One of my favorite types of coral is the red knotted sea fan ( Melithaea ochracea ). Mainly because of the color and the branching pattern. The vibrant red coral, white polyps and the blue water compliment one another. There are many small marine animals that thrive on the red tree of life. This beauty was photographed in the blue waters between Izena and Iheya Island.
April 4th 2019, I stumbled upon some colorful micro flatworms that I have never seen before. Leslie Harris informed me that these fast moving slugs were potentially undocumented benthic ctenophores.
- Name: Coeloplana sp
- Benthic ctenophore
- Size: 8mm-10mm
- Location: Okinawa, Japan
- Depth: 40feet
Can you see how well the benthic ctenophore blends in with its host? This is a great example of mimicry.
Look close at the tiny chamber mounds. These mounds hold the stinging tentacles that are used for catching food and possibly for protection.
I found this strange benthic ctenophore (Coeloplana sp) on a dive near Ikea Island. When I first saw the ctenophore, the long stinging cells were extended out in hunting mode.
Some benthic ctenophores live on starfish (Echinaster luzonicus), look close and you can see the stinging cells.
A blue starfish (Linkia laevigata) infested with benthic ctenophores
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 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.
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