Smooth Box Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Smooth Box Crab (Calappa calappa) is also known as the Giant Box Crab or the Shamefaced Crab. Because of their variable colouration they are sometimes also called the Red Spotted Box Crab.
They are n...
Compressed Spindle Cowrie -Facts and Photographs
The Compressed Spindle Cowrie (Hiatavolva coarctata) is also known as the Pink Allied Cowrie. They are not a true cowries , instead they are in the Ovulidae family also known as False Cowries or Cowry Allie...
Smith’s Swimming Crab- Facts and Photographs
Smith's Swimming Crab (Charybdis smithii) is a very interesting swimming crab that exhibits swarming behavior. They were first found in False Bay near Capetown in South Africa in 1838 when a large swarm wa...
Rusty Guard Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Rusty Guard Crab (Trapezia bidentata) is also known as the Two Tooth Guard Crab. They spend their entire adult lives living between the branches of corals of the Pocillopora and Acropora families. The...
Pacific Cleaner Shrimp-Facts Photographs and Video
The Pacific Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) is also known as the Ambon Cleaner Shrimp, the Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp, Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp and as the Cleaner Shrimp. As their name implies they are...
Hairy Yellow Hermit Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Hairy Yellow Hermit Crab (Aniculus maximus) is also known as the Large Hairy Hermit Crab. They are one of the larger more colourful hermit crabs that spend their lives in empty gastropod shells. They ar...
Decorator Crab- Facts and Photographs
Decorator crabs belong to the superfamily Majoidea and are also commonly known as Spider Crabs. They obtain their name from their habit of decorating their bodies with various plants and animals. This can ...
The Map Cowrie-Facts and Photographs
The Map cowrie (Leporicypraea mappa) is one of the larger species of cowrie found in Tanzania. They are marine snails in the family Cypraeidae. They are nocturnal and far more reclusive than the other large...
Rust Spotted Guard Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Rust Spotted Guard Crab, (Trapezia rufopunctata) is also known as the Red Spotted Guard Crab in some areas. They spend their entire lives living between the branches of corals of the Pocillopora and Ac...
Red Helmet Shell – Facts and Photographs
The Red helmet shell Cypraecassis rufa is also known as the Bullmouth shell and as the Cameo shell. Large specimens such as those in these images are now very rare due to their collection for sale to the ca...
Harlequin Shrimp-Facts and Photographs
The Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera picta) is one of the more colourful and ornate shrimps around. Their ornate specialised mouth parts and sensory organs elicit a second look, along with leaving one wondering...
Marbled Shrimp-Facts and Photographs
The Marbled shrimp ( Saron marmoratus ) is also known as the Saron Shrimp, Eyespot Shrimp or Carid Shrimp. They are rather ungainly looking shrimp with a fairly long rostrum. Their hairy looking backs and ...
Pacific Clown Anemone Shrimp-Facts and Photographs
The Pacific Clown Anemone Shrimp (Periclimenes brevicarpalis) is also known as the Peacock-tail Anemone Shrimp, White-spot Anemone Shrimp, Five-spot Anemone Shrimp, Glass Anemone Shrimp, Snow Capped Anemone...
Stinging Sea Creatures-Textile Cone Shell
The Textile cone shell Conus textile is also known as the cloth of gold cone shell. As with all the cone shells, they are carnivorous and predatory, preying on other mollusks. In order to quickly disable t...
Porcelain Anemone Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Porcelain Anemone Crab, Neopetrolisthes maculatus is also known as the Spotted porcelain crab. They are decapod crustaceans in the Porcellanidae family. Although they resemble true crabs they are actual...
Ornate Spiny Lobster – Facts and Photographs
The Ornate spiny lobster, Panulirus ornatus is also known as the Tropical rock lobster and the Ornate tropical rock lobster . They are among the largest of the Panuliris lobsters and are greatly favored as ...
Durban Dancing Shrimp- Facts and Photographs
The Durban Dancing Shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis) is also known as the camel shrimp, camelback shrimp, candy shrimp and the hingebeak prawn. They obtain the dancing part of their name from the sidewa...
Bigfin Reef Squid- Facts Photographs and Video
The Bigfin reef squid, (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) is also known as the Oval squid. They obtain their name from the fin which almost completely circles their body. This gives them a superficial resemblance t...
Anemone Hermit Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Anemone hermit crab, Dardanus pedunculatus has a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with the anemone Calliactis polypus. The anemones are collected by the crab and placed on its shell. The Anemone Hermi...
Sponge Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Sponge crab Lauridromia dehaani is not often seen due to their nocturnal habits. During the day they hide in crevices or holes and are usually only seen at night. As their name implies they decorate th...
Giant Spotted Hermit Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Giant spotted hermit crab Dardanus megistos is also known as the White-spotted Hermit crab. They are one of the more colourful hermit crabs, that spend their lives in empty gastropod shells. In terms of...
Painted Spiny Lobster – Facts and Photographs
The painted spiny lobster, Panulirus versicolor is also known as the blue spiny lobster. They are claw-less lobsters and are greatly favored as a delicacy.
APPEARANCE
Painted spiny lobster grow ...
Umbilical Egg Cowrie – Facts and Photographs
The Umbilical Egg Cowrie, (Calpurnus verrucosus) also known as the Verruca Cowrie or Little Egg Cowrie is a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Ovulidae, known as the false cowries or allied cowries. Te...
Egg Cowrie – Facts and Photographs
The Egg cowrie, (Ovula ovum) is a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Ovulidae, known as the false cowries or allied cowries. Technically they are not cowries per se but because of their similarity to co...
Banded Coral Shrimp-Facts and Photographs
The banded coral shrimp (Tenopus hispidus) is also known as the banded cleaner shrimp and the Boxer Shrimp. They are shrimp-like decapod crustaceans belonging to the infraorder Stenopodidea. Their bright re...
The Tiger Cowrie – Facts and Photographs
The tiger cowrie (Cypraea tigris) is one of the larger species of cowrie. They are marine snails in the family Cypraeidae. They are an extremely attractive sight as they move across the reef. They are noctu...
Smiths Xanthid – Facts and Photographs
Smith's xanthid Eriphia smithii is a commonly found crab on the East coast of Africa. Because of their large nippers and red colouration they are easily recognisable.
APPEARANCE
Smith's xanthid grow to a...