The White-lined Monkey Frog (Phyllomedusa vaillantii) ranges across the Amazon Basin; there are probably several cryptic species involved and this is a complex of frogs.

Cannatella's Boneyhead (Osteocephalus cannatellai)

An oceanic squid (Walvisteuthis jeremiahi) of the family Onychoteuthidae. This juvenile flashed bright colors at me the entire time I photographed it- Gulf of Mexico, 2016. Image courtesy of the DEEPEND project (see deependconsortium.org).

Honduran White Bats (Ectophylla alba) are in the family Phyllostomatidae. They bite the central support structure of a leaf (the “midrib”) and make it fold over, below the support. The bats then live in the “tent,” emerging in the evening to seek out fruiting fig trees.

Honduran White Bats (Ectophylla alba) are in the family Phyllostomatidae. They bite the central support structure of a leaf (the “midrib”) and make it fold over, below the support. The bats then live in the “tent,” emerging in the evening to seek out fruiting fig trees.

Another strange life history note with Gigantura sp. is the transformation they pass through from a larval fish to an adult - the two don’t look anything like one another; the larvae really don’t hint, in any way, at the toothy, binocular-eyed fish that they will become.

The early larval stage of an eel is called a leptocephalus (leptocephali - plural). Leptocephalus means 'slim head,' referring to this character in larval eels. All leptocephali with which I am familiar are flattened like a penny.

The Spring Cavefish (Forbesichthys agassizii, top) is pigmented and has functional eyes; albeit, inhabits murky waters and is often active at night. Most of the relatives to springfishes and swampfishes are cavefishes -Southern Cavefish (Typhlichthys subterraneus, bottom).

The Southern Cavefish (Typhlichthys subterraneus) has the largest range of any of the cavefishes in North America. It ranges from northwestern Georgia west to Missouri. The species generally exhibits very little or no pigment. The eye sockets are there but there are no eyes.

On “World Aquatic Animal Day” - The Alabama Cavefish (Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni) is one of the most endangered fishes in North America and is only known from a single cave system. It is also named after a friend and colleague of mine, Dr. Tom Poulson!

This West African caecilian (Herpele squalostoma) is known as the 'Congo Caecilian.' Caecilians (gymnophiona) are the third group of living amphibians alongside frogs and toads (anura) as well as newts and salamanders (caudata).

I am a freak for river prawns of the genus Macrobrachium. One of the largest of the genus is the Thai River Prawn ( M. rosenbergii). When working in Thailand, I got to see a few of them. This species is widely cultured as a food item for people around the world.

I am a freak for river prawns of the genus Macrobrachium. One of the largest of the genus is the Thai River Prawn ( M. rosenbergii). When working in Thailand, I got to see a few of them. This species is widely cultured as a food item for people around the world.

This is a blind cave loach (Tryplophysa macrocephala) from southern China. Snorkeling in these underground systems is so rewarding and learning to capture images of these organisms, doing their thing, has been time well spent.

March 27th: Manatee Appreciation Day!! I’d like to celebrate with underwater images that I took in Amazonian Peru. This is the Amazonian Manatee (Trichechus inunguis). Let’s do more… Support any conservation initiative with which you connect.

March 27th: Manatee Appreciation Day!! I’d like to celebrate with underwater images that I took in Amazonian Peru. This is the Amazonian Manatee (Trichechus inunguis). Let’s do more… Support any conservation initiative with which you connect.

Giant Chinese “House Centipede” from a cave in southern China. We suspect that they eat bats. We know that they eat large wandering spiders.

*World Water Day* A Georgia Blind Salamander (Eurycea wallacei) and a Dougherty Plain Cave Crayfish (Cambarus cryptodytes) - both are obligate inhabitants of groundwater and threatened by human activities on the surface

A Rainbow Katydid (Vestria sp.). When harassed, these katydids evert a small odoriferous gland from the end of the abdomen and release pyrazine compounds. The odor is pungent and has been hypothesized as a defensive mechanism.