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Manzanillo U/W Exposed
These fascinating photos were
all taken during one of our underwater photography courses by our dive staff.
Our digital cameras used in the course are some of the finest in the industry,
and even amateur divers and photographers can enjoy Manzanillo's underwater
world through the lens of a professional camera. For more information on PADI
specialty courses, click here.
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The underside of a harmless Cannonball Jellyfish.
Beautiful and graceful, this jelly has no stinging cells, and sometimes
can be seen in huge swarms, floating in and out of the bays of
Manzanillo on warm water currents. |
| Night dives allow you to get up close and personal
with the animals. This Lobeskin Puffer can be found laying on sandy
bottoms, sometimes almost buried in the sand. He is one of seven species
of puffers found in the waters of Manzanillo. |
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Even under natural light, this sponge is a brilliant
blue. Sponges are the simplest many-celled animals. Their shapes vary
from tiny cups, broad branches, to encrustations.
The tan sea star next to it is very common in the
bays of Manzanillo. |
| This yellow soft coral (gorgonian) comes out to feed
at night. The colonies of these animals can be found attached to shallow
rocks and around reefs. Gorgonians come in many colors, the most common
being orange, yellow, and purple. |
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An unusual species of hydrocoral
that can only be found in one area, at about 25 feet. Corals secrete a
mucus that is utilized in catching tiny food particles, as well as
keeping the polyp free of settling sediment. Reef corals are found where
the temperature ranges from 78-85 degrees. |
| Chain Jelly, technically called a Chain Siphonophore,
this species is a floating, free-swimming colony made up of individual
polyps. The colony moves slowly forward by the action of the pulsating
bells. This creature is delicate and breaks easily when handled. |
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A school of Spottail Grunts, seen in every bay
around Manzanillo. During the day, grunts stay close to shallow rocky
shores and reefs, but at night, they move to the sandy areas to feed. A
diver, moving and breathing very cautiously, can get to within a foot of
a large school. |
| Seahorses are seen frequently in Manzanillo, and
come in many different colors and sizes. This male is pregnant!
coronet: is nearly as distinctive as a human thumbprint
dorsal fin: moves fish forward
pectoral fins: control turning and steering
eyes: each eye moves independently
reproduction: male becomes pregnant when a female, deposits her eggs into his pouch; each pregnancy lasts about two to
three weeks (varies with species and water temperature); once the male
gives birth, he usually becomes pregnant again right away
diet: each day a seahorse can consume up to 3,000 brine shrimp;
seahorses have no teeth and swallow their food whole
species: about 35 known species exist |
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