Thanks to my friends over at Neutral Dive Gear, I was alerted to a story breaking in numerous online publications today.  It appears that wildlife activists in Pilar, a small town on the eastern side of the Philippines, have found what is believed to be the smallest whale shark ever found in Philippines waters.  At just over 15 inches in length, representatives of the World Wide Fund for Nature say that the tiny whale shark is the smallest living specimen they have ever encountered.  It was found in shallow water and was tied by the tail to a small rope on the beach.  Officials  quickly removed the tiny whale shark from the shallow water and released it in deeper seas.

The Philippines has long been recognized as a transit point for migrating whale sharks.  The presence of this extremely small juvenile shark may be the first indication that the waters around the Philippines are actually a “birthing” ground for the gigantic animals.  Very few juvenile whale sharks have been spotted near the Philippines, making it difficult to confirm the area as an important link in the reproductive habits 0f the whale shark.

We will keep a keen watch for additional information on whale sharks in the Philippines waters and will update this post as required.

Phil Ellis

Discount Scuba Gear - Save on Brand Name Scuba Equipment

Photo from Yahoo! News and Associated Press International

Everywhere I look, there are news stories about octopi.  We had a lot of calls and comments about our recent video post titled Shark vs Octopus.  It seems that everyone is intrigued at the exploits and capabilities of these beautiful, but misunderstood sea creatures.  Demonstrating strength and dexterity far beyond what seems possible, the octopus clearly is a one-of-a-kind animal.  Not long after I made this post, another news story surfaced about an octopus at the Santa Monica Pier  Aquarium.  It seems this little fellow manipulated a valve in an aquarium tank and caused an overnight flood.  Now, another octopus in the news.

Truman, the eight-legged, thirty pound attraction at the New England Aquarium in Boston surprised officials and visitors when he reacted quite unexpectedly to a task laid before him by caretakers.  It seems that aquarium employees like to combine feeding with “enrichment activities” to challenge the more intelligent animals.  In this situation, they placed a snack of tasty crabs inside a latched clear acrylic box.  Of course, they expected Truman to manipulate the latch and retrieve the snack.  Instead, Truman slightly dislodged the hinged top and proceeded to pack himself tightly into the box.  In fact, he got his entire 30 pound body into the acrylic case that was no larger than a milk crate.  After spending about 30 minutes in the box, he smoothly slid outside.  Staff and visitors who observed the feat were thrilled.  Based on the news, octopi are fully capable of surprise.

Phil Ellis

Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSport.com

The oceans of the world are inhabited by a diverse variety of plants and animals.  Of course, the corals are among the most beautiful and provide a stunning landscape for divers and explorers.  Science Daily has just announced the identification of up to six new species of deep-water corals in the waters off of Hawaii.  The deep-water expedition in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument preserve was originally chartered to conduct a general study of this unique deep reserve.  During the course of numerous deep dives with remote-controlled submersibles, scientists collected a number of samples of “unusual” looking corals for further study.  Scientists who evaluated these samples were able to identify at least six new species of bamboo corals that may represent a complete new genera of corals.  Pictured above, one new species of  orange bamboo coral measures four to five feet tall and was collected more than 5,700 feet below the surface.   Bamboo corals have growth rings much like those found on trees.  This allows scientists to “date”  small chemical changes over time and make important conclusions about the condition of the water at various times in the life of the coral.  According to Richard Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA’s assistant administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, the discovery of these corals may provide important data about ocean acidification, a process where changes in ocean chemistry occur as a result of an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide.

Scientists will continue to evaluate a vast variety of samples collected during the 2007 expedition in hopes of identifying even more new species.  The study of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is unique because it is the deepest protected area in the United States and contains corals that have existed for thousands of years.

Phil Ellis

Discount Scuba Gear @ DiveSports.com

Since writing my post about the psychedelic bouncing fish several days ago, I have been watching YouTube for a video that had proper embedding permissions.  Late this afternoon, I found this short video from ITN News.  This fish is surely a weird character, like many of the new discoveries in the ocean.  I hope you enjoy this video.

Phil Ellis

DiveSports.com - Your Scuba Gear Online Connection

Several new sources are reporting the identification of a new species of fish, first discovered by a scuba diver in Indonesia over a year ago.  According to a recent National Geographic web article, the new species,  identified as Hystiophyrne psychedelica, is a member of the  anglerfish family and shares many of the traits of the frogfish, a well known member of that family.  Confirmed and identified through DNA testing as a new species by researcher  Ted Pietsch, this is a surprise addition to a family of fish that were thought to be extensively explored and understood.  Finding a new species in such a well-researched family of fish is rare and unique, and the traits of this new fish are especially unique.

The new fish uses its fins in a form of  “walking” like other members of the family.  However, there are also considerable differences from other frogfish discovered.  The “psychedelic” fish appears to “bounce” around as a means of propulsion.  When the fish settles to the bottom, is uses its fins to spring back into the water column, while simultaneously squiring jets of water from tiny gills.  This jet action propels the fish forward.  These unique propulsion methods, combined with the strange off-centered tail, makes the fish appear as if it is bouncing around at random.  Mark Erdman, a senior adviser to the Conservation International’s marine program, said, “I think people thought frogfishes were relatively well known, and to get a new one like this is really quiet spectacular. … It’s a stunning animal.” The new H psychedelica “psychedelic” fish is fist sized, has a tough skin for protection, and features a flat face with frontal eyes much like a human.

For additional information about this new fish, visit the National Geographic source article.  Photograph by National Geographic.

Phil Ellis

Shop and Save @ DiveSports.com

Many folks of a certain age grew up with fears that a giant octopus would snatch them from the edges of the beach.  This was likely fueled by the many episodes of Sea Hunt, many which involved a giant octopus and a fight for life.  Of course, Mike Nelson always won these thrilling battles, but most of us were well aware that only Mike could survive such an attack.  For ourselves, we had fear.

Once I became a scuba diver, I realized that there was considerable myth in the “octopus attacks man” story, and seeing an octopus in the wild became a thrill instead of a nightmare.  However, we cannot dismiss the sheer power and speed of the lowly octopus.  In fact, it appears that some of them can even do battle successfully with the MOST feared apex predators in the ocean…..the shark.

While digging around on the web, I found this video.  It is several years old, but still very interesting and surprising.  Take a look at this amazing footage produced by National Geographic and see the real story when a large octopus goes up against a shark.  Enjoy.

Phil Ellis

Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com

An article published by the Savannah Morning News reports that divers from the Georgia Aquarium are undertaking a study of the rapid expansion of lionfish in U.S. coastal waters.  The recent collection dive, on a naval tower 20 miles of the shore of South Carolina, was more fruitful than anticipated.  According to Jeff Reid, diving safety officer for the Georgia Aquarium and group leader for this collection dive, they found the first lionfish as soon as they hit the bottom.  Using nets and plastic cages, they quickly brought a number of fish to the surface.  In fact, in just three 20-minute dives, the species collection teams found a total of nine lionfish, nearly half of the total needed for the display at the aquarium.

According to Gail Kreuger of the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, the lionfish are spreading like wildfire and really represent a plague on this popular Atlantic reef.  Says Kreuger, “They’re a big problem.  They’re voracious and they eat everything. And what they like to eat best is baby grouper and snapper“.  This is a serious problem on Gray’s Reef, because this is a protected area for grouper and snapper.   According to officials, the lionfish are so foreign to native fish that they don’t even attempt to evade the predator.  According to Mark Hixon of Oregon State University, “Fish in the Atlantic have never seen them before. They don’t even see them as fish, that’s the scary part.”  Says Hixon, “Small fish don’t even do anything. They take no evasive action. They’ll be sitting there in a school and a lionfish comes up and it’s like, ‘Oh, Bob’s gone. Oh, Ed’s gone.”   In the slightly less than two years since they were first reported on this Atlantic Gray’s Reef,  these traits have allowed them to spread to the point where they are a common sight  for divers on the reef.  Most interesting, they are expected to begin adapting to the colder winter temperatures of the Atlantic, according to George Sedberry, superintendent of the Gray’s Reef Sanctuary.  This will make it even more likely that this species will thrive and spread on Atlantic reefs.

I have written several previous posts about the invasion of the lionfish in the waters off of the United States.  You can read these articles by following the links below.  I am sure we will have more to say about this evolving lionfish story in future posts.

The Lionfish Invasion

Feeding Habits of Lionfish

Official Lionfish Sighting in Florida Key Reported

Phil Ellis

Save on Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com

Scuba divers live for the opportunity to see large sea animals, and among the most desired encounters is the manta ray. These gigantic and graceful creatures have been known to grow as large as 25 feet from wing tip to wing tip, but encounters by scuba divers are typically with specimen much smaller than this.

While searching around on YouTube this morning, I spotted a video of one pretty lucky scuba diver.  I don’t know the details of this video, but it is purported to have been made in the waters off of Maui.  Take a moment to view this very short video and see the reaction of this diver after spotting an 18 foot manta ray.  I have to say that the underwater trim and form of this diver is pretty poor, but form errors must be forgiven when a diver encounters a surprise like this one.  It is pretty cool to see the reaction of this diver when he realizes what he has just seen, and is REALLY hoping it was caught on video.  Enjoy.

Phil Ellis

Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com

Howard Hall, renowned underwater filmmaker and oceanographer, has released a follow-up documentary to this famous 2006  “Deep Sea 3D” effort, which grossed over 37 million dollars at IMAX theaters all over the country.  This time, Hall takes the gigantic and unwieldy IMAX cameras to remote and beautiful locations in Southern Australia, New Guinea, and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region to expose viewers to more amazing sea life and to document damage to the ocean’s reef system and the impact of that damage to the fish and animals that thrive on coral reefs.

Released to IMAX theaters across the country this past weekend, the new film “Under the Sea 3D” is narrated by famous actor and funny man Jim Carrey.  According to those who produced this documentary, Carrey lent his wit and experience in narration to this film, without turning a serious film effort into a comedy.  “Under the Sea 3D” provides the stunning IMAX effects to allow the viewer to see some of the most unique and stunning creatures in the ocean, including the amazing cuddlefish, stonefish, and garden eels.  Early reviews say the  real stars of the film, the  amazing underwater creatures, jump out with the IMAX technology, making viewer feel as if they are in the ocean with the fish.  Hall says that achieving this effect was quite a task with the 1,300 pound IMAX 3D camera, capable of filming for only 3 minutes before being brought to the surface for reloading.  Some individual shots required up to 6 hours of continuous shooting before the animal subjects could become accustomed to the sound and confusion of the gigantic camera.  Patience was clearly the keyword in  filming these animals in their natural behavior and obtaining the final footage that would make the 40 minute final product everything that IMAX viewers have come to expect.

“Under the Sea 3D” is currently playing on the IMAX screen at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  It also  opens on March 14, 2009 on the IMAX screen at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham, Alabama.  We will update this post when additional information is available for other local IMAX screens.

Phil Ellis

Shop and Save at DiveSports.com

The National Geographic Channel will debut a new reality series dealing with the dangerous salvage of shipwrecks around the world.  Currently scheduled to be aired on European National Geographic Channel affiliates, this five-part series, “Salvage Code Red“, will follow the exploits of  William Stender III and  his Titan shipwreck salvage  crew as they respond to shipwreck emergencies to clear valuable shipping channels, avoid economic disaster, prevent environmental damage, and generally clean us the mess left behind when large ships accidentally meet their final resting place.

The National Geographic Channel was first drawn to the world of shipwreck salvage during the filming of  the popular series “The Deadliest Catch” in the Bering Sea.  While shooting film for this very popular series, the camera crew noticed the ongoing work to salvage the shipwreck of the Cougar Ace, a ship that was loaded with 4,700 Mazda automobiles headed for North America.  When the ship floundered, the United States Coast Guard ferried members of the Titan salvage crew over 300 miles out to sea to access the situation.  After pumping the water from the ship and sitting her upright, Stender and his crew towed her ashore.  While much of the cargo was undamaged, all of the automobiles were sold for scrap, and another oceanic disaster was averted.

National Geographic followed the Titan crew for 3 years of filming all over the world, as they tackled various ship salvage tasks with expertise, engineering skill, and a keen sense of the ocean and how it works.  The series will show the trials and massive challenges of shipwreck salvage work all over the world.  The rugged good looks of the leader of this skilled group, shipwreck expert William Stender III, only serves to enhance the image of the rugged types of men that perform this type of work.

The five-part series is now showing on National Geographic Channel in Europe.   We will be watching closely to see if the series is added to the North American National Geographic Channel lineup.   You can click the link to read more about the National Geographic  show “Salvage Code Red“.

Phil Ellis

Discount Scuba Gear - Factory Authorized Dealer - DiveSports.com