Unknown in Cozumel

[designbysue]

Just returned from a great week of diving with Dive House in Cozumel (highly recommend them!) and have a number of critters I don't find in my books.

#1 Turned over this shell to find it's inhabitant munching on something.


#2 Parrotfish? What kind (common names please)


#3 What kind of coral or algae


#4 Again what kind of coral or algae and it the seed pod like thing a seed pod or sponge


#5 Another parrotfish?


#6 A Chub?


#7 Swimming above the sand - probably 15 - 18" long


#8 Sponge? What kind?


#9 Cool crab is a many pointed shell.


#10 No idea at all.


Thanks for any help!

 

[deborahdelamar]

I can only positively ID fish! #2 Redtail Parrotfish; #5 Stoplight Parrotfish; #6 Yes (Bermuda or Yellow Chub); #7 Jolthead Porgy with Brown Chromis.

 

[designbysue]

Thanks! Anyone have any idea of the others?

 

[Bratface]

Here are my ideas on what your fish and critters are.

1. May be a King Helmet conch. What did the shell look like? That is your
identifying factor, not the animal inside. Good shot of him having dinner.

2. Yellowtail parrotfish--initial phase

3. Some kind of coral--I am not so good at identifying these as there are so many varieties.

5. Redtail parrotfish--initial phase



7. Jolt head porgy

9. I think this is a blue eyed hermit crab. They are usually up to 2 inches.

We have the same and similar species in the Virgin Islands. I used Reef Fish
Identification--Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas and Reef Creature Identification by Paul Humann and Ned Deloach to identify your photos.

If you have photos of the conch, please post. I would be interested to see what
it's shell looks like. I tried to post a photo of one I have but I am a bit of a
computer dolt

 

[Bratface]

Was this your guy eating?





Was this the type of conch you turned over and found it was eating? This is a King Helmet Conch. They are usually 4 to 6 inches. This one is small, 3 inches. Someone had just eaten it so I snatched it up and added it to my collection of treasures from the sea.

Disclaimer: I never take a shell with a living creature and nobody else should either.

 

[designbysue]

I hang my head in shame for not taking a pic of the top side. I got so taken by what it was doing. It was about 6 inches and was covered with "stuff".

I also have the Reef books but just could not find the posted pics (it was getting late when I was working on them so that could explain it somewhat).

 

[Bratface]

Some of those bigger King Helmets are covered with lots of "stuff" and often look fuzzy. I was looking at the margins of the shell which show the same pattern of dark bars as my shell. It was interesting seeing him eating. I have seen a Queen Conch being eaten by a Horse Conch which was very interesting.

I am pretty certain you took a photo of a King Helmet.

 

[designbysue]

Cool - would love to see the video of the Conch "war". Thanks for your confirmation.

 

[Karibelle]

10 looks like a lettuce sea slug - but it's hard to tell with no head showing.

based on the colouring of the bottom of the shell, I agree that number 1 is a king helmet

number 8 is two kinds of sponge; there's a red encrusting sponge with some kind of small tube sponge underneath

number 3 looks to me like a feather bush hydroid. If you touch it as you did number 1, you'd probably know for sure.

kari

 

[designbysue]

I don' think #10 is a lettuce sea slug. I have seen those and this didn't look like one. It was much larger, much rounder and most of all it is fastened to the coral. On #8 is is the tube that I am most interested in as I have not seen one with some much detail. You might be right on #3 - no I didn't touch it, I know better!

Thanks