Down Under the Red Sea

Lyretail anthias have vivid pink and orange coloring. These fish are a fish species of Pseudanthias; these medium-sized fish have very bright colors that bring great contrast to the blue backdrop of the sea. Lyretail anthias are native to the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. They can be found throughout the Red Sea as well as off the coasts of Japan, Australia, and South Africa. These fish are planktivorous and hunt and feed on plankton and often feed in mid-water, utilizing their specialized mouths to capture prey.

Picasso triggerfish are noticeable with their intricate patterns and shapes. Lagoon triggerfish live in the reefs and sandy areas of coral reefs, where they eat just about anything that comes along, mostly including invertebrates and reef algae.The fish moves through the water by using waving motions in its dorsal and anal fins, allowing it to move more precisely. Using these movements, it can move forwards, backwards, or simply hover in place above the reef.

Red Sea clownfish are known for their signature orange and white hues. They dazzle among the anemones. The sea anemone protects the clownfish from predators, as well as providing food through the scraps left from the anemone's meals and occasional dead anemone tentacles. The species is found in the Western Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, Socotra, and the Chagos archipelago.

The Red Sea is also home to mysterious inhabitants such as rays and eels:

Blue-spotted stingrays glide across the sand at the bottom of the sea. They have flat, disc-shaped bodies with a blue background and numerous small, bright blue spots. They are a common sight in shallow waters. Blue spotted stingrays are generally solitary and can be seen resting on the sea floor. They are nocturnal, becoming more active at night to hunt for prey. Their diet mainly consists of small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.

Giant moray eels have elongated bodies and powerful jaws. They have extra teeth on the roof of the mouth. These assist in grabbing prey and preventing it from escaping. Giant moray eels are usually nocturnal feeders and spend the days in crevices in the rocks. They will bite if threatened.

Geometric moray eels are one of the smaller and more docile moray eels. They are relatively common on the Tanzanian coast and are sometimes seen in large numbers in small caves, with up to 15 being sighted in a small area. The geometric moray eel has a gray or lilac-colored head with geometric dotted patterns on it. These patterns extend up the body. The body can be a pale brown to light lilac color with light brown blotches. There are small rounded teeth at the front of the jaws. They are not aggressive but should be treated with caution because of their teeth. They are nocturnal hunters. They feed mainly on small crustaceans and probably small fish.

Predatory species:

Great barracudas have sleek, silvery bodies and lightning-fast movements. They have large mouths with conical, unequal, fang-like teeth and powerful jaws; they are also called the ‘Tigers of the Sea.’Great barracudas are mostly found in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, western Atlantic, and tropical waters. These giants inhabit shallow waters with submerged reefs, coral heads, coastal lagoons, open sea, and mangroves. They are ambush predators camouflaging   themselves near seagrass and attacking the prey by overrunning them with a short burst of speed.

Oceanic whitetip sharks are one of the elegant hunters of the reef. These are top predators and are notoriously aggressive. These sharks are thick, powerful hunters and spend most of their time in subtropical seas. The lower jaw has thin, spine-like teeth that act as a fork, holding their prey in place.

Red Sea coral reefs:

Red Sea corals encompass a diverse group, with hard corals constructing the sturdy skeletons of the reef.

Soft corals include sea feathers and leathers.

Xenia corals pulsate rhythmically.

Giant sea fans help add to the diversity of the reef landscape.

Cephalopods and crinoids:

Cuttlefish can change color and texture and keep themselves camouflaged. They are marine animals closely related to squid and octopus. These creatures have two triangular fins on either side of the mantle and a single, long, undulating fin running down either side of their mantle. All of the different species live in tropical or temperate waters. Most of their diet consists of small shrimp and crustaceans, including larvae.

Octopuses have exceptional intelligence. The typical octopus has a saccular body: the head is only slightly demarcated from the body and has large complex eyes and eight contractile arms. Each arm bears two rows of fleshy suckers that are capable of great holding power. They move along the bottom, crawling with their arms and suckers. When endangered, they eject an inky substance as a screen. They feed mainly on crabs and other crustaceans.

Ancient crinoids, or feather stars, have feathery arms. The arms of feather stars are specialized for different things. The ones called “cirri” are responsible for clutching onto solid surfaces to perch on during feeding. Their mouths are located on the theca along with the anus. Feather stars tend to be nocturnal animals. They live in clusters in coral reefs.

Vertebrates:

Dugongs are marine animals that inhabit warm coastal waters. The forelimbs are rounded flippers lacking nails; there are no hind limbs nor any discernible neck. The snout is broad and bristled. The thick bristles function as sensory hairs and are important for detecting, discriminating, and manipulating food. Dugongs typically dive for one to four minutes but can remain submerged for up to eight minutes.

Green turtles are among the largest sea turtles and the only herbivores among the different species. They are named for the greenish color of their cartilage. These turtles are found in tropical and subtropical waters. Green turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and the beaches where they hatch.Seagrass consumed by green turtles is quickly digested and becomes available as recycled nutrients to the many species of plants and animals that live in the seagrass ecosystem.

Sponges and nudibranches:

Red boring sponges play a pivotal role in bioerosion processes, shaping the reef structure and recycling calcium carbonate.

Nudibranches also known as sea slugs, have an extraordinary range of colors and designs.

Venomous fish:

Lionfish have feathery fins and spines that carry venom to deter predators. The fishes have enlarged pectoral fins and elongated dorsal fin spines, and each species bears a particular pattern of bold, zebralike stripes.  They are native to South Pacific coral reefs.

Scorpionfish can easily camouflage themselves and use venom as a defense mechanism. The carnivorous scorpionfish preys upon other fish (including other scorpionfish), crustaceans, mollusks, and other invertebrates. A scorpionfish will eat virtually any other animal that can be swallowed whole.

Stonefish are among the most venomous fish in the world. They are sluggish bottom-dwelling fish that live among rocks or coral and in mudflats and estuaries. They are dangerous fish. Difficult to see, they can, when stepped on, inject quantities of venom through grooves in their dorsal fin spines. Wounds produced by these fish are intensely painful and sometimes fatal.