The Coconut Crab – Terrestrial hermit crabs of the Ryukyu Islands

Posted on July 5, 2017 by Admin11

Coconut crabs are the largest terrestrial hermit crabs of the Ryukyu Islands. They are scarce on the Island of Okinawa due to over-hunting. They are sold in local fish markets for high prices. The meat of the coconut crab is sought after and considered a delicacy. No conservation programs are set in place to protect this native crab. It is currently listed as data deficient on the IUCN list of Threatened species.

Scientific name: Birgus latro
Common name: Coconut crab, robber crab and palm thief
Distribution: Majority of the Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Coastal forest
Diet: Seeds, fruit and carrion
Average size: 20-40 centimeters
Color: Purple, blue or orange

Coconut crab- Okinawa © Shawn Miller

How to tell the difference between a coconut crab and a hermit crab. They look very similar to the blueberry hermit crab at first, but the coconut crab has protective spines near its eyes. Hermit crabs do not have these spines since they have adapted to retreat into a shell to protect their eyes. The coconut crab does not depend on a seashell as it gets larger. I still have yet to find a juvenile coconut crab adapting with a seashell.

spines that protect the eyes © Shawn Miller

Terrestrial hermit crabs live in the coastal forest where the treeline and coastline meet. They are the caretakers of the coastal forest. They mainly feed on plants, flowers, fruits, and seeds in the treeline. They also help disperse seeds in the forest, specifically the screw pine tree seeds.

The Climber- Adult coconut crab © Shawn Miller

Pandanus trees with spiky sword-shaped leaves provide a perfect environment for the Coconut crabs to thrive.

Pandus odifer – favorite food © Shawn Miller

A juvenile climbing on Pandanus tree searching for food.

Juvenile coconut crab © Shawn Miller

Okinawa’s harsh limestone coastline. The female must make the journey over this rough terrain to lay her eggs in the ocean.

Coconut crab – Onna village © Shawn Miller

Photographed on a white portable outdoor studio for the Meet Your neighbours project. ( Connecting people worldwide with the wildlife in their community )

Coconut crab- MYN technique © Shawn Miller

In the 1970’s and 1980’s, taxidermy was popular in the Ryukyu Islands. I still find coconut crabs displayed on walls in restaurants and hotels.

Coconut crab mounted © Shawn Miller

Meet Crabzilla! – The most aggressive crab I have encountered on Okinawa. Coconut crabs are fearless and have bone crushing power. You do not want to get caught by the claw, You play you will Pay!!

Crabzilla -Okinawa © Shawn Miller

Meet the Bone Crusher! This monster crab was over four pounds. Do not pick these crabs up if you do not know what you are doing. They can crack bones.

Coconut crabs © Shawn Miller

Coconut crabs spend their day hiding in burrows. They venture out searching for food late at night. This juvenile was found crossing the road.

Let’s dance- Coconut crab © Shawn Miller

Have a great day! Please consider making a small donation to support my mission.

Seashells of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Admin11

The beautiful seashells of the Ryukyu Islands.

It all started in 1989, I went to a friend’s house and saw some beautiful seashells displayed on a counter-top. My first thought was that they were fake or man-made. The intricate design of the Venus Comb Murex shell caught my eye. I was fascinated by the design and wanted to learn more about the animal that produced this beautiful shell.

Murex spicatus -Venus comb murex© Shawn Miller

I continued to collect, photograph and read more about marine mollusks from the Ryukyu Islands. I eventually started contributing my collection samples to worldwide museums, scientists, specialists and images for various scientific publications. I currently do not collect shells anymore but enjoy photographing the marine snails in their natural habitat.

General rules to shell collecting

Be respectful of the environment.
Only collect dead specimens
Avoid over collecting sea-shells
If you turn over rocks, place them back in the original position
Return all unwanted shells back to the coastline

Below are some of my favorite shells found on Okinawa.

Semipallium dianae © Shawn Miller

Neocancilla takiisaoi © Shawn Miller

Cardium victor – Heart shell © Shawn Miller

Lambis scorpius – scorpion conch © Shawn Miller

Morum ponderosum © Shawn Miller

Annachlamys reevei © Shawn Miller

Chicoreus ryukyuensis © Shawn Miller

Cypraea (Blasicrura) luchuana (Kuroda,1960) Okinawa

Cypraea (Blasicrura) luchuana © Shawn Miller

Gloripallium speciosum – sunray scallop © Shawn Miller

Avoid handling the venomous cone shells. They are often found reef walking during low tide.

Venomous cones shells of Okinawa © Shawn Miller

The trident trumpet is sought after for its beauty. This marine snail is one of the few natural predators of the crown of thorn starfish. This large snail also feeds on a variety of starfish as well.

Trident trumpet © Shawn Miller

Sinezona milleri (Geiger & Sasaki, 2009) – Named for the collector of the type specimens, Shawn Miller of Nagahama, Okinawa, for his continued support in malacological research by providing marine sediment samples of Okinawa.

Sinezona milleri (Geiger & Sasaki , 2009)

Hemilienardia shawnmilleri. A new species named after naturalist and underwater photographer Shawn Miller. Described by Shawn Wiedrick.

Hemilienardia shawnmilleri

Calliostoma shawni (Poppe & Tagarao, 2020). A new species from Okinawa named after naturalist and underwater photographer Shawn Miller

Calliostoma shawni (Poppe & Tagarao, 2020)

This Giant helmet shell (Cassis cornuta) conformed around the rubber gasket (Marine debris). An interesting photograph, but our trash is becoming a serious problem.

Helmet shell and rubber gasket © Shawn Miller

My daughter and I found this mutated strawberry conch shell in 2018. This is the first four-eyed conch shell I have seen. They naturally have two eyes, not four.

Mutated four-eyed conch © 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

Know your nature with Shawn Miller. Have a great day!

Hummingbirds on Okinawa By Shawn Miller

Posted on April 16, 2017 by Admin11

I’m sorry to disappoint you but we do not have any hummingbirds on Okinawa. We do have hawk moths that resemble hummingbirds. The hawk moths are also called hummingbird moths. They are extremely fast and challenging to photograph.

I used a slow shutter speed to convey motion in the wings of the Hummingbird hawk moth (Macroglossum corythus)

Hummingbird hawk-moth

I often find the insects feeding early morning and or late in the evening. They feed using a long proboscis to drink the nectar.

Hummingbird hawk-moth

They are hard to see since they are small (35 -45mm) and move extremely fast. They can be heard creating a humming sound as they fly by. They hover for a short period of time collecting the nectar and move on to the next flower.

Hummingbird hawk-moth

The Convolvulus hawk moth ( Agrius convolvuli ) is the largest hawk moth I have seen on Okinawa.

Convolvulus hawk moth

The Impatiens Hawk moth feeds in the evening. I found this moth resting on a plant.

Impatiens Hawk Moth (Theretra oldenlandiae)

Photographed on white for the Meet Your Neighbours project

Hawkmoth – MYN

Impatiens Hawk Moth (Theretra oldenlandiae) larvae photographed on white using the MYN studio technique.

Impatiens Hawk Moth (Theretra oldenlandiae) larvae

Green Pergesa Hawk moth larvae ( Pergesa acteaus)

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

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.

The Hallowell’s tree frog – Okinawa

Posted on April 2, 2017 by Admin11

The Hallowell’s tree frog ( Hyla hallowellii ) is found on Okinawa, Amami and Tokunoshima Island.

Scientific name: Hyla hallowellii
Common name: Hallowell’s tree frog
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Forests, grassy areas and farm fields near water.
Diet: Insects
Average size: 30mm-40mm
Color: Bright green with a white belly

The Hallowell’s tree frog is fairly common but not often seen. The beautiful frog lives high above the ground in trees making it difficult to find and photograph.

The Hallowell’s tree frog

They are easy to locate during mating season. The male produces a fairly high pitch squeak sound over and over.

The Hallowell’s tree frog -vocal sac

The Hallowell’s tree frog -mating call

The Hallowell’s tree frog

Let’s protect the wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands.

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

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

Thousands of Blue button jellyfish washed ashore Okinawa

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Admin11

Thousands of Blue button jellyfish ( Porpita porpita ) washed ashore on a local beach today. These beautiful animals have stinging cells called nematocysts. They can cause skin irritation but generally are not a threat.

Blue button jellyfish

Washed ashore

Button Jellyfish -Gobe 700

Button Jellyfish – Gobe 700

I collected a few specimens to photograph in the studio. I was curious to see if this animal would fluoresce under blue light. I used my underwater setup as my lighting studio. I took a few photos using the Light & Motion Nightsea Blue light.

DTM -Studio setup

The round disc fluoresced bright orange under blue light.

fluorescence

Have a great day!

Meet Your Neighbours project – Okinawa, Japan

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Admin11

Founded in 2009, Meet Your Neighbours is a worldwide photographic initiative created by Niall Benvie and Clay Bolt. The project is dedicated to reconnecting people with the wildlife on their own doorsteps and enriching their lives in the process. These creatures and plants are vital to people: they represent the first, and for some, the only contact with wild nature we have. Yet too often they are overlooked, undervalued.

There are seventy-five worldwide contributors to this powerful project. I am currently the Japan contributor to this project. All images are used for conservation awareness and educational purposes. Below are some of my favourite images.

Okinawan green tree frog

Percnon planissimum – crab

Cherry blossom -Mt Yaedake

Crabs with beach trash homes

Porcelain crab ( Petrolisthes hastatus ) -Okinawa

Ryukyu odd-tooth snake ( Dinodon semicarinatum )

Scopimera ryukyuensis – Ryukyu Islands

Fern – Ryukyu Islands

Blueberry hermit crabs (Coenobita purpureus)

Gray faced buzzard eagle

Princess habu -MYN technique

Charybdis japonica -Yagaji Island

American bullfrog – Izena Island

Chinese cowrie

Okinawan Habu- MYN field studio technique

Okinawan mud lobster

Sesarmops intermedius

Air breathing marine slug

Unidentified earthworm – MYN and under Blue light Kume Island

Hawkmoth – MYN

Geograpsus grayi

Blueberry hermit crabs (Coenobita purpureus)

Have a great day!

The Light & Motion Stella 2000 rocks part 1 – Okinawa, Japan

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Admin11

The Stella 2000 offers lightweight professional lighting for photographers and videographers. It delivers 2000 lumens of beautiful wide light on high power. It is waterproof to a depth of 100 meters and extremely durable.

Stella 2000 waterproof lighting © Shawn Miller

My favorite features of the Stella 2000

Waterproof to 100 meters
Can be mounted on the camera hot-shoe, light stand, loc-line arms or ball mounts.
Quick adjustable power output control
Fast charging and the ability to use the light when it’s charging

I tested the Stella 2000 in the humid jungle and on the shorelines of northern Okinawa. I used it as a spotting light, hiking light, camera modeling light and video light. I tested the light with the 120-beam angle with no modifiers, with custom-made soft-boxes attached, studio umbrellas and with the combination of on-off camera flash.

I concentrated on the reptiles, amphibians and land crabs of northern Okinawa. Below are some of my favorite photographs.

Shawn Miller – Crabs with beach trash homes. photographed by David Orr

Okinawa green tree frog -Stella 2000 diffused on hotshoe

Okinawa green tree frog -Stella 2000 diffused on the hot-shoe’ © Shawn Miller

Holst’s frog (endangered) Stella 2000 bare with backlighting from headlights © Shawn Miller

Namie’s frog threatened species – Stella 2000 diffused through an umbrella © Shawn Miller

Ryukyu Tip nosed frog ( Endangered ) Stella 2000 diffused through an umbrella © Shawn Miller

Ishikawa’s frog (endangered) Stella 2000 diffused with fill flash © Shawn Miller

Princess habu - Diffused through an umbrella

Princess habu – Stella 2000 diffused through an umbrella © Shawn Miller

Namie’s frog – Stella 2000 modeling light – back-lighting with the Gobe 700 wide © Shawn Miller

Kuroiwa’s ground gecko (Endangered) Stella 2000 with fill flash © Shawn Miller

IHallowell's tree frog -Stella 2000 with fill flash

Hallowell’s tree frog -Stella 2000 with fill flash © Shawn Miller

Pryer’s keelback feeding on a white jawed frog – Stella 2000 diffused with fill flash © Shawn Miller

No need to worry about dropping the light in the salt water or placing it on the sand. The Stella 2000 is extremely durable.

Ghost crab – Fill flash and back-lighting Stella 2000 © Shawn Miller

Crabs with trash homes -Stella 2000 and fill flash © Shawn Miller

Making the journey (Geograpsus grayi) Stella 2000 with fill flash © Shawn Miller

Hermit crab and plastic- Stella 2000 with fill flash © Shawn Miller

Ghost crab feeding- Stella 2000 with fill flash © Shawn Miller

Crabs with trash homes -Stella 2000 and fill flash © Shawn Miller

Geograpsus grayi feeding on the Ryukyu kajika frog – Stella 2000 and fill flash © Shawn Miller

Solid as a rock- Stella 2000

Friends and supporters – Save 20% off your first Light & Motion purchase https://prz.io/648x6bGC1

I have been using Light & Motion lights for over four years now and they keep getting better! Stayed tuned for testing the Stella 2000 underwater !

Capturing fluorescence – Fluorescence enhancement photography by Shawn Miller

Featured

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Admin11

All photographers experience a time when their work becomes redundant and lose vision. The Light & Motion Sola Nightsea has opened up a new style of photography for me. Recently I have been blending the Light&Motion Nightsea blue light with ambient light underwater and getting beautiful vibrant results.

Some of my Fluorescence enhancement coral images were featured in The Blue Planet 11 publication. It’s always nice to see years of hard work finally pay off.

Underwater fluorescence – Shawn Miller featured Blue planet 11

Here are some basic lighting examples using different techniques.

Here are some of my favorite images using this fluorescence enhancement technique. All Images I used Light&Motion Sola lights to achieve these beautiful vibrant results.

Nightsea and Sola 600 blended- fluorescence

My fluorescence camera rig for underwater

Friends and supporters – Save 20% off your first Light & Motion purchase https://prz.io/648x6bGC1

Know your nature with Shawn Miller

Fluoro fingerprinting by Shawn Miller

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Admin11

On February 16th 2015, I went out reef walking at night during low tide. I brought my Light and Motion Nightsea blue light in search of marine life fluorescence. I stumbled upon an interesting find in the world of science. I call it Fluoro fingerprinting.

I flipped over a rock, a small sea cucumber fell off and began to fluoresce under blue light. I found another sea cucumber and photographed it using the blue light and yellow excitation filter but it did not fluoresce.

Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis under blue light

I gently touched it with my finger and it fluoresced bright green, leaving the print of my finger on the surface of the sea cucumber.

Fluoro fingerprinting. Okinawa-Japan

I checked my finger and noticed it fluoresced light green under blue light.

Fluoro fingerprinting

I was excited about this find and posted it Flickr for some Identification help and explanation. Curt Fieldler emailed the photograph to Dr. Alexander Kerr from the University Of Guam Marine lab and he was kind enough to assist.

Dr. Kerr stated that the species is known to have green pigment that I have seen in other Sea cucumbers. As far as the fingerprint, It seems to indicate that touching the surface of the Sea cucumber exposes the underlying carotenoid, perhaps by mobilizing the the melanin pigments. So I think you have made an interesting find.

The next step was to photograph Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis in a studio aquarium using the Meet your neighbours isolation technique. I wanted to show the animal stretched out displaying the tube feet and feathery feeding tentacles.

Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis -MYN

The last step was to photograph Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis in its natural environment during the daytime.

Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis in natural environment

Learn more about capturing fluorescence https://www.nightsea.com/

Learn more about the lights used https://www.lightandmotion.com/

Learn more about Meet your Neighbours Project https://meetyourneighbours.net/

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

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 Art of Wide-Angle Macro Photography by Shawn Miller

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Admin11

Wide-angle macro photography is popular with wildlife photographers. The technique allows the photographer to document the animal in its natural habitat and show the full scene it lives in. The photographs have great impact and deliver a bug eye perspective using a wide angle lens. I generally use off-camera flash with a custom soft box to make these photographs. Lately, I have been testing a variety of on-camera flashes to achieve a different perspective. One of the biggest challenges is lighting the subject evenly with soft diffused lighting.

The most popular lenses used for wide angle macro photography ( WAM )

Tokina fisheye 10-17mm f3.5-4.5
Nikon fisheye 10.5mm f2.8
Sigma fisheye 15mm f2.8 E
Venus Laowa 15mm f4 – (Manual focus only)

The Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye is my favorite lens in my bag and has been my go-to lens for the project “Crabs with Beach Trash Homes”

Tokina fisheye lens

Below are some of my favorite wide-angle macro images photographed in Okinawa-Japan.

Fighting pose - Preying mantis, IPhone 6s

Kuroiwa's ground gecko crossing the road

Praying mantis @Hedo Point

zanpa lighthouse and hermit crabs

If you would like to learn more about this technique I recommend Wide-Angle Macro: The Essential Guide by Clay Bolt and Paul Harcourt Davies https://www.e-junkie.com/shop/product/482943.php

Okinawa Nature Photography

沖縄自然写真 By Shawn Miller

Category Archives: Scientific finds

The Coconut Crab – Terrestrial hermit crabs of the Ryukyu Islands

Seashells of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Hummingbirds on Okinawa By Shawn Miller

The Hallowell’s tree frog – Okinawa

Thousands of Blue button jellyfish washed ashore Okinawa

Meet Your Neighbours project – Okinawa, Japan

The Light & Motion Stella 2000 rocks part 1 – Okinawa, Japan

Capturing fluorescence – Fluorescence enhancement photography by Shawn Miller

Featured

Fluoro fingerprinting by Shawn Miller

The Art of Wide-Angle Macro Photography by Shawn Miller