2015-12 Solomon Islands Dives 2178-2210

Scissortail Fusiliers

Caesio caerulaurea - with a few Lunar Fusiliers.

Giant Clam, Mborokua Island, Solomon Islands, December 3, 2015

2184#7517

Larry L. Jackson

Bigeye Trevally

Caranx sexfasciatus

Giant Clam, Mborokua Island, Solomon Islands, December 3, 2015

2184#7519

Larry L. Jackson

Bigeye Trevally

Caranx sexfasciatus - courtship coloration.

Giant Clam, Mborokua Island, Solomon Islands, December 3, 2015

2184#7520

Larry L. Jackson

Oval-spot Butterflyfish

Chaetodon speculum

Giant Clam, Mborokua Island, Solomon Islands, December 3, 2015

2184#7529

Larry L. Jackson

Clown Blenny

Ecsenius axelrodi

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2185#7531

Larry L. Jackson

Heron Ardeadoris

Ardeadoris egretta - is large and attractive.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2185#7538

Larry L. Jackson

Bigeye Barracuda

Sphyraena forsteri - a smaller, schooling type.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2185#7539

Larry L. Jackson

Oceanic Triggerfish

Canthidermis maculatus - were nesting in sandy spots on the reefs.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2185#7542

Larry L. Jackson

Oceanic Triggerfish

Canthidermis maculatus - likely a male guarding a nest.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2185#7545

Larry L. Jackson

Goldbelly Damsels

Pomacentrus auriventris

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2185#7547

Larry L. Jackson

Crinoid Clingfish

Discotrema crinophial - there were two small individuals in the feather star.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2186#7549

Larry L. Jackson

Decorated Firefish

Nemateleotris decora - are generally seen a depths of 80 feet or more.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2186#7553

Larry L. Jackson

Christmas Tree Worms

Spirobranchus species - a dense colony in the typical Porites coral.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2186#7555

Larry L. Jackson

Peacock Flounder

Bothus mancus

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2186#7558

Larry L. Jackson

Hemprich's Sea Anemone

Heterodactyla hemprichii - this one has purple grape cluster tentacles at the edge.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2186#7559

Larry L. Jackson

Acropora monticulosa

Prefers shallow, high water movement reefs.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2186#7560

Larry L. Jackson

Acropora gemmifera

Another shallow water, high water movement type.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2186#7562

Larry L. Jackson

Acropora florida

Large coral in the shallow areas.

Kicha Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2186#7563

Larry L. Jackson

Blue Coral

Heliopora coerulea - has a blue skeleton only seen when broken.

Caves, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2187#7565

Larry L. Jackson

Two-spinned Angelfish

Centropyge bispinosus - an unusual coloration seen here.

Caves, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2187#7568

Larry L. Jackson

Midnight Angelfish

Centropyge nox - besides being skittish these fish are almost impossible to get the camera to focus on for a photo.

Caves, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2187#7575

Larry L. Jackson

Acropora desalwii

A worrisome colony that may have expelled zooxanthellae.  Hopefully not an early sign of big bleaching episode.

Caves, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2187#7577

Larry L. Jackson

Acropora cerealis & Porites lichen

Caves, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2187#7580

Larry L. Jackson

Fluted Giant Clam

Tridacna squamosa - with a fairly common color pattern.

Caves, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2187#7581

Larry L. Jackson

Foxface Rabbitfish

Siganus vulpinus - pair.

Caves, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2187#7582

Larry L. Jackson

Chironephthya specie

In full feeding mode.

Canyons, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2188#7585

Larry L. Jackson

Pacific Double-saddle Butterflyfish

Chaetodon ulietensis - possibly feeding on the Sea Star tube feet.

Canyons, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2188#7589

Larry L. Jackson

Yellow-mask Angelfish

Pomacanthus xanthometopon

Canyons, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2188#7590

Larry L. Jackson

Anna's Chromodoris

Chromodoris annae

Canyons, Mbulo Island, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, December 4, 2015

2188#7598

Larry L. Jackson

Artillery Piece

A difficult shot with my macro lens. Field artillery gun on the front of a small, sunken Japanese freight ship.

Maru 2, Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands, December 5, 2015

2189#7600

Larry L. Jackson