Species images at each resort are presented in order, based on a combination of taxonomy and appearance, i.e. not a strictly taxonomic order. The species groups are listed below with illustrated examples of the range of species included:
Seagrass bed made up of multiple seagrass species. St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Bristle Ball Brush Alga. Example of a green alga. US Virgin Islands
Encrusting Coralline algae. Example of a specialised form of red alga. St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
White Scroll Alga. Example of a brown alga. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Black-Ball Sponge. White version! Antigua.
Giant Barrel Sponge, St. Lucia
Yellow Tube Sponge, St.Lucia
Green Finger Sponge. St.Lucia
Sun Anemone. Antigua
White Encrusting Zoanthid. Zoanthids have been grouped with Anemones due to their similar external appearance.
Christmas Tree Hydroid. St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Giant Anemone. Cozumel, Mexico.
Common Sea Fan. US Virgin Islands
Sea Plume, US Virgin Islands
Encrusting Gorgonian. US Virgin Islands
Swollen Knob Candelabrum. Antigua.
Branching Fire Coral. Part of the Hydrocorals, not a true stony coral. Antigua.
One of several Brain Corals. Antigua
Staghorn Coral. US Virgin Islands
Two species, a Disc Coral in the centre, surrounded by a Lobe Coral. Kenya
Collection of Christmas Tree Worms. US Virgin Islands
Bearded Fireworm. Antigua
Magnificent Feather Duster. US Virgin Islands
Sea Frost. US Virgin Islands
Caribbean Spiny Lobster. Antigua
Nimble Spray Crab. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Box Crab. Kenya
Banded Coral Shrimp. Kenya
Flamingo Tongue. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Amber Penshell. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Caribbean Reef Squid. Antigua
Common Octopus. Antigua. Battling with a giant worm in this image
Long-Spined Urchin. US Virgin Islands
Indian Cushion Sea Star. Kenya
Red-knobbed Starfish. Kenya.
Furry Sea Cucumber. Antigua.
Blue Bell Tunicate. US Virgin Islands
Geometric Encrusting Tunicates. US Virgin Islands.
Green Barrel Sea Squirt. Kenya.
Encrusting Social Sea Squirt. US Virgin Islands.
Yellowtail Damselfish. US Virgin Islands
Common Lionfish. US Virgin Islands.
Shoal of fish over a reef, including Blue Tang, Doctorfish and Ocean Surgeonfish. Antigua.
Southern Stingray and friends. US Virgin Islands.
Peacock Flounder. Antigua.
Balloonfish. Antigua.
Smooth Trunkfish. St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Redlip Blenny. Tobago.
Cero. St. Lucia.
Palometa. US Virgin Islands
Great Barracuda. Cozumel,Mexico.
Houndfish. Antigua.
Green Turtle. US Virgin Islands.
Feeding Green Turtles. US Virgin Islands.
Golden Medusa. Kenya.
Some cross over is evident within the fish groups (Open water versus Reef associated), so check across both groups at each resort. I have yet to acquire any good Marine Mammal images, but live in hope. Some of you may have noticed that one of the largest taxonomic groups, the Bryozoa, is missing. More on these when I can spot them!
I have endeavoured to give the correct name to each image, but clearly some species are difficult to pin down, particularly the sponges, which generally require laboratory samples to verify. As a result in all cases I have erred on the side of caution. If either the genus or species name is in doubt it is preceded by a question mark ? I am happy to be corrected by anyone who thinks that I have made a mistake. Please use the contact page to get back to me.
These include:
An indication of size is given, where appropriate: VL = very large (>2m), L = large (>0.5m to 2m), M = medium (>0.2m to 0.5m), S = small (5cm to 20cm), VS = very small < 5cm.
Habitat information is provided, either in full or as abbreviations, including: Rocky Reef features (Rf), Coral Reef features (Cr), Boulders (B), Mixed sediment seabed including coral debris (Mx), Sand (Sa), Mud (M), Silt (Si), Seagrass (Sg), Algae (Ag). Open water (Ow), Surf zone (Sz), Intertidal (It).