Saturday, November 24, 2012

Laguna Beach Keyhole Limpet



The Keyhole Limpet can be found while snorkeling or scuba diving in California.  They are fairly common in Laguna Beach.  Keyhole Limpets are black sea snails with a small non-swirling (flat) shell which has a keyhole in the middle.  They outgrow their shell and I'm surprised they don't get eaten quickly.  I've seen them stay in the same place for weeks.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Laguna Beach Giant Kelpfish



You can see these long, green Giant Kelpfish (apparently not kelp fish) about every time you go snorkeling or diving at Laguna Beach, CA.  They are common in the California part of the Pacific Ocean, the word "giant" in their name is incorrect as they do not really grow more than 2 feet long.
The giant kelpfish in the top picture has an eye issue that is not normal.  The top picture was also taken with a cheaper camera on a day with less visibility than the picture on the bottom.  Unlike most other fish, kelpfish will let you get close to them since they are pretending to be leaves of kelp and darting off quickly will ruin the charade.  They can change colors and sometimes kelpfish are more red and white to blend in with the red and white plants on the sea floor.