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Marinelife

MarinelifeScuba Diving

At Atmosphere October is all about octopus!

Octopus season is upon us! At least seven species are seen along Dauin’s coast (if you know where to look). However, there is more to these clever cephalopods than meets the eye. What you don’t know about octopuses… They’re related to your common garden snail Octopuses are members of the Phylum “Mollusca”, which puts them in the same mixing pot as snails, nudibranchs and scallops. All molluscs have some form…
Kirsty Richards
13th October 2019
MarinelifePADI CoursesScuba Diving

Introducing the new PADI Critters Specialty!

We are incredibly excited to launch our new PADI Critters of Dauin specialty course! The incredible diversity of critters along Dauin’s coast has long been a well-kept secret. But not anymore. As the cat slowly gets teased out of the bag, we are launching the PADI Critters Specialty, unique to Atmosphere! Are you a diver who loves cryptic and colourful critters and would like to know more about what makes them…
Kirsty Richards
8th September 2019
MarinelifeUnderwater Sightings

Finding Nemo(s) – the Anemonefish of Dauin

Among the shrimp, frogfish and octopus of Dauin’s coastline, you can find a plethora of anemonefish/clownfish (same, same). We don’t just have one, two, or three, but at least seven different species of this characterful and famous little fish! Found within the fleshy tentacles of 10 species of anemone, anemonefish spend their whole lives in the vicinity of their host. Their relationship is win-win (technical term = obligatory symbionts). In…
Kirsty Richards
29th August 2019
MarinelifeScuba Diving

The Humble Sea Cucumber

The humble sea cucumber is not a marine creature which gets a lot of love. Although, spend a few minutes reading up on them and you’ll discover they’re quite the creature with plenty of hidden secrets! Closely related to starfish within the group “Echinoderms”, sea cucumbers have diverged from the 5 fold symmetry of a starfish to a single, cucumber-like, body. With over 1,250 different species, sea cucumbers can be…
Kirsty Richards
20th May 2019
christmas critters of dauinMarinelifeScuba Diving

Christmas Critters of Dauin

Christmas tree worm (Spirobranchus giganteus) Aptly named to be at the top of our list, Christmas tree worms are a type of tube-building polychaete worm. Their multicoloured (and tree-like) spiral tentacles can be seen poking out of holes they’ve board into corals and are used to catch passing prey which is then passed down into their mouths. Popular with photographers, these brightly coloured underwater Christmas trees will disappear in front…
Kirsty Richards
25th December 2018