peter

Incredible specimen, thanks for sharing!

What can only be described as a living fossil. This truly incredible creature is possibly one of the earliest ancestors of all terrestrial arthropods. It's believed they were among the first to develop "air holes" to absorb oxygen from the air. It's a pleasure to see this amazing specimen at such high-level detail. Many thanks for sharing your detailed account of this fascinating organism.

Thanks Mary.

Eric, I've updated the spotting based on your suggestion. Many thanks!

Thanks Gerardo! One of my favorite spottings is yours of the same species of fish. Although the one you spotted definitely looks a lot bigger :)

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/896...

Thanks Mary, that's sweet of you to say. It was pretty wild down there for sure. I'm definitely hooked and want to get my scuba license. And hopefully one day join the ranks of some of the incredible underwater photographers here on our site.

Thanks Laura, I think you're right. This guy is definitely a Cuban rock iguana (Cyclura nubila). Sad to hear their population numbers are threatened :(

Stunning portrait!

Woah :O

The slo-mo really captures the wing flaps. Nice touch.

Congrats Gerardo, your incredible encounter with this Manatee has been highlighted as Spotting of the Day!

"A once-in-a-lifetime encounter with an endangered Manatee near a Caribbean reef. Recent evidence suggests they possess a unique sixth sense that enables them to detect pressure changes through sensory hairs."

Facebook: http://facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151...
Twitter: http://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/17...