Christmas Tree Worm

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

Christmas tree worm                         Spirobranchus giganteus

Tiny Toby

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

Hawaiian whitespotted toby                        Canthigaster jactator

Night Oval

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

oval butterflyfish                    Chaetodon lunulatus

Puhi Paka

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

yellow margin moray                    Gymnothorax flavimargiatus

Sleeping Parrotfish

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

bullethead parrotfish                    Chlorurus spilurus

Marbled Shrimp - night dive

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

marbled shrimp                    Saron marmoratus

camel shrimp

Fuller brush shrimp

Ghost Shrimp

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

ghost shrimp                    Stenopus pyrsonotus

fountain shrimp

flameback coral shrimp

Bright Butterfly

Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

raccoon butterflyfish                    Chaetodon lunula

The raccoon butterflyfish is one of the more common species found on Hawaiian reefs.

G. meleagris

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

whitemouth moray        Gymnothorax meleagris

Peeping Crab

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

red swimming crab                     Charybdis paucidentata

Toothy Wrasse

Photos Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

ringtail wrasse                    Oxycheilinus unifasciatus

The Octopus Companion

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

manybar goatfish                 Parupeneus multifasciatus

Sometimes a manybar will follow an octopus around, hoping to catch any small creatures the octopus may alarm as it slides through the coral.

Keauhou Octopus

All Photos Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

Day Octopus                     Octopus cyanea

Schooling Scad

Photos Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

bigeye scad               (Selar crumenopthalmus)

Hitchers

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

A few years ago, I encountered a large male green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) swimming through Honaunau Bay with white masses on his shell. Initially, I thought these might have been fibropapillomas that sometimes afflict sea turtles. Upon closer inspection, I saw that the masses were gooseneck barnacles (Pollicipes polymers) a type of sessile crustacean that can often be seen attached to pilings, docks and boat hulls.

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

George Balazs, NOAA's sea turtle biologist in Hawai'i, explained that barnacles tend to grow on green sea turtles that remain out in the open sea for prolonged periods of time. Most greens spend their time near shore except when traveling to and from their mating grounds.

Photo Copyright 2014 by Barry Fackler

After the turtle came to rest, I found another creature hitching a ride - this slender remora (Echineis naucrates).

Over the years I've seen a lot of turtles but this was the first I've ever seen with barnacles and  one of only a handful I've seen with a remora. I guess this turtle continued his seafaring ways because I never saw him again.