mjhaught

A young sand diver.

Spinyhead blenny.

I found this baby bearded fireworm trudging across the open sand. About 3/4" long.

Almendra spotted this loggerhead. Looking at him straight on, you can see how massive the head is.

Channel clinging crabs are good at, well, clinging.

The interesting face and rhinophores of the rainbow sea slug that Andres found. A nudibranch, Babakina anadoni.

I love these weird guys. Slate pencil urchin. They are nocturnal, but if you're lucky you can find one in a hole during the day.

At first, I was really excited. I thought I had caught them mating. Instead, it was just a real estate dispute. The smaller red-stripe hermit crab wanted the larger house. The larger one kept pulling away, eventually walking around the corner, dragging the persistent smaller one with him.

Cozumel, Mexico

After a brief search, Almendra was able to find the flying gurnards.

I don't see these often. It's a juvenile yellowcheek wrasse.

This is one of eight octopuses that Andres found one night. A busy night.

A white speckled hermit crab carrying around a very large house. Looks like hard work to me.

It's currently ocean triggerfish season at Cozumel with acres and acres of seagrass hosting nests. On the micro level, there is tension as females and males protect their nests. On the macro level, the calmness of space with purpose becomes a religious experience.

A star horseshoe worm choose a pretty place to live.

For having such tiny fins, this little guy was fast. (Juvenile smooth trunkfish)

A young, inquisitive sharpnose puffer.

Almendra of JUMP Cozumel is known for always wearing rabbit ears underwater. She found, on the side of a coral head, a relative.

This porcupinefish had me laughing. The more I tried to hide, the more he was determined to keep an eye on me.

Andres found a Painted Elysia doing a superman imitation, flying through the algae.

A timid goldentail eel.

This banded clinging crab dressed himself in algae for camouflage, but then he sits where there is no algae.

Portrait of a yellowline arrow crab.

I wish photos could capture the colors you see underwater on juvenile yellowtail damsels. It's just not the same.

The spotted eagle ray's rooting around in the sand was too much for the remora, and it had to get off her belly.

These are two of the blackcap basslets that Almendra pointed out.

Andres found this grazing lettuce sea slug at Tormentos.

Research has been inconclusive. Is the shaking splendid toadfish that Andres found scaring off predators or fertilizing eggs?

A bearded fireworm in an interesting location.

Christmas trees that made a zoanthid their home.