Scientific name : Chrysaora plocamia

 

Family : Semaeostomeae
Size : Up to 1 m but on average 30 to 60 cm
Distribution : South America (Peru, Chile, Argentina)

 

Biology : This jellyfish has 24 slender tentacles. The larger the jellyfish gets, the more its mouth arms take on a spiral shape. Its colour varies from white with a slight brown tinge to dark brown. It may have fine or more pronounced orange stripes on the umbrella.
It feeds on copepods and fish larvae. It appears to reproduce sexually, releasing gametes into the water. Irritating sting but not serious.

 

Scientific name : Chrysaora fuscescens

 

Family : Pelagiidae
Distribution : Northeast Pacific ocean : Alaska, Canada, California, Mexico

 

Biology : This jellyfish is pelagic, which means that it lives in open water. Its umbrella can reach 30 cm.
It is carnivorous and quite voracious: in addition to zooplankton, it feeds on pieces of fish and shrimp.

 

1,500 is the number of stinging cells (cnidocytes) on one millimetre of the tentacle of this jellyfish. The cnidocytes serve to paralyse prey. It is also the cnidocytes that cause burning when in contact with the tentacles.

 

Chrysaora are a source of collagen, used in particular to relieve arthritis or joint pain.

 

Scientific name : Phyllorhiza punctata

 

Family : Mastigidae
Distribution : Western Pacific

 

Biology : This jellyfish is recognisable by its bluish-brown umbrella with white spots. It can measure up to 50 cm in diameter with a record of 70 cm. It has been accidentally introduced into the Gulf of Mexico in the ballast water of ships, where it is considered an invasive species.
It feeds mainly on zooplankton, fish eggs or larvae and small fish.
It has photosynthetic cells, called zooxanthellae, which enable it to transform light into oxygen and nutrients, which it feeds on.
Its sting, although harmless for humans, can be stinging if there is a large quantity of the jellyfish.

 

Scientific name : Gymnothorax meleagris

 

Family : Muraenidae
Size : Up to 120 cm
Distribution : Indo-Pacific, Red Sea

 

Biology : It moves mostly at night to hunt fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. During the day, it remains sheltered in rocky faults.

 

IUCN status : Least concern

 

Scientific name : Myrichthys maculosus

 

Family : Ophichthidae (snake eels, 330 species)
Size : Up to 100 cm
Distribution : Tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean, from the Red Sea to Panama

 

Biology : Snake eels are spotted or striped in color, mimicking the appearance of sea kraits, extremely venomous sea snakes. They feed on crustaceans and fish, including other eels.

 

IUCN status : Not assessed

 

Scientific name : Balistapus undulatus

 

Family : Balistidae
Size : Up to 30 cm
Distribution : Red Sea, Indian Ocean, West Tropical Pacific

 

Biology : These triggerfishes live alone or in small groups near the coral reef where they eat coral, sponges, crustaceans, sea urchins, worms, and fishes. They can dig by blowing a water jet on the sand to find their buried preys.
They are rather lonely, but they can also meet in small groups. Like most triggerfishes, they are very territorial and always hide in the same coral reef to spend to the night.

 

Scientific name : Gymnothorax favagineus

 

Family : Muraenidae
Size : Up to 300 cm
Distribution : Indo-Pacific, Red Sea

 

Biology : It moves mostly at night to hunt fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. During the day, it remains sheltered in rocky faults.

 

IUCN status : Least concern

 

Scientific name : Acanthurus olivaceus

 

Family : Acanthuridae
Size : Up to 35 cm
Distribution : East Indian Ocean, West and South Pacific Ocean

 

Biology : It frequents sandy or stony areas near coral reefs.

 

IUCN status : Least concern

 

Scientific name : Tridacna crocea

 

Class : Bivalvia (bivalve molluscs : oysters, mussels, cockles…)
Size : Up to 15 cm
Distribution : Indo-Pacific

 

Biology : The crocus clam is very small for a clam. It has the particularity of being able to perforate rock in order to become embedded in it, and can even live in the middle of massive coral.
The crocus clam, like other clams, has a surprising characteristic for a bivalve : it is capable of photosynthesis. Like corals, it harbours symbiotic algae in its tissues, enabling it to draw part of its energy from sunlight.

 

IUCN status : Least concern

 

Scientific name : Chromis viridis

 

Family : Pomacanthidae
Size : Up to 9 cm
Distribution : Indo-Pacific, Red Sea

 

Biology : It hides at night to sleep inside a coral massif. My flipper movements are twice as much during her sleep as when she swims.