Creeping Out Despite Warm Waters

May 30, 2014

Some of you might have heard about the recent rise in sea surface temperatures around Singapore. Our dives at Pulau Hantu last weekend registered temperatures of 30-31deg C! High temperatures are just one of the many triggers of coral bleaching. Some of that was sighted at Pulau Hantu during our dive, but while the reef was a little quieter than usual, our experienced and enthusiastic guides still managed to point out some beautiful and interesting things to see! Above: Starry bornella Bornella stellifer. Photos by Jeemee Goh/Hantu Blog

Not a snake. Not an eel, and definitely not a carpet! The Carpet-eel blenny is a snake-like fish commonly encountered in our shallow reefs, hiding in coral rubble or amidst the macro algae. Because of their colouration and discreet nature, they are often overlooked.

Red swimming-crabs spend the daytime hiding in crevices and come out to forage (or meet other crabs) during the night!

Slender ceratosoma nudibranch, Ceratosoma gracillimum

The Crocodilefish or Crocodile flathead are members of the Scorpaeniformes order which makes them close relatives to Stonefish and Scorpionfish.

The Noble volute (Cymbiola nobilis) is a large and beautifully marked snail that is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the Red List of threatened animals of Singapore due to habitat loss. It was previously abundant in Singapore but is now considered vulnerable due to habitat degradation and overcollection for food and for its attractive shell. Like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution.