{"id":2185,"date":"2021-04-21T11:52:41","date_gmt":"2021-04-21T04:52:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluejapan.org\/fr\/?page_id=2185"},"modified":"2021-05-31T13:59:31","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T06:59:31","slug":"macro","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bluejapan.org\/fr\/highlights\/marine-life\/macro\/","title":{"rendered":"Macro"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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MACRO DIVING, ODD AND RARE CRITTERS<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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KANT\u014c AND CH\u016aBU : Japan's macro hotspot<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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For divers who like small, odd and rare critters, the Kant\u014d and Ch\u016bbu areas offer Japan\u2019s best macro diving<\/em>, which is also very diverse, due to Japan’s blend of warm and cold water currents.
Interesting macro subjects are found everywhere in Japanese waters, and are a reliable highlight of many local shore dives.<\/p>

Nudibranchs<\/strong> (sea-slugs) are very big in Japan, and a world-class selection can be found in Kant\u014d especially at Jogashima<\/strong> or Hayama<\/strong> in Kanagawa Prefecture, T\u014dky\u014d Bay <\/strong>and the Nanp\u014d islands<\/strong>.
There are many rare nudis, and less rare but still highly popular\/photogenic ones such as the \u201cPikachu<\/em>\u201dor the \u201cShaun The Sheep\u201d<\/em> nudibranchs.
T\u014dky\u014d Bay <\/strong>(Miura peninsula<\/strong>, Kanagawa Pref.) also offers proper muck diving<\/strong> as well, with both silty and sandy areas.<\/p>

The Nanp\u014d archipelago\u2019s<\/strong> Izu Islands<\/strong>, especially Izu \u014cshima, Hachij\u014d-jima<\/strong> and K\u014dzu-shima,<\/strong> are famous in Japan for their rich macro-life, rare nudibranchs<\/strong> and all the usual suspects but also the now famous Japanese pigmy seahorse<\/strong> (Hippocampus japapigu<\/em>), along with the more classic pigmy seahorses<\/strong> (Hippocampus bargibanti<\/em>,. h. colemani <\/em>and h. pontohi<\/em>), which are often spotted on the Izu and also in the Ogasawara Islands<\/strong> (T\u014dky\u014d Pref.).<\/p>

Dive sites of the Ch\u016bbu region<\/strong> also offer world-class assortment of nudibranchs<\/strong>, especially during the winter months in Shizuoka Prefecture\u2019s Osezaki<\/strong> (that has both sandy and mucky silty sea floors) and on other sites around the Izu Peninsula<\/strong>, where it is said that an experienced guide will sometimes spot more than 30 different types in a single dive…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Kant\u014d and Ch\u016bbu\u2019s main macro highlights include:<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Seahorses <\/strong>including Shiho’s seahorse \/ painted seahorse<\/strong> (Hippocampus sindonis<\/em>), the Great seahorse or Kellogg’s seahorse<\/strong> (Hippocampus kelloggi<\/em>), Piny seahorse or thorny seahorse <\/strong>(Hippocampus histrix<\/em>), flat-faced seahorse\/ longnose seahorse <\/strong>(Hippocampus trimaculatus<\/em>)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Pigmy seahorses<\/strong> (Hippocampus bargibanti, h. colemani <\/em>and h. pontohi<\/em> and also recently identified h. japapigu<\/em>) in Kant\u014d\u2019s Nanp\u014d islands (Izu, Ogasawara) or in Ch\u016bbu\u2019s Izu Peninsula \/ Osezaki bay<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Various pipefish, pigmy pipefish <\/strong>and ornate ghost pipefish<\/strong> (Solenostomus paradoxus<\/em>) and the robust ghost pipefish<\/strong> (Solenostomus cyanopterus<\/em>), goggle-eye pipefish <\/strong>(Trachyrhamphus serratus<\/em>), Honshu pipefish<\/strong> (Doryrhamphus japonicus<\/em>)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Various squid<\/strong> and pigmy squid<\/strong>, including the bobtail squid<\/strong> (Sepiolida<\/em> and especially Sepiola biostrata<\/em>)<\/em>, deep water juveniles like the glass squid<\/strong> (Cranchia scabra<\/em>), diamond squid <\/strong>(Thysanoteuthis rhombus<\/em>)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Rare octopuses<\/strong> like the sandbird octopus <\/strong>(Octopus kagoshimensis<\/em>)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Rare cuttlefish<\/strong> including the world\u2019s smallest, the Japanese pygmy cuttlefish<\/strong> (Idiosepius paradoxus<\/em>)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Rare and odd-looking frogfish\/anglerfish<\/strong> (Antennariidae<\/em>), like the psychedelic frogfish<\/strong> (Histiophryne sp.1<\/em>) painted frogfish<\/strong> (Antennarius pictus<\/em>), striated Frogfish<\/strong> (Vanderhorstia mertensi<\/em>) especially in Kant\u014d\u2019s Ishibashi or Hayama (Kanagawa Pref.) and in Ch\u016bbu\u2019s Osezaki (Shizuoka Pref.)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Rhinopias, <\/strong>including magnificient purple specimens of <\/strong>Goose scorpionfish, Weedy scorpionfish<\/strong> (Rhinopias frondosa<\/em>), <\/strong>rarer lionfish such as shortfin turkeyfish<\/strong> or dwarf lionfish<\/strong> (Dendrochirus brachypterus)<\/em>, leaf scorpion fish<\/strong> (Taenianotus triacanthus<\/em>), seamoths (Pegasidae<\/em>), devilfish (Inimicus<\/em>) and other weird, photogenic critters<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Rare eels<\/strong>, including endemic morays,<\/strong> ribbon eels<\/strong> (Rhinomuraena quaesita<\/em>), snake eels<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Crabs<\/strong>, including spider crabs (Macrocheira kaempferi<\/em> ), the zebra crab<\/strong> (Zebrida adamsii<\/em>) decorator crabs\u2026<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Shrimps<\/strong>, including the highly photogenic harlequin shrimp <\/strong>(Hymenocera picta<\/em>) and imperial shrimp <\/strong>(Periclemenes imperator\/ <\/em>Zenopontonia rex<\/em>), <\/strong>saw blade shrimp, the Hakusen Akahoshi Kakure shrimp <\/strong>(Ancylomenes kobayashii<\/em>), wire coral shrimp<\/strong> (Pontonides sp<\/em>.), togarimo shrimp<\/strong> (Tozeuma Stimpson Sp<\/em>) the ayatori Kakure shrimp.<\/strong> (Izucaris masudai<\/em>), the ornate anemone shrimp<\/strong> (Actinimenes ornatus<\/em>) or skeleton shrimps<\/strong>

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Gobies, <\/strong>including the redeye goby<\/strong> (Bryaninops natans<\/em>) orange-striped shrimp-goby<\/strong> (Stonogobiops yasha<\/em>) yellownose prawn-goby<\/strong> (Stonogobiops xanthorhinica<\/em>), or the brown pigmy goby<\/strong> (Trimma yanagitai<\/em>)
Note: gobies are very popular in <\/strong>Japan, and recently abdicated Emperor Akihito, a keen ichthyologist, has published 30 scientific papers on gobies, and even has one named after him.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Rare blennies, jawfish and other sand-dwellers, <\/strong>including the r<\/strong>ing eye jawfish<\/strong> (Opistognathus sp.1<\/em>) zebra barred dartfish<\/em> (Ptereleotris zebra<\/em>) and b<\/strong>lackfin dartfish<\/strong> (Ptereleotris evides<\/em>)

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Rare photogenic fish<\/strong> like the mandarin fish (Synchiropus splendidus<\/em>) or the elegant firefish<\/strong> (Nemateleotris decora<\/em>) or the longnose hawkfish (<\/strong>Oxycirrhites typus<\/em>), which is highlighy popular with Japanese divers though quite common in certain areas of the world, and deep water fish<\/strong> \/ larval juveniles spotted on night dives in deep water sites like Osezaki, or black water dives in Toyama.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Lumpsuckers <\/strong>(Cyclopteridae)<\/em> and Lumpfish<\/strong> like the odd-looking Lethotremus awae<\/em>, seen in winter in Kant\u014d\u2019s Iwa or Enoshima in Kanagawa Pref., a real favourite of Japanese divers…
In Ch\u016bbu, the Namerikawa<\/strong> area on the sea of Japan, also offers the chance to spot rarities such as the smooth lumpsucker<\/strong> (Aptocyclus ventricosus<\/em>)\u00a0\u00a0in the cold January-February months,<\/p>

The areas also offer rare and singular jellyfish <\/strong>and anemones.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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MACRO HIGHLIGHTS IN OTHER REGIONS<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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HOKKAID\u014c<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Sea angels<\/strong> (Clione limacine<\/em>), also known as Clione <\/em>or Ice fairies<\/em>, are small (= cute!) translucent sea slugs, basically free-swimming jellyfish hovering under the ice floats by flapping their wings. They are mostly spotted between January and March in Hokkaid\u014d\u2019s Shiretoko Peninsula.<\/strong><\/p>

The smooth lumpfish\/lumpsucker <\/strong>(Aptocyclus ventricosus<\/em>) is cute (?) or at least quite odd-looking, and can be spotted, along with other small Cyclopteridae <\/em>in the winter months in Hokkaid\u014d <\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0<\/strong>The Red king crab <\/strong>or Kamchatka crab, <\/em>(Paralithodes camtschaticus<\/em>) can be encountered in certain areas of Hokkaid\u014d.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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T\u014cHOKU <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The T\u014dhoku region offers good macro especially in Miyagi Prefecture’s Onagawa area<\/strong> and also the chance to dive with various deep-water creatures<\/strong> coming from the north, which are often spotted in the spring months in the Shonai<\/strong> area<\/strong> (Yamagata Pref.).<\/p>

The weird looking smooth lumpsucker<\/strong> (Aptocyclus ventricosus<\/em>), also found in Hokkaid\u014d, can also be spotted in the early summer months around the Oga Peninsula<\/strong> (Akita Pref.) and between January to March on Sado Island<\/strong> (Niigata Pref.).<\/p>

And the grunt sculpin<\/strong> or Grunt-fish (Rhamphocottus richardsonii<\/em>), another definitely odd-looking critter, is one of the macro highlights of the area. It can be spotted in Japan at the Shizukawa port<\/strong> and Onagawa Takeura<\/strong> (Miyagi Pref.), and, more rarely, in Hokkaid\u014d in winter, which is said to be the only places where they are found on this side of the Pacific.<\/p>

For jellyfish lovers, the giant Nomura’s jellyfish<\/strong> (Nemopilema nomurai<\/em>) is often found in the autumn months in Shonai (Yamagata Pref.).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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KANSAI<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Kansai\u2019s macro highlights include frogfish, nudibranchs, seahorses and gobies<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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CH\u016aGOKU<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Ch\u016bgoku region offers good macro diving, especially on sites said to have nutrient-rich waters like Murotsu<\/strong> on the Seto Inland Sea, which also offers chance to see deep-water critters and plankton on \u014cmi Island\u2019s famous night dives.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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SHIKOKU<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Shikoku island region also offers good macro diving<\/strong> options, with over 100 types of nudibranchs recorded in the area, as well as various juveniles, frogfish, rare gobies <\/strong>or seahorses,<\/strong> especially on sites like Akehama <\/strong>(Ehime Pref.), Uguru <\/strong>and Kashiwa<\/strong> islands (K\u014dchi Pref.).
The small island of Kashiwa <\/strong>(K\u014dchi Pref.) is itself famous for its biodiversity, macro life and coral reefs, and has over 10 dive operators on its 4 km\u00b2, catering mostly to macro diving enthusiasts and underwater photographers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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KY\u016aSH\u016a<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Ky\u016bsh\u016b region offer very good macro diving<\/strong> with gobies and blennies<\/strong>, jawfish<\/strong>, and many species of nudibranchs <\/strong>and seahorses<\/strong>, along with the occasional spotting of pigmy seahorses<\/strong> at Yakushima<\/strong>\u2019s Nagata and Otsuse sites.

Miyazaki Prefecture\u2019s Nobeoka<\/strong> area is famous for its great variety of frogfish<\/strong>, and Kagoshima\u2019s Sakurajima<\/strong> area offers solid macro life, including anthias<\/strong> normally seen in much deeper water.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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OKINAWA<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Okinawa region also offers a great variety of warm water macro critters<\/strong> and rare colourful fish, similar to those found further south in South-East Asia, especially in the Yaeyama <\/strong>or Kerama Islands.<\/strong><\/p>

Interesting critters comonly spotted include:<\/p>

Nudibranchs<\/strong> (especially Okinawa Main island\u2019s mucky sites like Kinwan Bay)
Frogfish\/anglerfish
Bobtail squid<\/strong>
Flamboyant cuttlefish
Mandarin fish<\/strong>
Elegant firefish<\/strong>,
Electric clams (<\/strong>Ctenoides ales<\/em>)
Leaf scorpionfish <\/strong>and other rare scorpionfish
Crabs <\/strong>and shrimps<\/strong> (including the photogenic emperor shrimp<\/strong>)
Ribbon eels <\/strong>
Jawfish<\/strong>
Pigmy seahorses<\/strong> (Hippocampus bargibanti<\/em>,. h. colemani <\/em>and h. pontohi<\/em>)
Pipehorses,<\/strong> various pipefish and ghost pipefish<\/strong><\/p>

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Other marine life highlights<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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