Encountered Marine Life in the Maldives

Dilemma | dəˈlemə, dīˈlemə |noun: a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives.

Before entering the water on every dive I find it challenging on what will get my attention. There is so much to see and experience. Hence, over five hundred images are on my computer from the 12 days we spent in the Maldives. Each dive presents multiple opportunities to find something new and unusual. Because of the limitations of field of view due to your mask or even a few feet of distance between you and the other divers in your group, they may see something that you'll miss entirely. The challenge for me is to find the balance between not wanting to miss anything and reconciling the fact that I will..

The Maldives, as a marine environment, are in good shape. Current reef health by region is mixed. The Northern Atolls (Baa & Lhaviyani) show the strongest health, with 30% to 50% coral cover with active UNESCO protection in areas like Hanifaru Bay. Central Atolls (North and South Malé) display variable and patchy recovery ranging from 15% to 40% cover due to heavy tourism and repeated thermal stress.

You can see the cloudiness of the water (visability aka viz) which is due to the amount of micro-biologics that are the food sources for the Reef manta rays and Whale sharks. Limited viz means more food for the reef.

Karen on the other side of  this Tubastraea micranthus, commonly known as the Black sun coral. In and around these reef structures is home to many of the smaller varieties of reef fish.

Black sun coral have a dark green color and they grow and branch out in bush/tree like colonies. The diver behind is Mathias.

The region is known for the Whale Shark and Reef Manta Ray activity, but the variety of marine life was extremely diverse. The waters of the Maldives host over 2,000 species of fish, creating one of the richest marine ecosystems on Earth. It is easy to get distracted by all the large pelagic creatures in the blue. So many impressive large fish will visit us while on the reef, but some of the most unique creatures are almost invisible.

A corkscrew black coral is a type of unbranched wire or whip coral (commonly Cirrhipathes spiralis) that grows in a distinct, tight helical twist resembling a corkscrew.

Hiden in these beautiful reef structures are some of the smallest creatures imaginable and you really need to look carefully or they get missed. Included in this group are Nudibranch. A nudibranch is a soft-bodied marine mollusk that sheds its shell after the larval stage, commonly known as a sea slug. The name comes from Latin and Greek words meaning "naked gills," referring to the exposed breathing structures on their backs. They are famous for bright, striking colors and diverse shapes.

I found this Nudibranch, Goniobranchus Gleniei, and was able capture it with the microscope mode on my TG-4 camera.

This close-up shot was taken by our dive group guide. This little guy is about the size of your little fingernail. Photo credit to Wathey.

Another unique creature of the reef is the Christmas tree worm (Spirobranchus giganteus), a colorful, tube-building marine worm commonly found thriving in the coral reefs of the Maldives. The bright, spiral "trees" you see are actually twin crowns of tentacles called radioles, used for breathing and catching drifting plankton.

If Christmas tree worms sense a shadow, vibration, or passing predator, they retract into their tubes in a fraction of a second and seal the door with a trapdoor structure called an operculum.

How about the The banded coral shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)? It is a striking, shrimp-like decapod crustacean recognized by its vibrant red-and-white bands and large, boxer-like front claws. They feature bright red and white stripes across their body and claws, spiny outer shells, stalked eyes, and very long white antennae. Adults usually grow between 2 to 3 inches.

These Banded coral shrimp act as marine "cleaners," using their long antennae to signal fish and eating parasites, bacteria, and dead tissue off reef fish.

Red Mesh Starfish, Baa Atoll, Maldives (Fromia monilis) was another unique bottom dweller about the size of a silver dollar.

Okay enough about the tiny stuff. Let move on to the larger inhabitants of the reef. Here are some creatures that use various means to disguise themselves from possible predators or use their camouflage as a means to a passive hunting approach. One of these marine species I got good at spotting is the Bearded Scorpion Fish. It acts as a stationary ambush predator, waiting motionless for small fish and crustaceans to pass before using fast suction to snap them up.

The bearded scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis barbata) is a bottom-dwelling marine fish known for the fleshy, beard-like skin flaps hanging from its chin.

Normally the dorsal fins lay down on the back, but I got close enough for it to fight off a potential predator. Possesses venom glands at the base of its fin spines used for defense against threats.

Blends exceptionally well into coral reefs, algae-covered rocks, and sandy patches.

Other members of the reef hide and spend daytime hours tucked safely inside coral crevices, overhangs, and wreckage. like the Moray eels. The Maldives is home to around 40 species of moray eels, which thrive in its healthy coral reefs, thilas (submerged reefs), and channel entrances.

The giant moray eel (Gymnothorax javanicus) is the largest species of moray eel found in the waters of the Maldives. Can grow up to nearly 10 feet long and weigh up to 60 lbs.

Despite its intimidating appearance, the Yellowmargin Moray is generally shy and plays an important role in maintaining the balance of reef ecosystems

The Yellowmargin Moray is one of the largest moray eels found on coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific, including the Andaman Islands. Recognizable by its dark body covered in golden-yellow speckles, this nocturnal predator spends its days hidden within reef crevices and emerges at night to hunt fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods.

The Snowflake moray eel (Echidna nebulosa) is a common, beautifully patterned reef resident found across the Indo-Pacific, including the coral reefs and house reefs of the Maldives.

On many of the dives we encountered Green sea turtles either sleeping or eating on the reef.. Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are among the most frequently spotted marine species in the Maldives, Adults are strictly herbivorous, using their strong jaws to graze on seagrass meadows, which helps keep the underwater ecosystem healthy.

The Maldivian government enacted a nationwide harvest ban on marine turtles in 1995, followed by strict bans on trade, consumption, and egg collection.

This Green sea turtle didn't mind me approaching close enough during feeding to get good illumination with my electronic strobe.

A typical dive profile usually involved exploring the walls and overhangs of a reef or pinnacle feature. This is the transition area between the deep blue where the "big stuff" lives and the smaller reef life. As I swam a wall I would periodically gaze out into the open ocean for Mantas rays or sharks quietly passing by. Turning to the wall and reef I would often look for mollusk species. Five common examples of mollusks are snails, clams, octopuses, squids, and oysters.

On these reef walls and overhangs live Thorny oysters and Wing oysters, a fascinating marine bivalve found thriving in the tropical coral reefs of the Maldives

Despite their name, Thorny oysters are not true oysters; they are closer relatives to scallops and clams. They have multiple tiny, bright eyes along the edge of their mantle and can even produce rare pearls.

They feature thick, heavy, spiny shells covered in thorny projections and are often completely camouflaged by encrusting corals or sponges on the reef.

How about Octopus? Well they're there but rather reclusive by nature during the daytime. However, we did see some and invfact Mathias won the titile of "Octopus Whisperer". He looked for them on every dive and often found multiple creatures on multiple dives.

This is one of the few images I was able to capture. Most of the time the octopus would retreat further into a crevice in the reef.

The most commonly seen giant clam species in the Maldives is the Maxima clam (Tridacna maxima), locally known as Gaahaka, which grows up to 35 centimeters long and features brilliant blue or green mantles.

Like corals, the giant clam lives in partnership with tiny plant-like algae (called zooxanthellae) that reside inside the clams’ tissues. And as with corals, the arrangement helps both creatures. The algae gain protection from grazing animals; the clam grows large with the benefit of food produced by the algae.

At home on reefs in the Maldives, the giant clam lives on shallow reef flats down to depths of around 66 feet (20 m). Below that, the algae they depend on to survive wouldn’t have enough sunlight to grow. The relationship between the giant clam and algae is considered a symbiotic, mutualistic relationship.

After 28 dives over 12 days it is easy to see much of the variety of life in and around the reef. With each dive I often reflect on the fact that this is one of the Creator's "Magical Kingdoms". Under the sea, in a world most people never see or experience, I have the pleasure and privilege to get up close and personal with its inhabitants. It's a place of serenity and joy with only the sound of bubbles.