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...
Silver Pearlfish- Facts and Photographs
The Silver Pearlfish (Encheliophis homei) is a very unusual fish with an out the ordinary lifestyle. They are not commonly seen, perhaps for several reasons. The specimens below were photographed on night d...
Bigeye Snapper- Facts and Photographs
The The Bigeye Snapper, Lutjanus lutjanus is also kmown as the Bigeye Seaperch, the Golden Striped Snapper, the Red Sea Lined Snapper,and the Yellow Snapper. They are not that common on the Tanzanian mainland c...
Sand Mason Worms-Facts and Photographs
Sand Mason Worms ( In the Genus Lanice) are not common inhabitants on the reefs in Tanzania, but if one keeps ones eyes open when diving, one can often pick them out in soft sand between corals and rocks. They...
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...
Rainbow Runner – Facts and Photographs
The Rainbow Runner (Elagatis bipinnulata), also known as the Prodigal Son, Spanish jack and Hawaiian salmon. It is a member of the horse mackrel or jack family. They are fairly common on the Tanzanian coast...
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...
Yelloweye Sweeper-Facts and Photographs
The Yelloweye Sweeper (Pempheris flavicycla) has two subspecies. One is Pempheris flavicycla flavicycla which is found across the Indian Ocean from East Africa to Sri Lanka but not in the Red Sea. The oth...
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...
Flathead Slipper Lobster- Facts and Photographs
The Flathead Slipper Lobster (Thenus Orientalis) is a very unusual looking clawless lobster even by slipper lobster standards. In Australia they are known as the Morton Bay bug. They are only active at n...
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.
...
Shadowfin Soldierfish – Facts and Photographs
The Shadowfin Soldierfish (Myripristis adusta) is also known as the Blackfin Soldierfish, Blue Squirrelfish, Bronze Soldierfish and One-spot Squirrelfish.
Soldierfish are in the family Holocentridae and ...
Granite Moray Eel – Facts and Photographs
The Granite Moray Eel (Uropterygius sp.) appears to be an undescribed Moray Eel found on the Tanzanian mainland coast which is probably in the Uropterygius genus. To date no one has been able to identify ...
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 ...
Indian Ocean Blue-Spotted Stingray-Facts and Photographs
The Indian Ocean Blue-spotted Stingray ( Neotrygon indica sp. nov) is also known as the Indian Ocean Bluespotted Maskray. They are common inhabitants of the reefs on the Tanzanian coast but are extremely sk...
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...
Glossodoris pallida – Nudibranch Facts and Photographs
The Glossodoris pallida is a species of colorful sea slug that is also known by its common name of the Pallid Glossodoris. They are dorid nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks. They were first described in...
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 ...