The Habu Hunters of Okinawa

Posted on December 25, 2019 by Admin11

The Taiwanese Habu was introduced to Okinawa in the 1970’s. They were imported for exhibitions and medical purposes. Somehow a few escaped and have populated the Island. I have seen over a dozen on my night hikes in Onna village.

Scientific name: Protobothrops mucrosquamatus
Common name: Taiwanese habu or Brown spotted pit viper
Habitat: Rock walls, trees, and caves
Diet: Frogs, bats, mice, and birds
Average size: 80-150cm

Taiwanese babus snakes of Okinawa -Protobothrops mucrosquamatus — Taiwanese habu

The local government is actively trying to eliminate this invasive habu. Live traps are set up all around the Island. Do not open!

Last night, I saw a Taiwanese habu poking its head out of the sugar cane. There was a dead mouse three feet away on the road. I turned the car around and waited for a few minutes with my lights off. Eventually, a small Taiwanese habu slithered out of the field. I was hoping to see the habu eat the mouse. Instinct kicked in and the snake fled the scene. I returned in the morning, and the mouse was gone.

Dangerous habu snakes — Taiwanes habu- Onna village

I often find them crossing the road or on sidewalks. It is wise to carry a flashlight on your night walks. The Taiwanese habu is aggressive and highly venomous. If you see one do not try and catch it.

Taiwanese habu- neighborhood at night -Protobothrops mucrosquamatus — Taiwanes habu- Onna village

Habu snake on a fence — Taiwanes habu- Onna villlage

Okinawa has three species of pit vipers. If you would like to learn more, check out my previous post on the venomous snakes of Okinawa.

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. Please consider making a contribution to support my mission

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

Parasitic Isopods of the Ryukyu Islands

Posted on April 27, 2019 by Admin11

Scorpionfish, lionfish and stonefish all belong to the family Scorpaenidae. They all are well camouflaged and highly venomous. Their defensive spines can deliver a painful sting. It’s best to wear exposure protection and maintain good bouncy control to avoid getting envenomated by these ambush predators.

In the 1980’s Robert Bolland stumbled upon an interesting underwater find. He found a tiny undescribed isopod hitching a ride on a scorpionfish. 1984 the parasitic isopod Renocila bollandi from Okinawa was named after him.

Over the years I photographed a dozen of these orange Isopods (Renocilla bollandi)

I have always wondered,

What is the relationship between the two?
Is the relationship mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism?
Why does the isopod only prefer venomous fish (scorpionfish) as its host?
Why does the isopod always stay close to the eye?

See why they call it the bearded scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis cirrhosa).

Learn more about the hazardous marine life of Okinawa.

Learn more about Robert Bolland and his research at The Okinawa Slug Site.

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

Get Fa-Millerized with the Nature of the Ryukyu Islands – – – – SUBSCRIBE BELOW

Deadliest Marine Fish of the Ryukyu Islands by Shawn Miller

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Admin11

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?

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

The reef stonefish will also bury itself in the sand. Does that make it a sand stonefish?

The false stonefish is much smaller and is usually found in shallow water. Its a master of concealing itself from visual detection.

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

Most of the false stonefish and scorpionfish will fluoresce beautifully under blue light.

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!

Okinawa Coral snake – Venomous snakes of the Ryukyu Islands by Shawn Miller

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Admin11

The Okinawa Coral snake (Simomicrurus japonicus boettgeri) is a venomous snake found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. They are difficult to find here on Okinawa and are usually found at night. More effort should be focused on conserving this exotic native snake. This beautiful snake has been overlooked and needs to be protected. It is currently listed near threatened on the IUCN red list of endangered species.

Scientific name: Simomicrurus japonicus boettgeri
Local name: Okinawa Coral snake
Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
Habitat: Forests
Diet: Small snakes and lizards
Average size: 30cm -60cm
Color: Black, orange with a yellow and black belly.

They blend in very well with leaves and broken sticks making them hard to find.

When threatened the coral snake will coil its tail. This defense mechanism confuses the predator.

These rare snakes are often found crossing the road at night and sadly I have seen more dead than alive.

The underside of the snake is quite beautiful as well.

The Hyan coral snake ( Sinomicrurus japonicus japonicus) is a subspecies we found on Amami Island. The stripes are less interrupted than the Okinawan coral snake.

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

House Dwelling Huntsman Spiders of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Posted on September 17, 2018 by Admin11

Have you ever been bitten by a spider?

In 2014, I was bitten by a large huntsman spider (Heteropoda ventoria) in my apartment. It was completely my fault, I failed to check my clogs before putting them on. All spiders are venomous and I was fortunate not to have an allergic reaction to the bite.

Natural habitat

The Huntsman spider is the most common spider on Okinawa. It is often found in houses, workplaces, gardens, parks and sometimes inside vehicles. They are fast moving and are capable of jumping at fast speeds.

Spiders have tiny hairs called setules. These hairs allow the spider to cling to slippery surfaces and vehicles traveling at high speeds. You can’t shake this spider!

Spider on the windshield

I have heard stories of them being as big as a basketball, but these were all just exaggerations from people terrified of spiders. The largest specimens get about fist size.

Large huntsman spider

They feed on a variety of insects, frogs, and other spiders.

Heteropoda simplex

The female huntsman handles her egg sack with extreme care.

Huntsman spider

Stayed tuned! I’ll share the best way to safely catch and remove the huntsman spider from your living space.

Spider shadow

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.

Psychedelic Spiders of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Admin11

I have been photographing fluorescence for over five years now. Mainly underwater but lately I have been testing the technique on land. I often find insects, spiders, and plants that fluoresce using a specialized Light&Motion Sola Nightsea light. Some of the micro-spiders fluoresce brightly under blue light, the challenge is to get an acceptable photograph.

Below are some comparison photographs of spiders. The first photograph was taken under blue light and the second under white light using on-camera flash. All the spiders were photographed in their natural habitat on the beautiful Island of Okinawa.

Jumping spider -Fluorescence © Shawn Miller

Jumping spider – flash © Shawn Miller

Yanbaru jumping spider

Spider and fluorescence© Shawn Miller

Spider under white light © Shawn Miller

Onomustus kanoi © Shawn Miller

Onomustus kanoi & shadow © Shawn Miller

The custom Light & Motion fluorescence setup for these land-based subjects.

Fluorescence photography setup © Shawn Miller

The giant wood spiders (Nephila maculata) of Okinawa fluoresce under UV light.

giant wood spiders (Nephila maculata)

Giant wood spiders (Nephila maculata)

I used my nauticam underwater setup with NIGHTSEA’s fluorescence excitation filters to photograph the wood spiders.

Nauticam Fluorescence setup

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

Light&Motion exploration lights – https://www.lightandmotion.com/the-perfect-light

Searching for The Blue Ringed Octopus at Maeda Misaki -Okinawa

Posted on June 10, 2018 by Admin11

The Blue Ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata) is one of the most beautiful marine animals in Okinawa. It’s only the size of a golf ball, but extremely venomous.

- Scientific name: Hapalochlaena lunulata

- Common name: Blue-ringed octopus

- Distribution: Ryukyu Islands

- Habitat: Tide pools and shallow water coral reefs

- Diet: Crabs, shrimps, and fish

- Average size: 8-12cm

Color: Golden-yellow with blue rings

Blue Ringed Octopus © Shawn Miller

Interesting facts about octopuses in general

Yes- you got it. The plural of octopus is octopuses.
They are capable of producing a dark cloud of ink to escape from predators
They have a parrot-like beak used for eating prey
Octopuses have eight arms and are capable of regrowing them
They use jet propulsion to move quickly through the water
The Blue-ringed octopus can kill a human with one bite

I first photographed the Blue-ringed octopus at Maeda point in 2011. This intense octopus was published on National Geographic Your Shot Daily Dozen.

Blue-ringed octopus -Nat Geo © Shawn Miller

They are hard to find due to their small size. Persistence, patience, luck and a diving with a buddy with good eyes will increase your chances.

Blue-ringed octopus © Shawn Miller

Blue-ringed octopus on a shell © Shawn Miller

Blue-ringed octopus blending in © Shawn Miller

Blue Ringed Octopus © Shawn Miller

Blue-ringed Octopus spread out © Shawn Miller

Mating season occurs in the summer months. A rare event that happens quickly.

Octopus mating © Shawn Miller

People often ask me what is your most memorable experience underwater. Definitely swimming along the reef with a Blue-ringed Octopus.

Blue-ringed octopus swimming © Shawn Miller

The difficult part is locking on focus and photographing it when the moment happens.

Blue-ringed octopus in open water © Shawn Miller

Cephalopods can produce a cloud of ink to confuse and escape from predators when threatened

Cephalopod ink blob © Shawn Miller

My dive & jive buddy spotted this Blue-ringed octopus feeding on a crustacean during a night dive recently.

Blue-ringed Octopus feeding © Shawn Miller

The two-part parrot-like beak cephalopods use for feeding.

Cephalopod Beak © Shawn Miller

The single Blue-ringed Ocellated octopus (Octopus ocellatus) is scarce in Okinawa. I have seen and documented only one live animal.

Ocellated Blue-ringed Octopus © Shawn Miller

If you would like to increase your chances of getting better photographs of Cephlapods, I recommend using the Light & Motion Sola 1200 underwater modeling light. The red light feature allows the user to get in close without disturbing the marine life.

Underwater setup with sola 600

Anyone in Okinawa that would like to try a Light&Motion Sola light, I will gladly let you test one of my personal lights on a night dive.

Learn more about the Light & Motion Sola series. http://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/sola

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

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.

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.

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

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

The hunt for the habu – Izena Island

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Admin11

Izena Island is known for not having any venomous snakes on the Island. I always thought this was impossible since the surrounding islands all have venomous snakes. After five trips we finally found a Habu.

The Princess habu was found resting on a rock above a fresh water source.

The Princess habu – Photo by David Orr

Hime habu – Izena Island

The Hime habu was found October 9th 2016 on Izena Island. It was located at the Izena castle site.

Izena castle -Iphone 6s

A sign at the port welcomes visitors to to the beautiful Island. It states – no habu on the Island.

Izena Island welcome sign- No Habu

Be safe exploring the beautiful Islands of Okinawa.

Learn more about the venomous snakes of Okinawa in my previous blog post. https://okinawanaturephotography.com/venomous-snakes-of-okinawa-japan/

Venomous snakes of Okinawa-Japan

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Admin11

Okinawa has three species of pit vipers and one coral snake. These venomous snakes are commonly found in the jungle. They are sometimes found in neighborhoods and local parks at nighttime during the summer season. Majority of the snake bites that I am familiar with happened on neighborhood night walks or harvesting sugar cane. I have seen pit vipers on public roads at night, on sidewalks, crawling on fences, on rock walls, in drainage ditches and inside vending machines.

Drink machine – Photo by Leia Heider

The Okinawan Habu is the largest and most venomous pit viper found on Okinawa.

Scientific name: Protothrops flavoviridis
Common name: Okinawan or golden habu
Habitat: Rock walls, caves, tree lines, parks, farming fields and near fresh water
Diet: Mice, rats, shrews, bats, and birds
Average size: 100-200cm

Okinawan Habu (Trimeresurus flavoviridis)

Fangs of the Okinawan Habu

Okinawan habu -Northern Okinawa

Okinawan Habu on a fence -WAM perspective

Okinawan Habu- MYN field studio technique

The silver habu is scarce on Okinawa. I have only found one live specimen. I didn’t realize what I found until I viewed the images on the computer,

Silver habu

Silver habu- eyes of silver

Albino Habus are worshiped in Okinawa.

Albino Habu snake

Okinawa is famous for its Habu Sake. They say it helps with sexual dysfunction in men.

Habu sake – Trimeresurus flavoviridis

Scientific name: Protothrops mucrosquamatus
Common name: Taiwanese habu or Brown spotted pit viper
Habitat: Rock walls, trees, and caves
Diet: Frogs, bats, mice, and birds
Average size: 80-150cm

Taiwanes habu- Onna village. Ready to strike!

Taiwanese habu- patiently waiting for a frog

Taiwanese habu -Onna village, Okinawa

Taiwanese habu- neighborhood at night

The Princess habu is the most common venomous snake on Okinawa. It is the smallest of the pit vipers found here.

Scientific name: Ovophis okinavensis
Common name: Princess habu or Hime habu
Habitat: Rivers, ponds, creeks and runoff ditches.
Diet: Mainly frogs
Average size: 40-80cm

Princess habu -Yanbaru forest

Large Princes habu- Yanbaru

Golden Hime habu

Princess habu -MYN technique

Princess Habu- Stella 2000

Princess habu – Northern Okinawa

The Okinawan coral snake is extremely rare. I have only seen two specimens

- Scientific name: Sinomicrurus japonicus boettgeri

- Common name: Okinawan coral snake

- Habitat: Forest areas in northern Okinawa

- Diet: blind snakes and small lizards

Average size: 30-60cm

Ways to avoid injury!

Avoid catching or handling venomous snakes
Wear exposure protection, such as snake boots when exploring the forest at night.
Bring a flashlight on night walks in the neighborhood

Mission

To document and preserve the wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

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.

Okinawa Nature Photography

沖縄自然写真 By Shawn Miller

Category Archives: venomous animals of okinawa

The Habu Hunters of Okinawa

Parasitic Isopods of the Ryukyu Islands

Deadliest Marine Fish of the Ryukyu Islands by Shawn Miller

Okinawa Coral snake – Venomous snakes of the Ryukyu Islands by Shawn Miller

House Dwelling Huntsman Spiders of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Psychedelic Spiders of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

Searching for The Blue Ringed Octopus at Maeda Misaki -Okinawa

Seashells of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

The hunt for the habu – Izena Island

Venomous snakes of Okinawa-Japan