naturewatchwidow's Favorites

Many all through the crevice. And some around the outside too. Night time really does bring them all out. Though I think the population has just boomed as they have been seen during the day too, and last time I was here I only saw a tiny one. Many good sized ones but one was very large. I didn't think they could get so big!

~4 cm long average, 6 cm long max
~ 5 m subtidal

An amazing glass squid. When I disturbed it it would tuck in its tentacles and eyes, and even its fins and show big spots. So cool. The area around the brain was brightly iridescent. There are very faint long tubercles around the mantle if that helps with species id.
Really hard to get nice shots with a compact camera sadly.

~2.5cm long

Single vine (the original (type) specimen) growing on Kunzea triregensis. At the time this observation was made the vine was being shaded out and was in danger of dying out. Our (Department of Conservation) 1991 field work involved careful pruning of the canopy to let in more light and tying up (on to cables) of the vines that were found trailing in the dense vegetation. As a result of these measures the vine flowered for the first time (since it was discovered in 1946) in 1995. However, seed set in the wild is still not happening, probably because the flowers are destroyed by kakariki (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae novaezelandiae)