Giant Moray mouth.

Small Gubal Island (Egypt Red Sea) is interesting for its dense fish population. You can meet up to a dozen giant moray eels of decent size during a dive. Someone has to eat all that fish soup! The marine life here is truly amazing. But diving is often affected by strong currents. Especially after the new moon.

Labroides dimidiatus, Common Cleanerfish

Gymnothorax javanicus Giant Moray

More information about the fish of the Red Sea in the new book: Red Sea Marine Life (Amazon paperback)

All formats and marketplaces (Apple, Google, Gumroad)

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The Weird and Wonderful World of Marine Worms

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A new book by Andrey Ryanskiy has just been published!

Marine worms are recognized world champions in biodiversity. This book is the first photo guide to these secretive and often strange animals. The book is based on photographs taken by the author, as well as his friends – citizen scientists and professional marine biologists.

It is designed for the general public interested in marine life. The book is also of interest to scuba divers and underwater photographers interested in identifying their underwater finds. This photo guide should also assist marine biologists and students in the initial identification of collected marine worms.

The book covers the region from the Red Sea, East and South Africa to Hawaii, Marshall Islands and Guam.

Inside the book:

– Over 820 full color photographs of 440+ species;

– Particular attention was paid to color variations, for some species up to 10 photos were added;

– Live photographs of most of the species have never before appeared in field guides or popular books;

– Convenient pictorial guide at the beginning and genera index at the end of the book.

Find all purchase links here

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Amazing crustaceans – Shrimp living with Worm

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The beauty and the Beast? World of crustaceans is extremely diverse! Did you know that some Snapping Shrimps can share burrows with Spoon Worms? Alpheus barbatus is one of the most beautiful shrimps. It is a facultative associate with rock-dwelling echiuran (Ikedosoma cf. elegans here)

I found this couple under a rock on the coast of New Caledonia. This was during a marine biological expedition of the Paris Museum of Natural History. I was struck by the beauty of the shrimp. Why be such a beautiful crustacean? Living under a rock with a worm 🙂

You will find more interesting facts and excellent underwater photos in the Coral Reef Crustaceans book. https://reefidbooks.com/shrimps-crabs/

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Red Sea Marine Life Book has just been published

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Reef ID Books is delighted to announce the launching of a new marine life guide Red Sea Marine Life. The book continues Reef ID Books’ commitment to publishing first-class marine life guides for underwater photographers, snorkelers and marine biologists.

Some reasons why you need to buy Red Sea Marine Life Book:

  • A comprehensive pictorial guide: 2900 full color photographs of 2100+ species, including 810+ fish species, 250 cnidarians (corals and relatives) and near 350 species of nudibranchs and sea slugs.
  • New species of fish, nudibranchs, sea slugs and other invertebrates were discovered by the author during the work on this book.
  • Several well-known Western Pacific species have been recorded for the first time in the Red Sea.
  • Live photo of hundreds of species have never before appeared in field guides or popular books.
  • The book covers the region from the Aqaba and Eilat to Farasan Islands, South Sudan and Erithrea.
  • Red Sea Marine Life serves to fill a gap in the general public’s understanding of Red Sea marine life in the two decades since the previous guides were published.
  • This book does provides its readers with basic information about the biology and taxonomy, serving mainly as a visual guide to their identification.
  • Convenient pictorial guide at the beginning will help readers navigate through the book.

Find all purchase links here.

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Some animals can chop off their own heads!

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DID YOU KNOW that Elysia marginata is capable of decapitating itself when its body becomes infected with parasites?

Sounds fantastic, but it’s true!

What’s even more bizarre, the head gets around fine without its body. In three weeks, it regenerates a new body, perfectly functioning and parasite-free.

Elysia marginata

“We’ve known for a long time that sea slugs have regenerative capabilities, but this really goes beyond what we had thought,” said Terry Gosliner, senior curator of invertebrate zoology at the California Academy of Science.

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To “puff up” is dangerous for pufferfish: myth or not?

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Pufferfish will “puff up” as a defense mechanism if they are threatened. A shape that is more than double its original size, round and sometimes covered in spines is much more difficult to bite and isn’t very appetizing to a predator. 

However, just as people should stretch before exercising to avoid injuring themselves, puffers need to stretch out their muscles as well. Inflating yourself full of water so that your skin is stretched tight can be very painful, especially if your muscles aren’t used to it. Even though they sometimes do it just to stretch, puffing up often can be stressful for a puffer. So, it’s best if they do it only when they need to. 

Cyclichthys orbicularis.

Divers! Please avoid frightening puffers deliberately! It sometimes could be dangerous for them.

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5 facts you didn’t know about pygmy seahorses.

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Hippocampus bargibanti

All seahorses, including pygmies, are part of the family Syngnathidae. Ever since they were first discovered in 1969, pygmy seahorses have become stars of the reef and attract hordes of underwater photographers. 

So what do we know about pygmy seahorses?

  1. Pygmies range in size from 1.4 – 2.7cm, from the snout to the tip of the tail. Human finger nail to toe nail in size.
  2. Like other seahorses, it’s the male pygmy that becomes pregnant. He gives birth to around a dozen young after a gestation of 10-14 days.
  3. They feed on tiny crustaceans that share their local habitat.
  4. Pygmy seahorses differ morphologically from all other seahorses, possessing a single rather than paired gill openings in addition to a brood pouch located on the trunk, rather than the tail.
  5. They don’t have eyelids and are sensitive to light (photographers please note!).
Hippocampus waleananus

Want to know more about Pygmy Sea Horses and other fishes of Indo-Pacific region? Check photoguide Reef Fishes of the Coral Triangle by A.Ryanskiy.

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