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Some of our more unusual or notable marine life sightings made recently…
Note: See SonyVision page for more images of weird and beautiful creatures! If you wish to add your own item, click here!
Striped Boarfish
We saw these beautiful sub-tropical fish on a dive around the eastern side of the Poor Knights in January, -this pair were sub-adult and about the same size as a regular Long-finned boarfish, however the adults can be 60-cm long. Although common up at the Kermadec Islands this was the first time I have seen this species in over 1000 dives at the Poor Knights where they can be considered quite rare. This summer individuals or pairs of Striped Boarfish have been seen at 3 or 4 locations within the reserve.
Carpet shark eggs
While Carpet shark eggs are not necessarily rare they are also not often seen and are usually found at greater depths. This one we photographed at 53 m in February (2003)and it was one of four within quite a small area. Although I revisited the site several times in the hope of seeing some the sharks inside the egg cases develop I didn’t have any luck, and 8-weeks later they were gone.
Seasnake
In March (2003) a Yellow-bellied sea snake, Pelamis platurus was found washed up alive on the Tutukaka coast around the high tide flotsam line. Although in a lethargic state, Dept of Conservation were called to collect the snake with a view to placement at Kelly Tarltons aquarium for recuperation, but unfortunately the animal died overnight. The Yellow-bellied sea snake is one of the most widespread snake species on earth, and is unique among sea snakes in that it is generally spends its entire life in the open ocean. While it is considered a pelagic species, it is occasionally carried into shallow waters close to shore or even be beached during period of strong winds as was probably the case with this individual.
Giant squid egg
Large clear spheres have been sighted around the Poor Knights at irregular intervals over the past 3-years, with an increase in sighting frequency over the past 12-months (2002-2003). Approximately 1-1.5m in diameter and filled with tiny 'eggs', these spheres have in the past been mistaken for some form of giant salp, but are now thought to be Giant squid eggs and are being investigated by cephalopod researcher Steve O’Shea (Under DoC permit and with permission of Ngati Wai). Update: The DNA tests are back and confirm that these egg masses belong to the Arro Squid (Notolodarus), still an exciting discovery!
Kermadec
Angelfish
During a dive on the eastern side of the Poor Knights I saw one
of our rarer fish species, the Kermadec Angelfish, a migrant to
Northland waters from the Kermadec Islands. This species look like
a white version of our 'common' Black Angelfish, and although the
pair I observed have been resident at the Poor Knights for several
years now, they are infrequently seen and are not 'guaranteed' to
survive through our cold winter months. It was nice to see they
have 'made it' again.
Bronze Whaler Sharks
Diving
out at the Poor Knights a few days ago we were treated to a sight
that very few divers would ever have seen in New Zealand waters,
-at least 40 Bronze whaler sharks schooling around us! To be the
centre of attention for a large group of 'apex predators' like this
in temperate water was a stunning experience, at no time did they
exhibit 'threatening behaviour' but their sheer numbers precipitated
a rush of adrenalin and it is an encounter that neither of us will
ever forget!
Symbiotic
Cephalopod
Definitely
'weird', in early summer off the Poor Knights I photographed a tiny
octopus species 'riding' on the bell of a pelagic jellyfish! Whenever
I tried to get close, the octopod would 'steer' the jellyfish so
that its tentacles were always facing toward me, a behaviour and
symbiotic relationship I had never heard of before.
Cephalopod expert Steve O'Shea from NIWA later identified the creature
as a juvenile female Paper Nautilus, Nautilus argonauta.
Cuttlefish
remnant
While diving on the east side of the Poor Knights last week Jess
found a cuttlefish 'bone' -well out of the usual range of this species.
It had most likely drifted from South Australia down to the 'Knights
on the East Auckland Current; -a bit of a coincidence as we are
off there to film the Giant Cuttlefish spawning in a couple of weeks!
New
crab species
Near the end of a dive and nosing around in some shallow bouldery
terrain out at the Poor Knights before Christmas I came across a
strange flattened, tropical looking crab that I had never seen before
-with bright green eyes, purple claws and very serrated legs and
carapace. Crustacean expert Professor Colin McLay was able to give
it a tentative ID as Percnon guinotiae, a new species to New Zealand
waters. I have since seen them in several locations around the islands.
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16.06.02
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