Magnificent Macrolife

November 18, 2014

Ann Tan is a talented and enthusiastic underwater photographer who has been diving the reefs of Singapore’s Pulau Hantu for more than a few years! Having dived some of the most exotic reefs around Southeast Asia, from East Indonesia, East Malaysia and the Philippines to the Maldives, she says, “Pulau Hantu continues to surprise me… there’s nothing more to say.” Have a look at some of her photos from a recent dive at Pulau Hantu to find out what keeps her coming back!

Above: Cuttlefish are masters of disguise and can change their appearance in an instant to either hide from predators, sneak up on prey or when communicating with other cuttlefish. This one has turned yellow and when viewed from the top, mimics a dried leaf.

Hantu’s reefs are a popular place for nudibranch enthusiasts! Above: Gymnodoris rubropapulosa (left) and Reliable chromodoris

Many fantastic nudibranchs make the reefs of Pulau Hantu their home! Even some rare ones like this Mexichromis multituberculata

Hypselodoris bullocki

Tambja nudibranch

Jorunna funebris or Oreo-cookie nudi

Glossodoris cinta

Crinoids can be a habitat for many small commensal animals, like this glass shrimp!

Squat lobsters hiding in crinoids are always a special find!

Carpet eel-blennies are often mistaken for eels or snakes, but they are in fact fish related to Dottybacks. This one has most of its body buried under the sand. They are very shy and often rely on remaining hidden to avoid getting noticed. If that fails, they will attempt to slither away swiftly and stealthily.

The sandy seabed may not look like much of a habitat, but it conceals many cryptic critters such as this Crocodile flathead goby

The low visibility means pelagic fishes may sometimes be difficult to spot. Good thing there are fish like these False clown anemonefish to keep photographers occupied! Anemonefish often share their anemones with a few other commensals, so it’s always worth spending sometime peering around the anemone.

Pipefish favour the nooks and crannies of the coral reef, and can also be found hiding amongst the sea algae.

Tigertail seahorses come in many colour variations from yellow and brown stripes, to pale beige and bright yellow! To see more photos from this dive, visit the Hantu Blog Gallery!

Posted in Blog Log, Photography