RARE CRITTERS
We are exploring Romblon’s unique dive sites and keep record of all the species we find including such rarities as Butterfly sea slugs like Cyerce nigra, Cyerce sp. (cf. bourbonica), Cyerce elegans, Cyerce sp. 5, Polybranchia ssp. Mourgona sp. 2, Phantom nudibranch (Melibe colemani), Ghost nudibranch (Melibe engeli), Pontohi Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus pontohi), Severnsi Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus pontohi, previously H. severnsi), Denise Pygmy Seahorse in various color forms (Hippocampus denise) and Hippocampus bargibanti, Braun’s Pughead Pipefish (Bulbonaricus brauni), Glittering pipefish (Halicampus nitidus), Japanese Dragon Shrimp (Anachlorocurtis commensalis), Mimic Shell Shrimp, Chocolate Shrimp, Sashimi Shrimp, 5 types of hairy and algae shrimp, rare octopus, 500+ species of nudibranchs/ sea slugs and many more. If you have specific critter questions, you can always contact Kati and ask for help.
MACRO AND SUPER MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
It is no secret that we not only pioneered underwater macro photography on Romblon Island, but also found the first of many species (like Cyerce nigra, Melibe colemani, Sashimi Shrimps and others) that were ever to be found in the country. We have explored this terrain like no one else with almost 12 years of expertise in scuba diving and underwater macro photography, specifically in Romblon. This is our home and we want to show you what makes it so special.
CRITTERS OF ROMBLON ISLAND
Following you can find an overview of the marine animals found at the dive sites around Romblon Island. Please note that all critter profiles are new and we are still working on adding more critters on a daily base while reviewing and organizing thousands of photos taken in Romblon in the last years. This would not be possible without the help of friends and guests, who are sharing their wonderful underwater macro photos with us. So a big Thank You! goes out to all the photographers, who made it possible to share our extraordinary marine fauna and flora with you.
If you want to learn more about the photographers and their work just follow the link on the photos in the galleries and portfolios.
FISH OF ROMBLON
Here you can find a selection of the fish species that are of interest for scuba divers and underwater macro photographers. All shown photos were taken around Romblon Island. Please note that this collection is not yet complete.
NUDIBRANCHS/ SEA SLUGS OF ROMBLON
So far we found more than 500 different nudibranchs and sea slugs in Romblon Island. Well known highlights are butterfly sea slugs (Cyerce ssp.), Melibes, Stiliger sp., special Costasiellas, Cat Nudis and others. We are currently working on making all accessible online.
CEPHALOPODS OF ROMBLON
Often represented on the critter wishlists of our guests are species in the Cephalopod group like Blue Ring Octopus, Wunderpus, Mimicus, Coconut Octopus and Flamboyant Cuttlefish. These mollusks are popular not only for their exceptional looks but also for their fascinating behavior.
BLACKWATER CRITTER
Blackwater diving is simply spoken a night dive over deep water. This form of scuba diving brings you far off the shore of Romblon Island into the Romblon Pass. Holding onto weighted down lines or diving in the vicinity you can encounter pelagic life forms you cannot see anywhere else. The diurnal migration brings up countless species from deep water close to the surface. You can observe pelagic sea slugs, cephalopods, crustaceans, salps, jellyfish and numerous juvenile fish, crab and shrimp larvae. You can find further information on Blackwater critters in the blog entry from Linda Ianniello and in the article by Ryo Minemizu in Sport Scuba Diver Magazine Japan.
SHRIMPS OF ROMBLON
We love shrimps. They are not as easy to photograph as nudibranchs and sea slug as they move faster, but the species we find in Romblon display such an array of colors, shapes and sizes that they should be part of every underwater photographer’s macro portfolio. To make it easier we organized all shrimps by their habitat, but you can also view them organized by family.
CRABS OF ROMBLON
For some reason crabs are not as recognized as interesting photo subjects as other critter groups. We believe that it’s time for these small marine crustaceans to move to the spot light. For several groups the general term crab is used including members of the Brachyura Infraorder (‘real’ crabs) and the Anomura Infraorder (‘false’ crabs, e.g. porcelain crabs, hermit crabs and squat lobsters).
WORMS OF ROMBLON
Worms are a fascinating group of marine animals including the Bobbit Worm, colorful flatworms, bristle worms, scale worms and many more. They vary in size from millimeters to meters with many species in the right size for underwater macro photography.
SNAILS & CLAMS OF ROMBLON
Many species of marine gastropods can be observed and photographed in the reefs around Romblon Island. Popular are the allied cowries as they not only have beautiful shells, but also colorful mantles, which they can wrap around their shell. They live associated with an array of colorful soft corals.
THE THREE P’S TOP CRITTERS OF ROMBLON ISLAND
We would like to share with you some of our favorite critters, which we found through years of research and diving around our unique island home. There’s still much more that’s not listed here, but our top Critter list will give you a good start to understand the outstanding biodiversity of Romblon Island. We will be updating the online database step by step. Just follow the links to our blog posts below.
It is no overstatement that we are known to make a lot of wishes true, so please feel free to contact us, if you have certain species on your wish list.
NOT ONLY MACRO – BUT ADJUSTING TO YOUR NEEDS
Some guests are worried that critters found in Romblon might be too small for their eyes, but rest assure that our experienced spotters can adjust according to your needs. If you prefer to take underwater photos of bigger critters like various octopus species, fish and bigger nudibranchs our team can adjust accordingly. Also if you prefer to shoot tiny isopods and amphipods – that is possible, too. We also offer tours to beautiful reefs and wall dives suitable for wide angle photography although this is not often requested. Please let us know your preferences before the first dive, so we can make sure that all our guests experience the best of Romblon’s dive sites.
