Cozumel Underwater 4 ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

Cozumel Underwater 4

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Cozumel - Rainbow Parrotfish — An enormous Rainbow Parrotfish *Scarus guacamaia*

Just like our own Blackfish, large adults do not like to be approached. The small fish at the lower left is a Schoolmaster Lutjanus apodus.

Cozumel - Angelfishes — With the 1/2 second shutter lag of the digital camera, you could never deliberately set up an action shot like this. This is a happy accident.

Cozumel - Thimble Jellyfish — Thimble Jellyfish *Linuche unguiculata*. Normally, red jellyfish are the kind you don't want to see but these little ones didn't seem to sting at all.

Cozumel - Sand Tilefish — Sand Tilefish *Malacanthus plumieri*

There aren't too many places in the tropics where pure white is actually camouflage. Related northern Tilefishes live much deeper, beyond the range of divers.

Cozumel - Tobaccofish — A small coral head with a Tobaccofish *Serranus tabacarius*, a kind of basslet, in front of a Giant Tube Sponge *Aplysina lacunosa*. Black fingers in the background are probably Common Bushy Soft Coral *Plexaura homomalla*.

Cozumel - Sargassum Triggerfish — Sargassum Triggerfish *Xanthichthys ringens*. The three stripes on the cheek are the best identifying mark, as the colors are otherwise variable.

Cozumel - Porkfish — Porkfish *Anisotremus virginicus*

Cozumel - Stoplight Parrotfish — Another Stoplight Parrotfish, with glorious colors.

Cozumel - Damselfish — The fearsome Damselfish again.

Unlike most reef fish, which eat the coral directly, Damselfish are farmers. They clear off a small patch of reef and grow algae on it, which they then feed on. They will defend their patch fearlessly - I have actually been bitten! ( It didn't hurt. )

Cozumel - Queen Parrotfish — Queen Parrotfish. *Scarus vetula*
Eatin' coral, and poopin' beach sand. Yep.

Most of the fishes on the reef actually feed on the coral, gnawing on it all day, every day. One thing that you can deduce from this immediately is that coral must be a lot more resilient than some hysterical ecologists* would have you believe.

Does this mean it's ok for you to go bashing into it? Hardly. Always try not to touch or break the corals and sponges you see, but if you occasionally have to put a finger or two down on something solid, don't lose too much sleep over it.

I try never to touch anything on the reef because I don't know offhand which things sting and which ones don't, and some of them can really ruin your day!

* Not all ecologists are hysterical.

Cozumel - Blue Tang — A brilliant Blue Tang. The photo is completely untouched.

Cozumel - Featherduster Worm — Featherduster Worm *Sabella*

Cozumel - Princess Parrotfish — My best guess is that these are baby Princess Parrotfish *Scarus taeniopterus*, about 3" long.

Cozumel - Ocean Triggerfish — Ocean Triggerfish *Canthidermis sufflamen* with Bar Jacks

Cozumel - Fire Worm — Fire Worm *Hermodice carunculata*
Notice the tufts of white bristles underneath.
Leave this critter alone.

Thanks to Dr Matt Landau - MLandau@stockton.edu
of Stockton University Biology Department
for identifying many of these creatures.

Cozumel Underwater 4

Cozumel

Shark River Artificial Reef