Snorkelers on a National Geographic Expedition to Palau were treated to the rare sight of a pair of Broad Club Cuttlefish, Sepia latimanus. The beautiful Cephalopods were spotted by tour guide Douglas Mailmeng who called over everyone from the group for a closer look. Photographer Ron Leidich free dove down for a closer inspection and discovered that the female was in the midst of depositing her eggs. The females carefully choose their nesting sites to maximize the protection of her young. With outstretched arms, the mother cuttlefish delicately reached out to place her white eggs inside the branches of a stinging fire coral, Millepora sp. The fire coral is actually a colony of stinging hydroids with a hard calcareous skeleton, much like their true coral cousins. Predators are unwilling to brave the stinging cells (cnidoblasts) of the colony, and thus the embryonic cuttlefish have a safe haven to start their life.
1 Comment
Ed Cohen
12/31/2019 04:38:36 pm
Being part of the Nat Geo Expedition that was afforded the exceptional experience of witnessing this vignette firsthand, was a special privilege. Kudos to Douglas for his sharp eyes which caught this event unfolding. The entire guide team was truly wonderful to all of us. They were beyond attentive and caring. Three days of diving prior to the start of the Expedition yielded some beautiful scenarios, but this snorkel sighting was truly UNIQUE.
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