Creature Corner

I was almost glad when I couldn't ID this little fella, because to me he's simply "Shawn the sheep" of Wallace & Gromit fame. All I can safely say is that it's an Aeolid & of course, not a 'he' as all nudibranchs are hermaphrodite, so I'm half right and half wrong!

Periclimenes Colmani: This very pretty commensal shrimp, is almost always found in pairs on Variable Fire Urchins (Asthenosoma varium) also known as the toxic sea urchin. The larger of the pair is the female. The shrimps feed on parasites, algae & plankton. Colour is a creamy white with claret spots on the carapace and bands on the claws and legs. Typically they can grow to about 2cm. They're found wherever the fire urchin is found, throughout the western pacific, typically at depths of 5-30m.

Lybia tesselata: I love these little guys! These colourful crabs are very shy and best seen on night dives using red lights so as not to scare them into hiding. They are fascinating as they are a lovely example of a symbiotic relationship. The crab partners with anemones, holding them gently in its claws. It holds them out into the passing current where the anemones catch food which the crab shares. They get their name because during skrimishes over territory, the anemones will withdraw into a jelly like ball and as the crabs joust for position they appear to look just like boxers, fighting with colourful gloves. They can be found in shallows down to at least 15m in rubble, reefs and walls.

Lying in wait, these critters should not be under estimated by the un-suspecting photographer. They hold 2 world records, one for the most complex eye known to science and the other for being the fastest clocked creature on the planet. The speed referred to is that of their punch, so fast it breaks the sound barrier and cannot be seen unless filmed at super fast framerates. I've seen someone get too close and come away (luckily) with just a badly scratched camera lens. Bearing in mind these things have been knowd to crack 2" thick aquarium glass, you get too close at your peril.