Tag Archives: undescribed species of Okinawa

The Red Coral of Okinawa by Shawn Miller

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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.

14545289327_5e18d36098_bApril 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.

DSC_2247Look close at the tiny chamber mounds. These mounds hold the stinging tentacles that are used for catching food and possibly for protection.

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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.

IMG_2755Some 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.

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

Searching for Cephalopods by Shawn Miller

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Lately, I have been getting out a lot more on night dives. The conditions have been great for Scuba diving and underwater macro photography.  Diving at night is exciting because you never know what you will find. My last dive I stumbled upon a few new brightly colored nudibranchs and an undescribed pygmy cephalopod known as the pharaoh cuttlefish.

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Could this pygmy cuttlefish be an undescribed species or just a clever juvenile broadband cuttlefish resembling the sand?

  • Scientific name:  Sepia sp
  • Common Name: Pygmy or Pharaoh Cuttlefish
  • Found:  Kin bay, Okinawa
  • Habitat: Sand bottom @ night
  • Depth:  35feet 
  • Size:  17mm

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DSC_2082 DSC_2093 DSC_2104DSC_2111More than likely this pygmy cuttlefish is Sepiella inermis.  The pharaoh cuttlefish is absolutely stunning. I found this large specimen sand-dwelling during a night dive.

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If you have never been night diving I highly encourage you to try it. If you want to learn more about Cephalopods of Okinawa, check out my post on the beautiful Blue-ringed octopus. 

 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