The Splendid Toadfish

Come and join me on a Hawaiian life aquatic adventure above and below the sea. This blog focuses on my personal experiences as a marine fish ecologist and my general interests in marine biology. To learn more about what I do as a Marine Biology PhD at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, visit my website https://ericdilley.wordpress.com and check out my social media pages by clicking on the links below. Thanks for visiting! #socialbar img {border:0px;}#socialbar li img {width:48px; height:48px;}#socialbar li a:hover {position:relative;top:2px;}#socialbar{list-style: none outside none; margin:0px; position: static;}#socialbar li {display:inline;padding-right:2px;}#socialbar{padding:20px;text-align:center;}

[splendidtoadfish]

Great dive with my partner in crime out at 100 foot hole! Happy Earth Day 2018 from Hawaii! #earthday #scubazoo #underwaterphotography #morayeel #honu #coralreefs #hawaiilife #marineconservation #oceanoptimism (at Waikiki, Hawaii)

[splendidtoadfish]

A big juvenile Montipora colony out on the modules at Hanauma Bay. Great to see colonies aside from Pocillopora and Porites doing so well! - - - - - #underwaterphotography #underwaterworld #marinelife #montipora #coral #aseaofbeauty #resilience #blueplanet #coralreefs #marineconservation #tropics #nobluenogreen #lonelyplanet #sustainability (at Hanauma Bay)

[splendidtoadfish]

I love seeing these urchins! I saw this Thomas's Urchin (Actinocidaris thomasi) on a dive at the very base of the YO wreck. I have never seen one out and about during the day like this one! - - - - - #underwaterphotography #actinocidaristhomasi #urchin #wreckdive #underwaterworld #marinelife #aseaofbeauty #blueplanet #coralreefs #marineconservation #tropics #nobluenogreen #lonelyplanet #sustainability (at Waikiki, Hawaii)

[splendidtoadfish]

I caught a male and female Spotted Boxfish (Ostracion meleagris) together in the same photo! You can see the female blurred a bit with the dark body and white spots in the background. I remember the male being a little bothered by my presence. I left them to their business shortly after this picture. - - - - - #underwaterphotography #fishcouples #cutecouple #boxfish #hawaiilife #oahuskindiving #underwaterworld #marinelife #aseaofbeauty #blueplanet #coralreefs #marineconservation #tropics #nobluenogreen #lonelyplanet #sustainability (at Three Tables)

[splendidtoadfish]

What a cute couple! These Threadfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon auriga) were swimming around the shallows likely looking for some tasty invertebrates to eat. This species can be found both in mating pairs and as solo individuals in the Indo-Pacific. - - - - - #butterflyfish #chaetodonauriga #matingpair #underwaterphotography #underwaterworld #marinelife #aseaofbeauty #blueplanet #coralreefs #marineconservation #tropics #nobluenogreen #lonelyplanet #sustainability (at Hanauma Bay)

[splendidtoadfish]

Juvenile corals do not only compete for space with algae, bryazoans, and other benthic organisms. Sometimes they compete with each other! Here are 3 separate juvenile Pocillopora colonies that settled close enough to each other that space became limiting. Will they all survive? Who will be left standing? This photo is part of a long term juvenile coral monitoring study that I am doing as a graduate student in Hawai'i. More coral photos to come! - - - - - #marinebiology #coralfight #competition #whowillwin #CReME #resilience #artificialcoralheads #modules #underwaterphotography #underwaterworld #marinelife #aseaofbeauty #blueplanet #coralreefs #marineconservation #tropics #nobluenogreen #lonelyplanet #sustainability (at Hanauma Bay)

[splendidtoadfish]

Another beautiful day at the bay! #hawaiilife #greatdayatthebay #oahu #funinthesun (at Hanauma Bay)

[splendidtoadfish]

Turtle time on the North Shore! #turtles #hawaiilife #oahu #latergram (at Three Tables)

[splendidtoadfish]

A magical encounter with the Bigeye Jack (Caranx sexfasciatus) school at Hanauma this week! #jackschool #jackattack #caranxsexfasciatus #ourblueplanet #hawaiilife (at Hanauma Bay)

[splendidtoadfish]

Scrawled Filefish (Aluterus scriptus) are seen in the tropics around the world. This is footage from Cozumel but I have also seen these filefish at Hanauma Bay. Such amazing fish! #fishoftheday #filefish #mexico #oneocean (at Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico)

[splendidtoadfish]

Nudi alert at Hanauma! This Gold Lace Nudibranch (Halgerda terramtuentis) is one of the coolest critters I've seen there so far! #nudialert #nudibranch #funseacritters #hawaiilife (at Hanauma Bay)

[splendidtoadfish]

Fun times with a squid in Mexico! #squidward #yucatan #coralreefs (at Akumal Beach)

[splendidtoadfish]

I spy with my little eye... #scubaadventures #camouflage #caribbean #diademaantillarum (at Soufrière, Saint Lucia)

[splendidtoadfish]

It's that time of year! The crazy sex chains of Lines Sea Hares (Stylocheilus striatus) were out in force today! All that dark stuff to the right is a mass of sea hares likely doing their sexy thang. #natureisawesome #seahareorgy #hawaiilife #oahu (at Waikiki, Hawaii)

[splendidtoadfish]

Spotted Hokulea on our way out to work at Waikiki. Happy world piece and prayer day! #hokuleaspotting #worldpiece #hawaiilife #oahu (at Ala Wai Yacht Harbor)

[splendidtoadfish]

Welcome home to Hōkūlea! Amazing to see the thousands of people celebrating her arrival down at Magic Island. Watching from up above in the hills of Honolulu! #hokulea #hawaiianculture #oneworldoneocean #homecoming #oahu (at Honolulu, Hawaii)

[splendidtoadfish]

A posing redspotted sandperch (Parapercis schauinslandi) at Waikiki. #marinebiology #coralreeffishes #hawaiilife (at Waikiki, Hawaii)