Stefano

Demosponge

Demosponges are the most diverse class in the phylum Porifera. They include 76.2% of all species of sponges with nearly 8,800 species worldwide (World Porifera Database). Sponges, contrary to what one might think at first sight, are very simple multicellular animal organisms very similar in shape and appearance to plant organisms. There are no apparatus in the sponges and there is no trace of a nervous system.

Cave with Yellow cluster Anemone

I met these beautiful colonies of Parazoanthus axinellae during a snorkeling activity in the coastal caves of the island of Pantelleria. In my experience as a diver I have never encountered these sea daisies at almost surface level; evidently in this case the colony of Parazoanthus axinellae has found particularly favorable environmental conditions of light and sea currents

Yellow-edged Lyretail

The Yellow-edged Lyretail (Variola louti) is a species of grouper belongs Actinopterygii class, Perciformes order and Serranidae family; also known as the lyretail grouper or the caramel cod. The yellow-edged lyretail is found from the Red Sea to South Africa and the Pitcairn Islands, as far as southern Japan and Australia.

Nimble spray crab - Percnon gibbesi

Percnon gibbesi is a species of crab. It is one of at least two species commonly called "Sally Lightfoot" (the other being the semi-terrestrial Grapsus grapsus from the Pacific coast of the Americas), and is also referred to as the nimble spray crab or urchin crab. It has been described as "the most invasive decapod species to enter the Mediterranean". It populates the rocky ravines of the infralittoral plain at a depth ranging from a few centimeters to a maximum of 30 meters. This video was shot in the reefs of the island of Pantelleria in the Sicily Channel.

Alifu Dhaalu Atoll to Maldives

This video was made in December 2022 during a short vacation I spent on Angaaga island; I must say that the weather was not what I wanted and therefore, not being able to do scuba diving with aqualung, I dedicated myself to snorkelling in the coral reef that surrounded the island. The small island of Angaga is located in the center of Alifu Dhaalu Atoll, in the southern part of Ari Atoll. This small island has been used exclusively as a tourist resort for those who intend to spend a holiday in the Maldives.

Ornate wrasse male with females

The ornate wrasse, Thalassoma pavo, is a species of wrasse native to the rocky coasts of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries, is also popular as a game fish, and can be found in the aquarium trade.

Australian spotted jellyfish

Phyllorhiza punctata, also known as the floating bell, Australian spotted jellyfish, brown jellyfish or the white-spotted jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish belongs to the Rhizostomatidae Family and the genus Phyllorhiza. The species has been found in the waters off the Mediterranean Sea since at least 1965. While it is not known how it was introduced to these regions, it has been theorized that budding polyps may have attached themselves to ships, or were carried in a ship's ballast tank which was subsequently dumped.

Mediterranean Parrotfish male

The Mediterranean Parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) is a species of parrotfish found at depths up to 50 m along rocky shores in the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic, from Portugal south to Senegal. It is generally common, but uncommon or rare (locally even absent) in the northwestern Mediterranean and in the Adriatic Sea. It prefers relatively warm temperatures and there is an ongoing northward range expansion, probably because of global warming. The primary adult habitat is rocky reefs, especially in areas with macroalgae, but they may visit adjacent seagrass patches. Juveniles also occur more widely in the latter habitat.

Mediterranean Parrotfish female

This video was shot between the reefs of the island of Pantelleria in the Sicily Channel. In this stretch of sea it is easy to meet parrot fish because the climatic conditions of the sea make it their favorite habitat. The females of Sparisoma cretense are very showy due to the beautiful colors of the livery and because, unlike the males, they are less shy and therefore move us between the reefs with more ease and it is easier to meet them while snorkeling.

Purple Starfish

The Purple Starfish, is a species of starfish from the East Atlantic (from mainland Portugal and the Azores down to the Gulf of Guinea) and the Mediterranean Sea. It has a big variation in colour (from red to orange) and may present brown spots. The central disc is small, covered by irregular plates, and the arms are thinner near the central disc. Each arm has lines of respiratory papillae. It can reach 40 cm in diameter.

Volcanic spring

They are often hot springs rich in mineral salts with varying temperatures. These thermal waters originate from the groundwater which, descending in depth, meet the hot rocks or are due to the condensation of the steam generated by the encounter of the water with the hot rocks.

Spotted sea hare

The Spotted sea hare, Aplysia dactylomela, is a species of large sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod in the family Aplysiidae, the sea hares. As traditionally defined, this species of sea hare was cosmopolitan, being found in almost all tropical and warm temperate seas, including the Mediterranean Sea where first seen in 2002 and likely self-established due to increasing temperatures.

Mediterranean Parrotfish

The Mediterranean parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) is a species of parrotfish found at depths up to 50 m along rocky shores in the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic, from Portugal south to Senegal. It is generally common, but uncommon or rare (locally even absent) in the northwestern Mediterranean and in the Adriatic Sea.

Bearded fireworm

Hermodice carunculata, the bearded fireworm, is a type of marine bristleworm belonging to the Amphinomidae family, native to the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Bearded fireworms are usually 15 centimetres in average length, but can reach up to 30 centimetres. The bearded fireworm is a slow creature, and is not considered a threat to humans unless touched by careless swimmers. The bristles, when flared, can penetrate human skin, injecting a powerful neurotoxin and producing intense irritation and a painful burning sensation around the area of contact.

Pantelleria Mediterranean black pearl

Pantelleria is an Italian island and comune in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, 100 km southwest of Sicily and 60 km east of the Tunisian coast. On clear days Tunisia is visible from the island. Administratively Pantelleria's comune belongs to the Sicilian province of Trapani.

The Bluespotted Grouper

Cephalopholis argus, also known as roi, bluespotted grouper, and celestial grouper, is a fish from the Indo-Pacific which is variously a commercial gamefish, an invasiv species, and occasionally an aquarium resident.

Red Lionfish

Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a fish venomous who live coral reef  in the family Scorpaenidae, order Scorpaeniformes. Pterois volitansis natively found in the Indo-Pacific region, but has become an invasive problem in the Carribbean Sea ...

Yellowtail Clownfish

Yellowtail Clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii), known commonly as Clark's anemonefish, is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes. ...

Yellow Soft coral - Dendronephthya hemprichi

Dendronephthya hemprichi is a common soft coral found from Red Sea to WesternPacific. It is usually pink or orange with transparent trunk and it grows up to 70 cm. It exists at 30° N latitude. The smallest unit of this coral, ...

The One-spot snapper

The One-spot snapper, Lutjanus monostigma, is a species of snappers belonging Actinopterygii class, order Perciformes, Lutjanidae family. Lutjanus monostigma can reach a maximum length of 60 centimetres in males ...

The Eritrean Butterflyfish

The Eritrean butterflyfish or crown butterflyfish  (Chaetodon paucifasciatus) is a species butterflyfish belongns Chaetodontidae family. It is essentially just known in theRed Sea and the Gulf of Aden ...

The Red Lionfish

The Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a fish venomous who live coral reef  in the family Scorpaenidae, order Scorpaeniformes. Pterois volitansis natively found in the Indo-Pacific region, but has become an invasive problem in the Carribbean Sea ...

The Clown Coris Fish

The clown coris (Coris aygula) is a species of wrass native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, belonging to the Actinopterygii class, to the order Perciformes, Labridae family ...

The Masked Puffer

The masked puffer (Arothron diadematus) is a pufferfish belongs Actinopterygii class, Tetraodontiformes order, in the Tetraodontidae family. He lives Red Sea only. ...

The giant trevally

The giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis), also known as the lowly trevally, barrier Trevally, giant kingfish or ulua, is a species of large marine fish classified in Actinopterygii class, Carangiformes order, and in the jack family Carangidae. ...

Sponge Callyspongia ramosa

The sponge Callyspongia ramosa belongs  to the Porifera phylum, Demospongiae class, Haplosclerida order, Callyspongiidae family. Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera are a basal Metazoa (animal) clade as a sister of the Diploblats. ...

The red-breasted Wrasse

The red-breasted wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus) belongs Actinopterygii class, Labriformes order,Labridae family. It lives in the lagoons and coral reefs of the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea; ...

Giant Barrel Sponge

Giant Barrel sponge (Xestospongia muta) is the largest species of sponge found growing on Carribean coral reefs. It is common at depths greater than 10 metres down to 120 metres and can reach a diameter of 1.8 metres. ...

Green Birdmouth Wrasse

Gomphosus caeruleus, the green birdmouth wrasse, is a species of wrasse belonging to the family Labridae, Actinopterygii class, Perciformes order. It can be found in the aquarium trade. This tropical species of wrasse is native ...

The Red Sea Bannerfish

Red Sea Bannerfish (Heniochus intermedius) is a Perciform fish which is found in waters around Africa and the Middle East. This fish is pale yellow below and white above, with two broad diagonal black bands, up to 20 cm in length. ...

La Spugna Callyspongia Plicifera

Azure Vase sponge, is a species of sea sponge belonging to the Demospongiae class, family Callyspogiidae. This movie movie was made during a diving in the Carribean sea, in the coral reef of Cayo Largo, a small island in the Los Canarreos Archipelago ...

Gorgonia Flabellum

I filmed this Gorgonia Flabellum during an underwater excursion in the Red Sea at a depth of about 30 meters. The Gorgonias are ...

Bluecheeked Butterflyfish

Bluecheeked Butterflyfish, Chaetodon semilarvatus, is a species of butterflyfish belonging to the Actinopterygii class ...

Goldsaddle Goatfish

The Goldsaddle Goatfish or yellowsaddle goatfish, (Parupeneus cyclostomus), are Perifomes fish of the family Mullidae. ...

Callyspongia

This video was shot during a dive in the Nosy Be coral reef in Madagascar. ...

Hammerhead Sharks

The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks in the family Sphyrinidae, belonging to order Carcharhiniformes,  so named for the unusual and distinctive structure of their heads ...