Deadliest Marine Fish of the Ryukyu Islands by Shawn Miller

The reef stonefish is the most venomous fish found on Okinawa. The stonefish resembles an encrusted rock and sometimes has algae growing from its skin. The reef stonefish is an ambush predator and spends its day patiently waiting for a fish to pass by. The stonefish is not aggressive at all. It is extremely dangerous because it doesn’t show any flashy warning signs. The spines deliver an extremely painful sting with strong venom injected into the body.

Reef, rock, sponge or fish?

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Reef stonefish ( synanceia verrucosa ) Sunabe, Okinawa

If you spend any time exploring the ocean, I encourage you to look at these images and get familiar with these deadly facial features.

37059972063_6a80c038b1_oThe reef stonefish will also bury itself in the sand. Does that make it a sand stonefish?
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The false stonefish is much smaller and is usually found in shallow water. Its a master of concealing itself from visual detection.

43841230074_9a32ff9591_oThe false stonefish is more active than the reef stonefish. It generally gives predators a warning sign by displaying its brightly colored pectoral fins.

False stone fish

Most of the false stonefish and scorpionfish will fluoresce beautifully under blue light.
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 Ways to avoid injury

    • Be respectful and avoid harassing, touching and feeding marine life

 

    • Maintain good buoyancy control

 

  • Wear exposure protection- felt bottom booties

People often ask me what is the purpose of conservation photography? Having the ability to affect some form of positive change in the environment and make a global difference with the photographs. Hopefully, the images will inspire people to care more about nature and make a positive difference in the environment. 

If you would like to use any of my photographs, please contact me directly.

Have a great day!

The benefits of changing your colors by Shawn Miller

How cool would it be to have the ability to change colors in a matter of seconds?  In the beautiful waters of Okinawa,  we have a few fish that are capable of changing color quickly.

The Arrow Bulleye (Priacanthus sagittarius) is a stunning dark ruby red when its hiding from predators. It stays close to the coral reef and blends in well.

Red Bigeye ( Pricanthus sagittarius )

Red Bigeye ( Pricanthus sagittarius )

When the Arrow Bullseye is threatened, it flees into open water and changes to a lighter color.

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Red Bigeye ( Pricanthus sagittarius )

It eventually changes to silver in a matter of three seconds

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Red Bigeye ( Pricanthus sagittarius )

Another example of color change happens at the cleaning station. A cleaning station is a designated location where fish come to get their skin, fins, eyes, mouth, teeth, and gills cleaned by cleaner fish. This is an example of Mutilism. The cleaner fish gets fed fresh parasites and the client gets cleaned. All fish swim into the cleaning station and patiently wait to get cleaned.

The blue-lined surgeonfish and rabbitfish (video below) pull into the station and immediately turn dark in color. The purpose of this is so the cleaner fish can spot the parasites easier and speed up the process.

Fish cleaning station

Fish cleaning station

They naturally change back to their lighter color when the exit the cleaning station.

Nice and clean

Check out this rare event in nature, that few will ever see in the wild.

 

Could the increase in tourism contribute to fish disease and parasites? Is it possible the cleaner fish can’t keep up?

Isopods and copepods are bloodsucking parasites commonly found at Maeda point. In the recent years, tourism has increased and some days thousands of snorkelers enter the water. Parasites occur naturally but with the increase in tourism, I believe they are becoming more abundant.

One possible reason is due to guided fish feeding tours. They often feed the marine life large amounts of fu (harvested wheat rolls) and other manmade items. In the past, it was popular to feed the fish processed sausage.  I have been diving Maeda point since 1992. I have observed a decline in healthy coral colonies and other marine life. I have also seen more fish with skin disease and parasites in recent years.  Below are some fish with parasites photographed at Maeda point.

Isopod-  Renocilla bollandi

Isopod- Renocilla bollandi

Rhabdamis sp

Rhabdamis sp

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Filefish with tiny parasites

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Twin spot lionfish and parasites

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Pennantfish and parasite

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Firefish with parasites

Butterfly fish

Butterflyfish and parasites

Infested with parasites

Parasite infestation

Damselfish

Damselfish with parasite

 My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link  paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature

Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines.  Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature

 

When The Red Tractor’s Arrive The Egrets Will Thrive

 

 Red Tractors of Okinawa

Reflections of Okinawa © Shawn Miller

On Okinawa, we have six species of Egrets (Great, Intermediate, Cattle, Little, Chinese, and Pacific Reef Egret).  Egrets spend most of the day foraging on food in the grasslands. They are opportunistic hunters and have learned a new behavior. They follow a tractor as it plows the field and food rewards are given in large amounts. The tractor plow exposes insects, worms, snakes, eels, mice, and frogs.  The payoff is great, a large amount of food in a short period of time.

Plowing the field

Plowing the field © Shawn Miller

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Farming on Okinawa © Shawn Miller

These specialized birds are beneficial for local farming fields. Egrets also feed on grasshoppers and caterpillars that can devastate farmers crops in a matter of days. 

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Egrets feeding © Shawn Miller

One of the egret’s favorite food is the Japanese marsh frog. The last wave goodbye.

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Goodbye © Shawn Miller

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All you can eat buffet © Shawn Miller

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Frog legs © Shawn Miller

Egrets can also be found huntings in wetlands and the shorelines on Okinawa. Here they spend many hours patiently hunting with small rewards of food.

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Wings spread © Shawn Miller

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Striking a pose © Shawn Miller

I have observed these birds hunting for hours on many occasions and the majority of the time they miss their prey in the wetlands.

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The miss © Shawn Miller

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Nature and waste © Shawn Miller

The sad truth is our waste is a serious problem for all animals worldwide.

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That’s not food © Shawn Miller

Let’s work together to make a difference.

The motion of flight © Shawn Miller

Birds in motion © Shawn Miller

 My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link  paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature

Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines.  Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature

The Good, the Bad or the Evil – The Crow’s of Okinawa

The Jungle Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) is found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. They are abundant here and can be found all over Okinawa. Populations have increased due to the readily available food, left on the side of the road and in dumpsters. It’s important to keep your trash enclosed in cages to prevent the crows from getting to it.

  • Scientific name: Corvus macrorhynchos
  • Local name: Jungle crow
  • Distribution:  Ryukyu Islands
  • Habitat:  Farms, cities, forests and grasslands.
  • Diet:  Eats almost everything
  • Average size:  50cm  body length 
  • Color:  Black

Jungle crow and plastic

Jungle crow and plastic © Shawn Miller

Jungle crow -Okinawa Japan

Jungle crow in flight © Shawn Miller

The farmers in Onna village put up this deterrent to keep the crows from coming back.

Crow cross -Onna village

Crow cross -Onna village © Shawn Miller

Crows can be vicious predators. They often harass other birds, showing off their strength.

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Aggressive behavior © Shawn Miller

These intelligent birds work as a team to get what they want. I have personally seen them raid baby birds from the nest. I have seen them fly away with juvenile woodpeckers, rails and swallows.

Crow taking the okinawa woodpecker from the nest

Crow taking the Okinawa woodpecker from the nest © Shawn Miller

The mother duck worked hard to protect her young from this vicious predator.

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Spot-billed duck and ducklings

To control the population of jungle crows in northern Okinawa, they use large traps to catch them in. One way in and no way out!

Crow trap - Northern Okinawa

Crow trap – Northern Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Possibly a strange growth that occurred from an injury (broken beak). Could this be one of the few crows that made a successful escape from a trap?

A crow with a hook beak

A crow with an extended hook beak © Shawn Miller

As much as we dislike the crow, they do have a purpose in the ecosystem. They clean the dead animals (road kill) off the road, keeping our environment clean from rotting carcasses. I often see them feeding on cats, snakes, lizards, birds, and rats dead in the road.

Mongoose -roadkill

Mongoose -roadkill © Shawn Miller

Crow feeding on a cat

Crow feeding on a cat by Shawn Miller © Shawn Miller

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Crows eating roadkill -Okinawa © Shawn Miller

On several occasions, I have observed crows eating dead animals on beaches and river banks. Met EEL-Zilla, a huge freshwater eel that washed up at Nagahama dam.

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They also feed on the large green caterpillars that destroy the farmer’s taro (Taanmu) crops in Kin village

Crows of Okinawa

Crows of Okinawa -© Shawn Miller

Mutualism of Commensalism?

I believe this is Mutualism. Both animals possibly benefit from each other.  The crow cleans the parasites on the boar’s skin and also acts as a warning system when threats are in the area.  The wild boar uproots the ground,  which gives access to insects, grubs, and worms for the crow. This was my first time observing this behavior in the wild.

Jungle crow and the Boar

Jungle crow and the Boar – © Shawn Miller

As soon as the boar spotted me it fled the scene. The crow attempted to stay mounted but could not keep up with the boar.

Jungle crow and the Wild Boar

Jungle crow and the Wild Boar © Shawn Miller

Get-Familiarized with the Nature of Okinawa!  – – – SUBSCRIBE BELOW

 My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link  paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature

Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines.  Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature