Seahorse Article in Sport Diving Magazine Australia

Just an update on my new article on the biology of seahorses and pipefish titled 'A case study in Martital Bliss' which is currently on the shelves throughout Asia and soon in Australia in Sport Diving Magazine.  This fascinating group have really amazing reproductive behaviours so have a read!

Recent Excursions

Hi everyone,

I've just posted some pictures on my site from recent dive trips to Melbourne where we dived Portsea and Rye Piers and Byron Bay where we dived Julian's Rocks.  Finally saw a seadragon plus two species of seahorse in Melbourne but conditions were pretty awful for the seadragon so didn't manage many shots.  Byron was nice and saw some really nice little critters as well as plenty of Wobbegong sharks.

Enjoy

Rich

Front Page!

Hi there,

I have just seen my first ever front page which is of the Paddle-flap scorpionfish (Rhinopias eschmeyeri) taken in Lembeh Straits last year.  It is on the cover of FiNS magazine issue 7.2 which also features my article on the top 10 critters on Lembeh along with my column 'Really Richard?' comparing the Mandarin fish and the easily confused Picturesque Dragonet.

Go and get a copy for yourself from the FiNS website or subscribe to the podcast download on iTunes:

www.finsonline.com/magazine/vol_7_2/

Enjoy!

Rich

Publication in Coral Reefs

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick note to say I have had a publication accepted by Coral Reefs which is a well respected scientific journal.  It focuses on the gestation, birth and mating of Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise).  This species is the subject of my PhD here in Brisbane, Australia.  I will post here once I have been provided with a pdf of the paper.

Best wishes

Rich

Scuba diving Magazine

Another update about my published articles.  

The new issue of Scuba Diving magazine, which is available throughout Australasia, contains a full length article about cephalopods (squid & octopus)entitled 'Stunning Cephalopods'.  The article can be downloaded at www.divetheblue.net in the marine life section: 

Rich

FiNS article

I have a column in FiNS diving magazine starting this issue (Jan/Feb 7.1).  It is called 'Really Richard?' and helps you to identify commonly mistaken reef species.  This month explains how to distinguish stone and scorpionfishes.  You will be able to download the current issue at www.finsonline.com 

Hope you enjoy

Rich

New Pygmy Pipehorse described

News from the world of science!

A recently discovered pygmy pipehorse has been described from Lembeh Straits, Sulawesi, Indonesia.  It has been named Kyonemichthys rumengani.  I have seen this amazing species at Wakatobi resort in southern Sulawesi where quite a few are now being found on the reefs there.

This is the smallest species of syngnathid (pipefish and seahorse) by weight, even smaller than the pygmy seahorses.  It reaches around 3cm in length but is exceedingly slender.  Red filaments are found on the head and mid way down the trunk, there is also a longer, more rigid process on the back.  This species uses the tip of its prehensile tail to hold the substratum, mostly hydroids or small halimeda clumps.  It tends to be be found fairly shallow at between 5-15m.

Please let me know if you see this species outside Sulawesi, since it is such a recently discovered fish it will be great to gather as much information as possible about it.

Rich