The Loligo vulgaris, which is up to a maximum of 50 cm long and weighs up to 1.5 kg, which is found in the coastal waters of the northeast Atlantic including the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, is hunting for small fish that sleep in the open water at night. Encounters with larger groups as in the photo are extremely rare and represent an absolute highlight!

Der Beitrag Squid — Hunter of the Night erschien zuerst auf Symbiosis Naturfotografie.

But what’s a meaning behind the so eye-catching colours, with the males not only females to draw attention, but also potential predators? The colours of male for females — here lunulatus from the Red Sea a broom tail splendor lippfisches Cheilinus — is a unique indicator for his health and for his general fitness in the daily struggle for survival. Who is so strikingly colorful, must be at the same time strong and agile in the reef between members and beyond competition can prevail against.

Of course “good genes” are essential, and that is what is the most important criterion when choosing a partner for females: magnificent colour = optimal fitness = good genes!

Der Beitrag Fireworks of colors erschien zuerst auf Symbiosis Naturfotografie.

In contrast to the four representatives of the round tail manatees that on both sides of the Atlantic and its flowing rivers to are found in coastal waters, swallow-tailed manatees inhabit almost exclusively the sea coasts of the Indian Ocean including the Red Sea and parts of the Western Pacific. You can reach a length of three to a maximum of four meters and a weight of 400–500 kg on average, in some cases even up to 900 kg.

In many areas of their range swallow-tailed manatees are through hunting and especially through the destruction of seagrass meadows, their food basis, has become extremely rare and extinct in many places. The largest populations are animals off the coasts of Australia and in the Persian Gulf with estimated 7500 animals with tens of thousands. In the Southern Red Sea, there will be each populations with several hundred animals in the Eastern as well as on the Western side.

In Egypt, it takes some few animals only in the South. Currently only seven animals are known to hundreds of kilometres coastline between El Quseir and Marsa Alam, can be identified on the basis of numerous, caused by boat propellers scars on the body. The number actually living animals should be more at best a few animals so that the dugong in Egypt is highly threatened. Until early 2013 a dugong to sell meat was offered at the fish market of El Quseir.

Der Beitrag One of the last of its kind in the Red Sea erschien zuerst auf Symbiosis Naturfotografie.