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Part 2:  What Are Coral Reefs – Introduction to the Underwater World Coral reefs are made up of millions of tiny animals which belong to class anthozoans, the largest class of organisms within the phylum cnidaria (the “c” is silent). Cnidaria has over 6,000 known species sea fans, sea pansies, jellyfish, and sea anemones. Corals, … Continue reading “Introduction to the Underwater World”

Overall Rating = 2.75 out of 5 Black rock or Sheraton Reef rates average for scuba diving during the day, but is a bit above average when compared to other shore diving locations in the Kaanapali area. I do rate it a bit better as a night dive site. However, when Scuba Diving Maui near … Continue reading “Scuba Diving Maui – Black Rock”

Sponges are animals of the phylum Porifera (meaning “pore bearer”). Their bodies consist of jelly-like mesohyl sandwiched between two thin layers of cells. While all animals have non specialized cells that can transform into specialized cells, sponges are unique in having some specialized cells that can transform into other types, often migrating between the main … Continue reading “Sponges”

Moray eels (Family Muraenidae) make up one of the largest families of bony fishes in Hawai‘i, with more species (over 40) than any other fish family than perhaps the wrasses (Family Labridae). Their abundance cannot be truly appreciated because most species are small and remain well hidden within the reef. Research has show that the … Continue reading “Moray Eels of Hawaii”

Coral colonies are composed of many tiny, cup-shaped animals called polyps, which are related to jellyfish. A single coral polyp may be as large as a saucer or smaller than the head of a pin. Millions of polyps working together in a cooperative colony generation after generation create the limestone skeletons that form the framework … Continue reading “Hard and Soft Corals”

Name Scientific Name Range Description Anemone Shrimp Periclimenes yucatanicus Most often seen residing in Condylactys gigantae in the Caribbean. However, it has other host anemones: B. annulata, A. pallida, and Lebrunia dannae. (Williams & Williams, 1981, Spotte, 1997) These shrimp wait outside their host and advertise their presence by waving their antennae or swimming up … Continue reading “Crustaceans. Invertabrates. Molusks. Echinoderms”

Common Name Scientific Name Range Description Achilles Tang Acanthurus achilles, Shaw, 1803 It is found in various reefs of Oceania, up to the islands of Hawaii and Pitcairn. The fish is also, although less commonly, found in the Mariana Islands and even some reefs in southern Mexico and Guatemala. Acanthurus achilles is a tropical fish … Continue reading “Hawaiian Fish”

Common Name Scientific Name Range Description  Ballonfish  Diodon holocanthus (Linnaeus 1758)     Balloonfishes are circumtropical in distribution. These fish are found in the Western Atlantic from Florida, USA to the Bahamas and Brazil, in the Eastern Atlantic around 30°N-23°S, and in South Africa. In the Eastern Pacific from Hawaii to Pitcairn and the Easter Islands, and … Continue reading “Caribbean Fish and Sea Turtles”