Underwater Photos

Close up photo of a Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
A close up photo of the face of Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and its tiny host, a Sharksucker (Echeneis naucrates). This friendly Loggerhead turtle approached me and appeared to have enjoyed my company while I gave it a little turtle massage.
Read the story and see a video.

Photo of Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) and Sharksucker (Echeneis naucrates)
Many theories exist regarding the relationship of a Sharksucker (Echeneis naucrates) to its host (the Loggerhead turtle in this case). Some believe it to be phoresy (a commensalism relationship where the host is just a means of transportation). From personal observations I believe the relationship to be one of mutualism, whereas the Sharksucker rids its host of parasites.

Vision of a Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)
The vision of a Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is myopic (near-sighted), they can not see distant objects in focus. There is a salt gland behind each eye that helps shed large tears of excess salt to help the turtle maintain a proper water balance.

Florida Prickly Cockle extends its foot to leap away (Trachycardium egmontianum)
Sensing an approaching predator this Florida Prickly Cockle extends a muscle from within its mantle to help it escape. This photograph captures the split-second reaction before the mollusc leaps away.

A Beaded Sea Star picks up the scent of a mollusc nearby (Astropecten articulatus)
Using sensitive cells on their skin or their tubed feet this Beaded Sea Star can smell any prey nearby.

Mollusc uses its foot to escape predation
This mollusc, a Florida Prickly Cockle, uses its foot to escape predation. If caught the sea star will inject its stomach inside the mollusc's shell and digest the mollusc in place.

Bivalves methods to avoid predation
Bivalves use a number of methods to avoid predation. Cockles, such as this Florida Prickly Cockle, uses its foot to leap away. Others are quick to bury themselves or swim away by extruding water through their shells.

Baby Leatherback sea turtle surfaces to breathe (Dermochelys coriacea)
Sea turtles, such as this baby Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), are air breathers and must come up to the surface to breathe. They are capable of holding their breath for hours depending on their activity level. When resting or sleeping they can hold their breath for as long as 4-7 hours.

The fastest reptile is the Leatherback sea turtle Dermochelys coriacea)
The Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) uses its powerful paddle-like fins to achieve the fastest speed of any reptile. It has been recorded at speeds of up to 22mph.

Leatherback sea turtles can dive as deep as 3,900 ft.
Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) have been reported to dive as deep as 3,900 ft., much deeper than any other marine sea turtle.

Baby sea turtle photograph - Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)
This Leatherback baby sea turtle photograph was taken in open ocean. The Leatherback sea turtle gets its name because its carapace is covered by a thick leathery skin instead of the bony scutes found in all other marine sea turtles.

Juvenile Leatherback sea turtle swims on the ocean surface (Dermochelys coriacea)
This juvenile Leatherback sea turtle begins its long, perilous journey as it swims on the ocean surface off Palm Beach, Florida. Leatherback turtles have a cosmopolitan global range. With its distribution ranging from as far north as Alaska and the Arctic circle and as south as the Cape of Good Hope in Africa and New Zealand.

Swim with a baby Leatherback sea turtle
One of the many perks of my job is having the opportunity to release these beautiful and rare baby Leatherback sea turtles into the open ocean.

A Smooth Butterfly Ray (Gymnura micrura) hides in the sand
One way to find rays around sandy areas is to look for their "footprint." Rays, such as this Smoother Butterfly Ray (Gymnura micrura), will cover themself with sand as a means of protection leaving only the trailing edge shape, or footprint, of their bodies.

Underwater photograph of a rare Smooth Butterfly Ray (Gymnura micrura)
The Smooth Butterfly Ray prefers neritic (shallow seas) waters where it is usually found on soft bottoms. This particular ray does not carry the poisonous barbed tail found on its close cousin, the Atlantic Stingray.