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Invertebrates

Clear Cleaner Shrimp (Urocaridella antonbruunii)

Clear Cleaner Shrimp-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
19
The Clear Cleaner Shrimp (Urocaridella antonbruunii) is also known as the Anton Bruni Cleaner Shrimp, the Red and White Cleaner Shrimp, Transparent Cleaner Shrimp, Floating Cleaner Shrimp and sometimes simp...
Feather Star Crab (Tiaramedon spinosum)

Feather Star Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
33
The Feather Star Crab (Tiaramedon spinosum) is not commonly seen in Tanzanian waters and this is likely a function of both their cryptic habits and camouflage making them difficult to spot and their rarity....
Milky (Procalpurnus lacteus) is also known as the Netted Milky Ovulid

Milky Ovulid -Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
17
The Milky Ovulid (Procalpurnus lacteus) is also known as the Netted Milky Ovulid.  Although they resemble cowries, they are not a true cowries , instead they are in the Ovulidae family also known as False C...
Rosy Spindle Cowrie (Phenacovolva rosea)

Rosy Spindle Cowrie -Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
14
The Rosy Spindle Cowrie (Phenacovolva rosea) is also known by other local names as the Many Host Phenacovolva, the Double-snouted Spindle Cowrie, Tokio's Volva and the Gorgonian Spindle Cowry. They are not ...
Spider Decorator Crab (Camposcia retusa) is also known as the Blunt Decorator Crab and the Tarantula Crab

Spider Decorator Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
19
The Spider Decorator Crab (Camposcia retusa) is also known as the Blunt Decorator Crab, the Velcro Crab and the Tarantula Crab. Being well camouflaged they are difficult to spot and are probably easier foun...
Pygmy Squid found in Tanzania possibly undescribed

Pygmy Squid- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
35
Pygmy squid are technically not squid although they closely resemble them. Instead they fall in the genus Idiosepius. Very little is known of their habits and these found in Tanzania among and alongside the...
Crynoid shrimp

Crinoid Shrimp-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
22
Cinoid Shrimp are also known as Feather Star Shrimp. They live exclusively on Crinoids or Feather Stars.  Crinoids or Feather Stars are echinoderms that are mainly seen out at night in Tanzania but on occas...
Spotted Reef Crab (Carpilius maculatus) is also known as the Seven-eleven crab, the Dark-finger coral crab, and the Large spotted crab

Spotted Reef Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
47
The Spotted Reef Crab (Carpilius maculatus) is also known as the Seven-eleven crab, the Dark-finger coral crab, and the Large spotted crab. They are not commonly seen in Tanzanian waters, probably due to th...
Ridged swimming crab (Charybdis natator) is also known as the wrinkled swimming crab or rock crab

Ridged Swimming Crab – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
15
The Ridged swimming crab (Charybdis natator) is also known as the wrinkled swimming crab or rock crab. Because of the ridges on their back they are relatively easy to identify. There are two subspecies, the...
The Convex crab (Carpilius convexus)

Convex Reef Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
56
The Convex reef crab (Carpilius convexus) is also known as the Round-back Coral Crab. They are fairly common at night in the waters off Dar es Salaam but are seldom seen out during the day. Large specimens ...
Cuttlefish using its arms as lures

Cuttlefish using its arms as lures

Alan Sutton
45
The Cuttlefish using its arms as lures while on a shore dive across a sandy area on Mafia Island  diving with David from Mafia Island Diving, I spotted some movement on the sea floor on the edge of the visi...
Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator)

Emperor Shrimp-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
144
The Emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) is one of the more vividly colored shrimp around.  They form what are termed commensal relationships with various species of nudibranch and sea cucumbers (holothu...
Hairy Coral Crab (Cymo andreossyi) is also known as the Furry Coral Crab

Hairy Coral Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
84
The Hairy Coral Crab (Cymo andreossyi) is also known as the Furry Coral Crab . Being small and well camouflaged they are difficult to spot and are probably best found at night when their eyes reflect light ...
Harlequin Swimming Crab, Lissocarcinus laevis

Harlequin Swimming Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
117
The Harlequin Swimming Crab, Lissocarcinus laevis is not easy to see because of its size and one has to look carefully to spot them. They are decapod crustaceans in the Infraorder Brachyura, in the Portu...
Bobtail squid also known as Pigmy Squid

Bobtail Squid- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
161
Bobtail squid are also known as Dumpling Squid. They are exceptionally cute looking little cephalopods and are fascinating to watch.  They are in the order Sepiolida and are closely related to cuttlefish al...
Olive Purse Crab, Leucosia pubescens

Olive Purse Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
40
The Olive Purse Crab, Leucosia pubescens does not seem to be common in Tanzanian waters and indeed does not seem to be recorded here. Hopefully the identification is correct. They are decapod crustaceans...
Sundial shell (Architectonica perspectiva)

Sundial Shell-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
531
The Sundial shell (Architectonica perspectiva) is  also known as the Perspective Sundial shell and the Clear Sundial shell.  They are marine snails in the super family Architectonicoidea and were first desc...
Bubble Tip Anemone (entacmaea quadricolor)

Bubble-tip Anemone – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
544
The Bubble-tip anemone (entacmaea quadricolor) is also known as the BTA in the aquarium trade. They are one of the more attractive looking anemones although their colors can vary from drab to brightly color...
Swimming Anemone (Boloceroides mcmurrichi)

Swimming Anemone – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
80
The Swimming Anemone, Boloceroides mcmurrichi is fairly common in the shallows in Tanzanian waters. As can be seen in the images they obtain their name from their ability to swim.  The anemones swimming in ...