Monthly Archives: March 2019

Cowrie Shell Eating Octopuses of Okinawa

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In 2010, a friend sent me some beautiful cowrie shells from Hawaii. I noticed that a few specimens had tiny pin holes between the teeth on the underside of the cowrie shell.  I asked him what caused this and he stated an octopus. So I decided to test this, I collected a small octopus and placed it in aquarium with no other marine life in the tank. 5518026347_afbd22a0ed_b(1) I placed only live cowrie shells in the tank to see if this octopus would eat the mollusks.  I was completely surprised to find out that he was 100% correct. IMG_7293 IMG_7227The tiny drill holes are difficult to see without a magnifying glass. IMG_7232 Strangely, two of the cowrie shells had a drill hole on the top and another on the bottom side. The other eight specimens only had one drill hole on the bottom side. Is it possible that the octopus learned a new behavior?  Did it it figure out the most efficient way after the two previous attempts? FotoJetAll octopuses have a two-part beak used to immobilize and feed on their prey. The beak looks fragile but it one of the toughest and most durable substances made by marine animals.
Cephalopod Beak

Cephalopod Beak

My curiosity led me to the questions below Why does the octopus have to drill a hole when there is already a large aperture to feed from?  Does the octopus use venom to paralyze the mollusk inside the shell after it drills the hole? If so, does the venom narcotize the mollusk which could allow the octopus to suck out the animal from the shell aperture like a shotgunning effect? IMG_7296 Have you ever wondered how the Okinawans catch small octopuses?  Below is a colorful handmade lure made from cone shells and beads.  I found it years ago at Awase flats. IMG_7288 My Mission: To Protect and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands for Future Generations

If you would like to help me make a difference Please check out my Patreon Site https://www.patreon.com/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

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Light bulbs, Plastic Bottles and Hermit Crabs

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One of my favorite things to do on the weekends is to go beach walking.  Over the years I have seen a significant increase in the amount of marine debris washed ashore.  The trash is from all over the world, but majority of it washes up from Korea, China and Japan.

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The trash is overwhelming on our shorelines and will take a very long time to clean up. Its absolutely necessary that we work together to fix this worldwide issue.

When I look at the photograph below, I see the potential monetary value in these single use products. I think the only way to combat the problem is to reduce the use and to make the debris worth picking up by giving it a cash value. One solution for the plastic bottle problem would be to create a worldwide deposit-refund system. For example, If people were paid 5-10 cents per plastic bottle collected I guarantee our beaches and forest dumping grounds would be cleaner.

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Light bulbs are another form of debris that wash ashore. The light bulbs are transparent and blend in well with the surrounding beach litter. I have accidental stepped on light bulbs while beach combing after typhoons. It is important to wear protective footwear on majority of the beaches surrounding the Ryukyu Islands.

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Try and find the broken light bulb below, this is a common site on local beaches.

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Meet Edison,  A resourceful blueberry hermit crab (Coenobita purpureus ) found naturally using a incandescent light bulb screw end as a protective home. I usually find hermit crabs adapting with plastic tops and twist top caps. This was my first encounter with a hermit crab using a light bulb screw end as a mobile home.

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The hermit crab is one of the few animals that can successfully adapt with our waste. If you would like to learn more about hermit crabs adapting with our waste please check out my post on “Crabs With Beach Trash Homes” by Shawn M Miller.

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This post is not to make people sad, guilty or lose hope, It is to bring awareness to the ongoing trash problem in our oceans and on our shorelines. We all have the ability to make a difference by reducing the amount of single-use items we use daily.

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Learn more about making a difference, TEDx talk | Adapting to or Changing Environment by Shawn M Miller

My Mission: To Protect and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands for Future Generations. – If you would like to join my journey, check out my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/MakeTheSwitch4Nature

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

Parasitic slugs of Okinawa

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Gymnodoris nigricolor Is a tiny nudibranch that attaches to the fins of gobies. It is found in the winter months and then it seems to completely disappear when the water warms up. This nudibranch is by far the hardest to photograph because of its size and it stays attached to it’s host. When the goby feels threatened, it retreats into its burrow taking the tiny slug down the hole with it.

In order to photograph sand-dwelling gobies you will generally need a 50mm-100mm macro lens.

IMG_0512Be patience and move slowly. If your lucky the goby will accept your presence without retreating.

IMG_0540February 2018, I was fortunate to find Gymnodoris nigricolor crawling on the sand in search of a host

IMG_0412When the slug finds a host it will attach onto the closest fin.

IMG_0423Look close and you can see the buccal apparatus of the slug clamping down.

27429475356_4380fdabcb_bOnce its locked down, the goby cannot shake the slug off.

14474545362_6904d1dc25_b(1) No one really knows what happens next. Why does the nudibranch attach to the fins of its host？ Does this specialist feed on only the fins of gobies or is there another reason？

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If you would like see stunning photographs of more sea slugs check out my post on nudibranchs

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