Comet ( Fish) – Facts and Photographs
The Comet (Calloplesiops altivelis) is also known as the Marine Betta because of their similarity to the Siamese Fighter. They are stunning looking fishes that are rarely seen in the open during the day in ...
Snubnose Grouper – Facts and Photographs
The Snubnose Grouper (Epinephelus macrospilos) is also known as the Large-spotted Rockcod, Bigspot Rockcod and Longfin Grouper.. They are one of the eight species of reticulated groupers that live on coral ...
Honeycomb Grouper – Facts and Photographs
The Honeycomb grouper Epinephelus merra is also known as the Dwarf-spotted Grouper, the Honeycomb Rock Cod and the Wire-netted Rock Cod. They are one of the eight species of reticulated groupers that live o...
Regal Blue Tang-Facts and Photographs
The Regal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus) is also known as the Blue Tang, the Palette Surgeonfish, the Hepatus Tang and of course more famously as Dory from the Pixar movies "Finding Nemo" and "Finding ...
Bobtail Squid- Facts and Photographs
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- Facts and Photographs
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-Facts and Photographs
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...
The Squat Shrimp-Facts and Photographs
The Squat Shrimp (Thor amboinensis) is also known as the Sexy Shrimp. They are small colorful shrimp that form a comensual relationship with various species of anemone. They have a habit of holding their ab...
Pemba Chromis – Facts and Photographs
The Pemba chromis (Chromis pembae) is not a common fish on the Tanzanian coast and we have only seen them in three areas. They were only described by Allen in 2010, perhaps because they are generally found ...
Unicorn Shrimp- Facts and Photographs
The Unicorn Shrimp (Genus Plesionika) are also known as the Narwhal Shrimp. They obtain their name from the proportionally very long rostrum spine extending out quite far from the carapace. The rostrum ha...
Anker’s Whip Coral Shrimp-Facts and Photographs
The Anker's Whip Coral Shrimp (Pontonides ankeri) is also known as the Barred Wire Coral Shrimp and sometimes simply as the Whip Coral Shrimp. They are small shrimp that form a comensual relationship with v...
Yellow Porcelain Anemone Crab- Facts and Photographs
The Yellow Porcelain Anemone Crab, Neopetrolisthes alobatus is not common in Tanzanian waters. In several years of searching we have only found five specimens.
They are decapod crustaceans in the Porcell...
Sleek Unicornfish -Facts and Photographs
The Sleek unicornfish (Naso hexacanthus) is also known as the Blacktongue unicornfish. In terms of numbers they are probably the most numerous Unicornfish in Tanzanian waters.
Fishes within the Acanthuri...
Cigar Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Cigar wrasse (Cheilio inermis) is also known as the Sharp-nosed Rainbowfish, Pêche madame, Julia Larguirucha and Kamasubera. They are not a common wrasse on Tanzanian reefs but neither are they uncommon...
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...