Photo by Rantje Allen
Photo by William Tan
Photo by Rantje Allen
Photo by William Tan
Photo by Rantje Allen
Arothron caeruleopunctatus is a large pufferfish that hid in plain sight until a Japanese researcher named it in 1994. Not the Other Blue-spotted Puffer Scientific names are always best to identify marine life. Although the name of the large puffer Arothron caeruleopunctatus means “blue-spotted,” another small pufferfish is often called the Blue-spotted puffer. That fish… Continue Reading
Thylacodes grandis, or the Grand Worm Sail, uses mucous like a net to capture plankton. Its beautiful batik-patterned head is unmistakable. Grand Worm Snails in the Reef Worm snails are a family of marine molluscs. They live in long tubes rather than the usual coiled chambers of other snails. Worm snail tubes are irregular. Grand… Continue Reading
Twenty-year anniversary souvenir T-shirts are now available for purchase. Miguel’s Diving opened in 2003. So, we celebrate our twentieth dive season in style. The Early Years After surveying the Gorontalo area for about two years, we decided to open diving. The dive sites we discovered were spectacular. Mr. Rantje, our pioneer staff, tells the story… Continue Reading
Banded Amphiscolops flatworms are an undescribed species and rarely seen. However, during a check dive in Gorontalo, divers encountered dozens of them. It’s a Party Miguel’s Diving staff has encountered this rare marine creature less than five times over the two decades we have dived Gorontalo’s biodiverse waters. In previous encounters, only three to five… Continue Reading
Ecsenius yaeyamaensis, or the Yaeyama combtooth blenny, lives in only a few dive sites in Gorontalo. Miguel’s Diving staff know where to show divers this delightful fish. How to identify Ecsenius yaeyamaensis The best way to determine if a pale combtooth blenny is E. yaeyamaensis is to check for a black chin strap. Then look… Continue Reading
Babirusa, also called the pig deer, is a strange creature found only on Sulawesi and a few surrounding islands. One major nature reserve protecting it is in Gorontalo. The Pig with Curving Tusks The most distinctive feature of the babirusa is upward curving tusks. Besides a pair that juts from the animal’s jaw, another pair… Continue Reading
Polydorella spionid worms crowded the upper surface of a sponge. Their feeding activity caught the attention of a Miguel’s Diving staff. Since they are super tiny, the sponge seemed to be covered by wiggling hairs. A Mystery Solved With such rich marine life, the reefs of Gorontalo are truly a hidden paradise. Despite operating since… Continue Reading
Brahminy kite is a small eagle found near coastlines. Guests of Miguel’s Diving can observe this beautiful bird from our dive boat or while relaxing at our dock. Exciting Viewing Guests of Miguel’s Diving can watch for Brahminy kites as we leave the dock for a day’s diving or when we return. With its distinctive… Continue Reading
Tarsius genus of primates gains two Gorontalo species Two New Species in the Tarsius Genus Researchers Shekelle , Groves, Maryanto, and Mittermeier published the result of their studies in 2017. In it, they named two new tarsier species. One is Tarsius supriatnai. Its name honors Dr. Jatna Supriatna. He sponsored most of the collaborative research… Continue Reading
Blacksaddle fishfish is a cute, tropical fish found occasionally throughout Gorontalo’s coral reefs. However, its saddle patterning closely resembles a toxic pufferfish. Batesian Mimicry A natural phenomenon where a harmless species mimics a harmful one is Batesian Mimicry. It gets its name from Henry Bates. He was a nineteen century English naturalist. He first detected… Continue Reading
