Once in a while, you come across a coral during a dive, and you can’t not share it with everyone. This was the case during an exploration dive in the south of Sumba. Exposed, high swell, cold up-wellings, everyone was…
Coral Identification
Russell Kelley Online Coral ID Workshop is back in January 2023
After overwhelmingly positive feedback from the previous workshops, the Online Coral ID Workshops are back, and now spanning 4 days. That’s 16 hours of Indo-Pacific Coral ID Training! Proper coral identification matters and this workshop will teach you all the…
Rhodactis bryoides: The shroom that thought it was an anemone!
Thanks to our friend and colleague Joe Rowlett’s book Indo-Pacific Corals new insights were provided on many different coral families. One new development I found particularly interesting concerns the taxonomy of corallimoprh since not much new work has been done…
This is why Lobophyllia flabelliformis is Called ‘Carpet Lobo’
While ‘coral-ing’ in North Bali, we came upon an insane colony of Lobophyllia flabelliformis we couldn’t resist to photograph and share with you. But we came across while foraging for coral observation in North Bali, a colony of Lobophyllia like…
Crazy Cave Dwelling Leptoseris Survives in Almost Total Darkness
On a recent dive on a deep reef in Indonesia, we noticed a very unique coral under a ledge. It was a very colorful specimen of Leptoseris foliosa with very unusual coloration unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. We had…
Coral Snorkeling, Murex Bangka Back Reef
Coral Snorkeling Murex Bangka Back Reef When visiting Bangka island, you don’t have to go far to experience world-class coral snorkeling. The coral reef behind Murex Bangka Resort has an impressive diversity of marine life which is easy to spot…
Learn To Spot Meandering Coral
Meandering Coral Growth Form Meandering corals are next up on our list of coral growth forms. Meandering is just another word for brain corals as the long meandering walls and valleys looks like a brain! There are many different species…
Learn About Coral Identification With the Ocean Gardener Coral Diver Course
Coral Identification Course If you’re interested to learn more about coral identification of species-rich Indo-Pacific corals you can now take a full three day, five dive Ocean Gardener Coral Diver, coral identification course with a trained Ocean Gardener instructors to…
Learn to Spot Encrusting Coral
Encrusting Coral Growth Form Corals grow in different growth forms to survive in different habitats, and the coral growth form which a most easily overlooked are the encrusting species. These corals creep along the rocks like a crust holding everything…
Learn To Spot Six Types Of Plating Coral
Plating Corals Spotting coral can be overwhelming when everything looks the same. However, learning to recognize corals based on growth forms in the easiest way to master the art of coral spotting. Plating corals are found in all reef habitats…