Unusual Moray Eel
While diving on Octopus Reef off Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I noticed a strange looking Moray Eel with its head protruding from a hole. It seemed unlike any other Moray Eel that I had seen before. A clo...
Palefin Unicornfish -Facts and Photographs
The Palefin Unicornfish (Naso brevirostris) is also known as the Shortnose Unicornfish, and the Spotted Unicornfish. They are the most common Unicornfish in Tanzania. Fishes within the Acanthuridae fami...
Yellowback Tubelip Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Yellowback Tubelip wrasse (Labropsis xanthonota) is also known as the Wedge-tailed wrasse, Blacklobe wrasse and V-tail wrasse. They are fairly rare on Tanzanian Reefs and tend to favor shallower areas o...
Reticulated Hinge Beak Shrimp- Facts and Photographs
The Reticulated Hinge-beak Shrimp (Cinetorhynchus reticulatus) is also known as the Green-eye Dancing Shrimp. They are fairly rare in Tanzanian waters and are nocturnal feeders found in deeper waters. ...
Eyebar Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Eyebar Goby (Gnatholepis cauerensis) is also known as the Shoulderspot Goby, the Bridled Goby and the Cauer Eye-bar Goby. There is some disagreement as to the validity of this species and how they shoul...
Partridge Tun Shell-Facts and Photographs
The Partridge Tun shell (Tonna perdix) is a large fairly reclusive mollusk rarely encountered on shallow night dives in Tanzanian waters. They are marine snails in the super family Tonnoidea. They are unusu...
Lunar Fusilier- Facts and Photographs
The Lunar Fusilier (Caesio lunaris) is also known as the Blue Fusilier and the Moon Fusilier. They are not as common as the other Fusiliers on the East African coast and we have not seen them swimming with ...
Coral Scallop-Facts and Photographs
The Coral Scallop (Pedum spondyloideum) is also known as the Iridescent Clam and the Blue Lipped coral Oyster. They are however scallops. They reside within several species of hard stony corals, but are mo...
Gorgeous Shrimp Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Gorgeous Shrimp Goby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri) is also known as the Gorgeous Prawn-goby, the Barred Shrimp goby, the Burgundy Shrimp goby and Wheeler's Shrimp-goby. They are fairly common on the Tanzania...
Senatorial Scallop-Facts and Photographs
The Senatorial Scallop (Mimachlamys sanguinea) seems to have been named scientifically several times in the past and was previously known as Chlamys senatoria, Chlamys porphyrea and Chlamys australis. They a...
Graceful Lizardfish- Facts and Photographs
The Graceful Lizardfish (Saurida gracilis) also called the Blotchy Lizardfish. Close up they are easily distinguished from other Lizardfish by the shape of the mouth and the protruding teeth as seen in the ...
Tambja olivaria – Nudibranch Facts and Photographs
Tambja olivaria also known as the Olive Tambja, is a dorid nudibranch and was described in 1994 by Nathalie Yonow from a specimen in the Maldives. To date we have only seen two specimens, both in Chole Bay ...
Sand Lizardfish- Facts and Photographs
The Sand lizardfish (Synodus dermatogenys) is also known as the Clearfin Lizzardfish and the Banded Lizzardfish. They are often confused with the Variegated Lizardfish (Synodus variegatus) but are notably d...
Mozambique Ghost Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Mozambique Ghost Goby (Pleurosicya mossambica) is also known as the Common Ghost Goby, the Toothy Goby and the Many-host Goby. As can be seen in the images in the post, they are found on numerous hosts....
Black Damselfish – Facts and Photographs
The Black Damselfish ( Neoglyphidodon melas) is also known as the Bowtie Damselfish, the Bluefin Damselfish and in some areas as the Royal Damselfish. They undergo a fairly dramatic colour change from juv...
Swarthy Parrotfish-Facts and Photographs
The Swarthy Parrotfish (Scarus niger) is also known as the Dusky Parrotfish and the Black Parrotfish. As with all the Parrotfish which are part of the Labridae family there is considerable diverg...
Halloween Hermit Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Halloween Hermit Crab (Ciliopagurus strigatus) is also known as the Cone Shell Hermit Crab, the Striped Hermit Crab and the Orange Legged Hermit Crab. They are one of the more colourful smaller hermit ...
Longhorn Cowfish- Facts and Photographs
The Longhorn cowfish (Lactoria cornuta) also known as the Horned Boxfish. Their plate-like scales are fused together to form a solid box-like carapace and the fins, tail, eyes and mouth protrude from this. ...
Schultz’s Pipefish – Facts and Photographs
The Schultz's pipefish (Corythoichthys schultzi) is one of the more commonly seen species of pipefish on the Tanzanian coast. They are easily recognizable by their longer than normal pipette shaped mouth. ...
Elongate Surgeonfish-Facts and Photographs
The Elongate Surgeonfish (Acanthurus mata) is also known as the Yellowmask Surgeonfish, Bleeker's Surgeonfish, the Mata Surgeonfish, the Pale Surgeonfish and the Striped Surgeonfish. Members of the Acanthur...
Decorated Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Decorated Goby (Istigobius decoratus) is also known as the Decorated Sand Goby, the Decorated Sand-Goby and the Decorated Sandgoby. In 1979 Istigobius was elevated to genus status and the differentiatin...
Gilded Triggerfish – Facts and Photographs
The Gilded Triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus) is also known as the Blue Cheeked Triggerfish, the Blue Jaw Triggerfish and the Blue Throat Triggerfish. Triggerfish obtain their name from the locking m...
Brown Surgeonfish-Facts and Photographs
The Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) is also known as the Blackspot Surgeonfish, Dusky Surgeonfish, Lavender Tang and Spot-cheeked Surgeonfish. They are common on the Tanzanian coast. Members ...
Rockmover Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Rockmover Wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) is also known as the Dragon Wrasse, Reindeer Wrasse,Masked Wrasse and Olive-scribbled Wrasse. The juveniles are known Leaf Wrasse in some areas. They are not...
Redtoothed Triggerfish – Facts and Photographs
The Redtoothed Triggerfish (Odonus niger) is also known as the Blue Triggerfish, Redfang Triggerfish and Niger Triggerfish. Triggerfish obtain their name from the locking mechanism used to hold the dorsal s...
Barred Thicklip Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Barred Thicklip Wrasse (Hemigymnus fasciatus) is also known as the Banded thicklip, Barred wrasse and Five-banded wrasse. They are not a common wrasse on Tanzanian reefs but neither are they uncommon. T...
Yellow Margin Triggerfish – Facts and Photographs
The Yellow Margin Triggerfish (Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus) is also known as the Yellowmargin Trigger,Yellowface Triggerfish and Pineapple Triggerfish. Triggerfish obtain their name from the locking mech...