A selection of species and scenes recorded whilst snorkelling from Santa Marina, Salina in June 2018.

---

---

Astroides calycularis (Pallas, 1766), an orange colonial stony cup coral.

Astroides calycularis (Pallas, 1766), an orange cup coral (but what's that hiding beneath?).

Hermodice carunculata (Pallas, 1766), the bearded fireworm.

Hermodice carunculata (Pallas, 1766), the bearded fireworm (close-up of the head).

Arbacia lixula (Linnaeus, 1758), the black sea urchin.

Currently unidentified egg ribbon, most likely from a sea-slug.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus (in less than 1m depth of water).

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Ophidiaster ophidianus (Lamarck, 1816), la stella serpente.

Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Fabricius, 1787), the marbled rock crab.

Palaemon elegans Rathke, 1837, the grass prawn or, gamberetto.

Palaemon elegans Rathke, 1837, the grass prawn or, gamberetto.

Palaemon elegans Rathke, 1837, the grass prawn or, gamberetto.

Palaemon elegans Rathke, 1837, the grass prawn or, gamberetto (habitat context, water depth <1m).

Parablennius spp. Miranda Ribeiro, 1915, one of the comb tooth blennies.

Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853), the Sally lightfoot crab.

Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853), the Sally lightfoot crab.

Serranus cabrilla (Linnaeus, 1758), the comber.

Serranus cabrilla (Linnaeus, 1758), like other fish in the shallow surf these will come close looking for food.

Tripterygion Risso, 1827, one of the triplefin blennies (possible species identified but awaiting confirmation).

Tripterygion Risso, 1827, one of the triplefin blennies.

Tripterygion Risso, 1827, one of the triplefin blennies.

One of the vessels which delivers drinking water to the islands.

Bothus podas (Delaroche, 1809), the wide-eyed flounder.

Bothus podas (Delaroche, 1809), the wide-eyed flounder and the broader habitat at the location.

Hermodice carunculata (Pallas, 1766), the bearded fireworm.

Muraena helena Linnaeus, 1758, the Mediterranean moray eel.

A thin fringe of Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile, 1813 hugging the drop-off.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus with attendant ornate wrasse.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816), the rock sea urchin.

Pelagia noctiluca (Forsskål, 1775), the mauve stinger.

Juvenile fan mussel, either Pinna nobilis Linnaeus, 1758 or, Pinna rudis Linnaeus, 1758.

Sphaerechinus granularis (Lamarck, 1816), the purple sea urchin.

Tripterygion Risso, 1827, one of the triplefin blennies (male and female).

?Anthopleura ballii (Cocks, 1851).

Actinia cari Delle Chiaje, 1822, the girdle anemone. Present in the Mediterranean but on the IUCN Red List (Data Deficient).

Astroides calycularis (Pallas, 1766), an orange colonial stony cup coral with cuttlefish eggs.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797, the common octopus.

Underwater architecture.

?Sarcotragus spinosulus Schmidt, 1862 the black leather sponge (id requires confirmation).

Aiptasia mutabilis (Gravenhorst, 1831); Pisania striata (Gmelin, 1791); Astroides calycularis (Pallas, 1766); Arbacia lixula (Linnaeus, 1758) etc.

Stranded mauve stingers.

Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853), the Sally lightfoot crab.

Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853), the Sally lightfoot crab.

Sarpa salpa (Linnaeus, 1758) shoal.

Sarpa salpa (Linnaeus, 1758) shoal.

Unknown goby. Best guess, Pomatoschistus marmoratus (Risso, 1810) but remains 'Gobiidae' currently.

A turf of mermaids cup, Acetabularia acetabulum (Linnaeus) P.C.Silva, 1952.

Egg cluster of the banded murex, Hexaplex trunculus (Linnaeus, 1758).

The sea cucumber, Holothuria (Platyperona) sanctori Delle Chiaje, 1823. IUCN Red List, LC (Least Concern).

Shallow water cobble habitat for juvenile Muraena helena Linnaeus, 1758, the Mediterranean moray eel.

Muraena helena Linnaeus, 1758, the Mediterranean moray eel.

Shallow water cobble habitat for juvenile Muraena helena Linnaeus, 1758, the Mediterranean moray eel.

Muraena helena Linnaeus, 1758, the Mediterranean moray eel.

Muraena helena Linnaeus, 1758, the Mediterranean moray eel.

Ophidiaster ophidianus (Lamarck, 1816), la stella serpente. Note the pink lichenous patch on the lower left arm. Infection?

Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Fabricius, 1787), the marbled rock crab feeding on a stranded Pelagia noctiluca.

Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Fabricius, 1787), the marbled rock crab feeding on a stranded Pelagia noctiluca.

Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Fabricius, 1787), the marbled rock crab feeding on a stranded Pelagia noctiluca.

Pelagia noctiluca (Forsskål, 1775), the mauve stinger, stranded but still living.

Tripterygion Risso, 1827, one of the triplefin blennies.

Thalassoma pavo (Linnaeus, 1758), ornate wrasse in one of the rock barriers protecting the seafront.