Critter Feature | Scuba Spoilsport Great Diving Reef Barrier

Liveaboard Scuba Diving on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea

Critter Feature

Below is a guide to some of our favourite critters that are commonly spotted at our dive sites along with where they are seen (on the Ribbon Reefs or Osprey Reef).

In general: Osprey Reef contains an amazing shark population, large pelagics and manta rays.  The Ribbon Reefs contain a diverse array of macro critters such as nudibranchs, scorpionfsih, pipefish, seahorses, ghost pipefish and marine reptiles such as turtles and snakes.

Leafy Scorpionfish

Leafy Scorpionfish (yellow variation)

Just look for an underwater leaf!

Ribbon reefs

 

Hiroko Miyayama - Hairy Ghost Pipefish

Hairy Ghost Pipefish

Drifts with weed on sandy bottoms

Ribbon Reefs

 

Rhinopias at Osprey Reef

Rhinopias (Lacy Scorpionfish)

Ornate, but very difficult to spot.

Ribbon Reef and Osprey Reef

Soft Coral Crab

Soft Coral Crab (various types)

Well-camouflaged and ornate

On various forms of soft coral

Ribbon Reefs.

  Potato Cod

(Photo by: Todd Winner)

Fire Dartfish

In sandy patches, close to burrows

Ribbon Reefs and Osprey Reef

  Hammerhead Sharks

Hammerhead Sharks

Both scalloped and great hammerhead

More common at Osprey

Occassional Ribbon Reef sightings

Pygmy Seahorse - Aaron Smith

Pygmy Seahorse

Extremely well-camouflaged,

tiny and beautiful

Ribbon Reefs

Ornate Ghostpipefish

(Photo by: David Tinson)

Ornate Ghost Pipefish

Spotted breeding in April / May

Ribbon Reefs

Pipefish

(Photo by: Stephen Colquitt)

Pipefish

Often in pairs on the reef substrate

Ribbon Reefs and Osprey Reef

Resident turtles live at many sites

Green turtle.

Listed as endangered.

Ribbon Reefs. (Common)

Sea Snake

Olive sea snake

Curious and friendly

Ribbon Reefs. (Common)

 

Leafy Scorpionfish

Leafy Scorpionfish (white variation)

Well-camouflaged amongst coral rubble

Ribbon Reefs.

Manta Ray Overhead

Manta Ray

Gentle, filter feeding giants

Osprey Reef

Loggerhead Turtle

Loggerhead Turtle

Listed as endangered

Ribbon Reefs (Occassional)

  Halimeda Ghostpipefish

Halimeda Ghostpipefish

Well-camouflagedand hard to spot

Ribbon Reefs (Occassional)

Minke Whale Close Up

Minke Whale

Migratory species that winters

on the Great Barrier Reef.

Ribbon Reefs. (Common Jun-Jul)

Sharks at Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea

(Photo by: Troy Mayne)

Silvertip Shark

Large predatory shark

Osprey Reef.

Potato Cod

Potato Cod

Very large, curious fish

Ribbon Reefs and Osprey Reef

 And some of the more unusual critters photographed by our guests:


Frog Fish
Sargassum Frogfish

Extremely well-camouflaged,

strange-looking fish

Ribbon Reefs

 

  Rhinoceros Shrimp

Rhinoceros Shrimp

Soft whip coral residents

Ribbon Reefs

  Clingfish

Clingfish

Hide in feather stars

Ribbon Reefs.