f028311: a large sand octopus eating dog cockles. They do not break these open but drill a hole down to the adductor muscle. Octopus gibsi, Glycymeris laticostata

f028305:a large sand octopus outside its den with the leftovers of its meals. Bivalves open by octopus have a neat conical hole in one shell. Octopus gibsii

f028312: a large mottled sand star regrowing one of its seven arms. The luidia sand star is a predator, even capable of cannibalism.  Luidia neozelanica

f028324: male goatfish in spawning colours. Upeneichthys lineatus Goatfish form groups on sheltered sand by day.

f022615: a diver carefully approaches a group of goatfish resting in the current. A sudden movement can spoil it all.

f022620: the adventure of an encounter with a tolerant goatfish. This is a rare moment after a lot of patience.

f025809: young blue cod are brownish with much white Parapercis colias As they mature, they become blue and white.

f025825: closeup of inquisitive young blue cod. These fish are quite brainy and inquisitive. Parapercis colias

f025811: broad squid lay their trusses of eggs at night. Females tie their egg capsules to a stalk.

f025827: the yellow boring sponge etches holes in the rock where it is protected Cliona celata

f025833: a cooks turban shell covered in sea rasp hydroids Cookia sulcata Sea rasp forms a rough texture.

f025902: a sand fan worm about to emerge from its tube. They are almost impossible to excavate. Sabella sp.

f025904 sand fanworm spreads its intricate crown of feathery gills. With these it catches fine plankton particles.

f022809: a snorkeldiver discovers a baby octopus who made itself at home under a large rock, and with many stones to close its hatch.

f045209: a large sponge died recently, leaving white attachment marks on pink paint. Marks on pink paint tell a story of the past. Lithothamnion sp.

f045215: a rich vertical wall community with lamp shells (brachiopods), attacked by deposition Calloria inconspicua

f045205: a rich community once lived here. Now a single grazing snail remains, as the green fluff, a planktonic dinoflagellate, kills.

f046002: degradation: even well-lit kelp has lost its food value. Fronds feel papery rather than slimy, a sure indicator of ill health.

f046005: degradation: the kelp fronds are like cardboard and its young leaves are dead. The growth centre at the top of the stalk is brown and dead.

f046007: hardy calcareous stone-leaf algae competing for space and pushing each other upward Lithothamnion sp.

f050622: NZ pie-crust crab Cancer novaezelandiae is active by night inside harbours, but it is relatively rare.

f041937: stalked compound seasquirts in a degrading environment.

f041933: several sponges smothered in dust and invading organisms.

f021700: the sandy bottom is now infested with invasive parchment tubeworms, which turn a scallop bed into a carpet. Chaetopterus variopedatus

f025805: the parchment tubeworm is a complicated segmented worm with feet for cementing, feeding and pumping water. Chaetopterus variopedatus

f021707: rough organ sponges growing on a wharf pile Callyspongia latituba

f021711: the rough organ sponge expands like flowers; behind it the rough finger sponge Callyspongia latituba,  C. ramosa

f021701: the red crust sponge grows well in the currents and when well fed, can grow massive structures. Crella incrustans

f021708: a massive boring sponge provides ample food for the tiger shells Cliona celata, Maurea punctulata

f021709: tiger shells like belly buttons on a boring sponge tummy

f021710: sponges growing large in the rich currents of the entrance to Whangarei Harbour

f021712: this photo was taken in 1999, but now all has disappeared. Degradation is accelerating.

f021714: yellow rough iophon sponge doing well  Iophon sp.

f021716: echinoderms clinging on to the hard shore, green urchins, prickly stars and cushion stars

f021733: octopus mate at some distance by means of the male's long mating arm as the female remains safely in her home.  Octopus gibbsi

f021732: male octopus mating arm entering the female's pouch where it deposits a packet of sperm. When laying her eggs, the female breaks the packets and fertilises her eggs herself.

f022303: at high tide the water is clearest and one can swim through the mangrove trees

f022308: snorkel diver takes a closer look at  neptunes necklace seaweed, caught between mangrove roots.

f022313: neptune's necklace weed and mangrove propagules in between aerial roots in the mud

f021807: magenta jewel anemones growing over the remains of a large dead black coral tree

f021813: a dead black coral tree encrusted with magenta jewel anemones Corynactis australis

f021816: magenta jewel anemones around a dead black coral tree

f021834: a feeding frenzy of young koheru Decapterus koheru

f021805: rough fingersponges in deep water  Callyspongia ramosa

f029723: a little bear welcomes divers to Middle Arch as it slowly disappears in the environment

f029004: purple sponge in a world of bryozoa. There is no vacant space left.

f029007: two clown nudibranch laying eggs on a white sponge. Ceratosoma amoena

f029008: closeup of pink aplysilla carpetsponge. Aplysilla rosea

f029009: small white flask sponges, networked together. Leucettusa sp.

f029010: large flask sponges, interconnected at their base. Leucettusa lancifer

f029012: closeup of large flask sponges. Leucettusa lancifer

f029013: red scorpionfish still alert at night. Scorpaena cardinalis

f029015: orange net golfball sponge grows in deep clear water and feel soft. Tethya fastigata

f029016: yellow net golfball sponge is the same species as the orange variety. Tethya fastigata

f025221: the green sponge feels rubbery Latrunculia kaakaariki

f029018: a city of tiny fanworms cemented together. One can just see their tiny fans protruding from their tubes.

f029019: the white spined uchin has many red tube feet. Tripneustes gratilla

f029118: orange bryozoan lace coral growing in dense formation.

f029119: a bouquet of yellow zoanthid anemones.

f029322: white zoanthid anemones invading a mauve gorgonean tree.

f029402: fine lined tambja seaslugs eating red hydroids. Tambja sp.

f029421: fine lined tambjas in a paradise of bryozoans, blue Bugula dentata and orange Cribricellina cribraria

f029418: two dark tambjas feeding on blue bryozoan firs. Tambja morosa

f029425: two vercoes tambjas feeding on bryozoans. Tambja verconis

f029614: the low hat urchin finds food just under the sand.

f028420: the brown urchin is uncommon at the Poor Knights.

f029716: orange bryozoan coral 'sea carnation' Hippellozoon movaezelandiae

f025122: a collection of bryozoan 'leaves' of various species

f045406: young longfinned boarfish amongst kelp, wondering what the photographer is up to. Zanclistus elevatus.

f045410: closeup of longfinned boarfish, not too afraid to flee. Zanclistus elevatus.

f045424: dense school of young blue maomao Scorpis violaceus and some sweep Scorpis lineolatus

f045425: young blue maomao, always inquisitive. Recently almost all old blue maomao died from a mysterious disease.

f045426: closeup of young blue maomao in a dark archway Scorpis violaceus

f041715: a surge fish has longer fingers than the hiwihiwi kelpfish. Its eyes are also placed closer to its mouth Chironemus microlepis.

f043404: a healthy two-finger sponge invaded by agressive bryozoa which will eventually kill it. Pararhaphoxia sp.

f045531: a small yellow-black triplefin on a red carpet sponge Fosterygion flavonigro

f045536: female yaldwyn's triplefin in spawning colours. Notoclinops yaldwyni

f024609: a feeding frenzy of trevally and some kahawai. Notice the shrimps at the surface. Pseudocaranx dentex ,  Arripis trutta

f024911: pink maomao in the company of one mado inside Barren Arch. Caprodon longimanus, Atyptichthys latus

f025019: diver discovering a firebrick star Asterodiscides truncatus

f045914: puffy firebrick star has five arms and colourful rounded spines like pins stuck deep into a pincushion. Asterodiscides truncatus

f026036: white anemones at high tide where food is abundant and predation least. Actinothoe albocincta

f028914: a male scarlet wrasse has found a bed inside a grey sponge. He will return here night after night, keeping the opening open. Pseudolabrus miles

f045905: the Kermadec serpent star is not common on the Poor Knights. Ophidiaster kermadecensis

f045906: male two-spot demoiselle on a grey royal toilet sponge. Chromis dispilus, Geodia regina

f045915: a large red scorpionfish on a royal toilet sponge. Scorpaena cardinalis, Geodia regina

f025028: red lizardfish is a predator found in some summers on a sandy bottom in deep water. Synodus doaki

f025326: goatfish changing colour while vying for attention from the combfish Coris picta

f025333: inquisitive male sharpnosed pufferfish in spawning attire. Canthigaster callisterna

f026024: young trevally can be quite messy when feeding from the bottom. Although their main diet is zooplankton, they supplement it in many ways.

f026027: a freediver pursues a school of young trevally

f022329: a large bluefish mobbed by baby koheru who wipe their own parasites off on the rough scales of the bluefish.  Girella cyaenea

f022409: sandagers wrasse above urchin grazed barrens. Males are always busy patrolling their territories. Coris sandageri

f022504: short tailed stingray with chopped tail and struck by propeller. While young, fishermen chopped its tail.  Dasyatis thetidis

f022505: will this stingray survive its propeller wound? Many fish seek the comfort of warm water at the surface, but there they can get run over.

f022536: awesome mosaic moray has teeth in the roof of its mouth  Enchelycore ramosa

f046013: snapper, kelp and featherweed in tranquil Nursery Cove.

f046017: snorkelling among fish and tall seaweeds

f046021: the sea lettuce has taken over because of fewer grazers, to become a nuisance.

f046019: many sea urchins but no barrens as they all live from weeds drifting by

f046023: snapper and black angelfish above lessonia strap kelp.

f046024: snorkeldiver above golden strap kelp. Lessonia variegata

f046033: snorkeldiver and a stand of featherweed. Carpophyllum plumosum

f046035: old feather weeds reaching for the sky, their stalks having lost their leaves.

f023004: exploring the shallows of the Poor Knights

f023010: exploring the sunlit shallows in a narrow passage.

f023017: cathedral light in a sheltered cove

f023024: a snorkeller descends into the dark of a cove

f023025: exploring the canyons and gullies around Ngaio Rock.

f023109: a diver follows young blue maomao into Blue Maomao Arch.

f023115: blue maomao in Blue Maomao Arch. Scorpis violaceus

f023132: young blue maomao in Blue Maomao Arch  Scorpis violaceus

f046121: male Sandagers wrasse with large fungal infection, Poor Knights

f046132: female Sandagers wrasse with fungal infection

f046122: kelp frond infested by pink coralline algae, Poor Knights

f046123: opportunistic species growing over infested kelp, Poor Knights

f046124: robust bryozoan species overtake more sensitive ones, Poor Knights

f046133: even the robust grey nipple sponge is dying. Polymastia fusca

f046134: deceased red Vidalia seaweed, Poor Knights. Vidalia colensoi

f045219: an explosion of sea lettuce because there are too few grazers left.

f045224: degradation: too much seaweed for too few grazers. Sea lettuce rotting like wet toilet paper.

f045304: drooping featherweed could be a sign of ill health because healthy seaweeds stand upright.

f026030: urchins dying from eating poisonous planktonic algae, a new scourge of the coast. Then kelp takes their place and rots.

f045716: goatfish at night is very colourful Upeneichthys lineatus

f045719: comb star shows white fungal infection. Astropecten polyacanthus

f045720: comb star has pointed spines and equally pointed tubefeet to march over sand.

f045606: an observer counting sea urchins.

f045612: which way, buddy? Two red moki seem to disagree on where to go. Cheilodactilus spectabilis

f045613: mature red moki infected by fungus on its fins in Mimiwhangata marine park.

f045627: a male leatherjacket hugging a vertical wall full of marine life from which it feeds. A male leatherjackets has an oval shape and a dark band over its tail. Parika scaber

f045631: a small school of young koheru, a kind of jack. Decapterus koheru

f045632: diver and small school of young koheru Decapterus koheru

f045803: inquisitive yellow moray eel Gymnothorax prasinus

f045806: purple sea firs in deep water. These used to be found more shallow but even here they are being infested by red algae.

f045813: paddle grapeweed, a variety of sea rimu in deep water (33m). Caulerpa articulata.

f045814: the sea bottom shows no signs of trawling. Although trawling disturbs the sea bottom, storms stir it much more and over vaster areas.

f045819: a rough finger sponge in deep water. Callyspongia ramosa. A young kelp indicates the recent occurrence of clear water.

f046225: bottlenose dolphins in a playful mood

f046224: bottlenose dolphins playing in murky water

f027320: this black coral tree in Milford Sound is almost dead and infested with red seaweed. Aphanipathes sp.

f045503: inlet pores and outlet ports of a white sponge in super closeup.

f045506: lesser camouflage crab on a grey sponge is covered in yellow sponge. Notomithrax minor

f044104: feather stars form more branches by branching. (Niue)

f029511: horse anemones in shallow water have disappeared. Actinia tenebrosa.

f029516: red horse anemones normally grow in shaded places, close to high tide.

f046128: closeup of mauve gorgoneans in backlight

f025226: small zoanthid anemones have smothered a mauve gorgonean

f043006: an anemone splitting in two on an aquarium window. Actinothoe albocincta

f045518: a tiny 10mm fan worm hiding in a crevice.

f045519: super closeup of the intricate face of a red crayfish Jasus edwardsi

f045521: fast swimming plankton krill often makes night-time photography impossible

f045529: a red carpet sponge and its rejected wastes. Crella incrustans?

f045530: an orange golfball sponge allows itself to be overgrown with hard limestone algae for protection.

f045532: super detail of invisible polyps on a stick bryozoa.

f045534: the tiny eggs of the black angelfish, neatly laid down. Parma alboscapularis

f045502: lemon nudibranch crawling from right to left looks very much like a big flatworm Dendrodoris citrina?

f030013: two verco's tambjas in an embrace Tambja verconis

f045515: super closeup of the gill crown of Vercoe's tambja Tambja verconis

f042019: umbrella limpets elbowing one another for a feed. Umbraculum umbraculum.

f045823: an umbrella limpet eating through a hard grey sponge. Umbraculum umbraculum, Ancorina alata

f036605: a yellow foot umbraculum eating an orange golfball sponge

f018503: pink golfball sponge ladled out by an umbrella limpet. Its extensible mouth can be seen as it withdraws.

f019414: an umbraculum has a very thick foot and body and its mouth is underneath. Umbraculum umbraculum

f018026: a jason nudibranch has eaten all its prey, the solanderia hydroid tree. Jason mirabilis.

f018027: a jason nudibranch has climbing appendages. Jason mirabilis.

f013137: jason sea slugs eating themselves out of food on a solanderia hydroid tree

f005516: beautiful jason nudibranch against a blue background

f030433: a predatory sea tiger devouring a small tambja nudibranch Roboastra luteolineata.

f041307: a little lined tambja Tambja sp..

f030019: a very large orange extraordinary sea hare Aplysia extraordinaria.

f030018: closeup of orange sea hare shows long 'ears' and large mouth flap

f025013: a diver holds the sea hare up for comparison

f035524: a black sea hare in a rock pool in Wellington Aplysia nigra brunnea.

f035525: the large black sea hare belongs to the South Island Aplysia nigra brunnea.

f025910: a large julian sea hare Aplysia juliana.

f040333: the little sea hare shows its internal shell and blocked margin. Aplysia parvula.

f025832: complicated egg spiral of the little sea hare.

f025923: two brown sea hares Aplysia keraudreni.

f011621: chain-mating brown sea hares Aplysia keraudreni

f041026: large brown sea hare in Whangaroa Harbour

f028924: fire slug on its favourite bryozoan food. Janolus ignis.

f029414: greenish dark tambja on its favourite blue bugula bryozoans Tambja morosa, Bugula dentata

f038111: blue-dot elysia nudibranch breathes through its wings. Elysia sp.

f038005: the very common clown nudibranch never ceases to amaze. Ceratosoma amoena.

f040523: orange dorid Rostanga muscula?

f017214: unidentified red dorid sea slug in Mahurangi Harbour

f025815: gem nudibranch Dendrodoris denisoni

f018701: a remarkable nudibranch with a warty appearance  Archidoris wellingtonensis

f018702: gill feathers of Wellington nudibranch are intricately branched

f018320: tritonia nudibranch on its favourite food, a soft coral  Tritonia incerta

f005000: the hairy sea hare Bursatella leachii is almost invisible on the muddy bottom.

f017225: hairy sea hares are very sociable and gather regularly. Here four are snuggling together as they move to a new spot.

f017119: hairy sea hares live in muddy environments from the diatom scum at the surface Bursatella leachii

f010818: onchidella slugs emerge at low tide in shaded areas to graze Neptune's necklace weed Onchidella nigricans

f017217: a swimming flatworm, looking very much like a sea slug. Thysanozoon brochii

f046106: sea gooseberry and blue sky

f046112: sea goseberry and its reflection just as it touches the surface.

f045228: a raft of decomposing seaweeds and jellyfish

f045235: jellyfish and sunlight

f026811: jellyfish in cold water (unidentified species)

f029503: a plague of stinging jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca

f029525: end of a jellyfish plague leaves dead bodies floating on the surface but they decompose quickly

f013530: snapper learn quickly how to demolish jellyfish for their tasty gonads

f012430: the moon jelly or earlobe jelly is found in all oceans  Aurelia aurita

f012434: the moon jelly seeks the surface where zooplankton collects

f029800: decay: drooping sponges invading a kelp

f029816: decay: parchment worms at the Poor Knights where they once were rare.

f045528: this urchin has lost most of its spines but is regrowing them now. Evechinus chloroticus

f045831: when its grazers die, kelp is left to rot, which affects other organisms like a rotten apple in the fruit basket.

f045904: when a grey nipple sponge is unhappy, it contracts to a hard lump. Polymastia fusca

f045925: the seriously degraded environment of Te Matuku Bay marine reserve.

f045926: do we really want more reserves like this? Te Matuku marine reserve.

f045927: stalked invasive seasquirts can live only in very degraded environments. Te Matuku.

f045929: at only 5m depth all plantlife ends. Te Matuku.

f045929: at only 5m depth all plantlife ends. Te Matuku.

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