Mating Pygmy Squids

Date May 27, 2017

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How to tell baby squid from pygmy squid? Pygmy squid mate, baby squid don’t (or so we think anyway). Marine biologist Dr. Jeffrey Low was leading a reef survey dive for Hantu Blog volunteers when he had what he claims to be one of his best dives at Pulau Hantu!

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By Jeffrey Low – I was all done with training Hantu Blog volunteers in reef survey methods and swimming along the reef just looking out the donut doto, when something small and semi-transparent zipped across the hydroid I was examining [above photo]. “Oooh baby squid!”, I thought, pleased that my old eyes could still (barely) see small things in the water. Until I saw a second, smaller squid pair up with the first …. “Pygmy squids!!?” went through my mind as I, unbelievably, photographed the pair mating [top photo]! I was out of position for a clear side-ways shot, and the mating was too brief for a second shot.

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The excitement wasn’t about to end there, because, by the end of my dive, I’d not encountered the donut doto yet, and was resigned to not seeing it, until I got up the boat and the captain said, “Eh, the donut doto is at the SMB in front … quick go see!” Thanks to the efforts of Ann and Hantu Blog volunteer Nicholas who marked the location, I was in and out again in 10 minutes, with several shots of the dotos [above] and the egg masses [below] on the hydroid.

One of the best dives in Singapore so far 🙂

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Category Posted in Blog Log

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