Chek Jawa
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Sea pen shelter
Sea pens provide shelter to all kinds of creatures. Some are very tiny (e.g., porcelain crabs), others may be larger, like the Leatherjacket fish that is hiding behind this sea pen. -
Flowery sea pen (Cavenularia sp.)
Another ethereal sea pen seen only at night. -
Two Sea Pens
Out of water, they withdraw their delicate flower-like tentacles and look like pencils! -
Flowery sea pen (Cavernularia sp.)
This one looks ready to close-up for the night. -
Flowery sea pen (Cavernularia sp.)
A closer look at the flower-like tentacles of a night "blooming" seapen. -
Flowery sea pen (Cavenularia sp.) -
Common sea pen (Pteroides sp.)
An "uprooted" seapen, showing its orange base. Sometimes, the seagrass lagoon is littered with uprooted seapens. If you come across one, you may place it gently in a pool of water. There is no need to 'replant' it. -
Knobbly sea star (Protoreaster nodosus)
Larger than your face (up to about 30cm across) these gorgeously coloured sea stars are indeed the Super Stars of Chek Jawa. They come in shades of red, orange and beige. -
Brittle Star (Order Ophiuroidea)
Brittle stars are echinoderms and related to "normal" seastars. They get their name from their ability to drop off their arms, for example, when grabbed by a fish. A new arm will regrow. -
Brittle Star (Order Ophiuroidea)
Brittle stars are common in the coral rubble area, and are more active at night. -
Brittle Stars (Order Ophiuroidea) inside purple sponge
Brittle stars have highly flexible arms, which are used not only for moving around, but also to trap food. Sometimes, all you see are their long worm-like arms while they keep their central disks well hidden. These brittle stars are hiding inside a sponge! -
Seastar (Class Asteroidea)
Often called starfish, sea stars are not fish. They are echinoderms related to sand dollars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and brittle stars. These sea stars are more commonly seen at night in the seagrass lagoon. -
Biscuit star (Goniodiscaster scaber)
This sea star looks like it has been cut out with a cookie cutter! It is more commonly seen at night. -
Sea stars (Class Asteroidea)
Many different kinds of sea stars are seen only at night. -
Common sea star (Archaster typicus)
The most common seastars in Singapore, these can be found in profusion on the sand flats and sandy parts of the seagrass lagoons. They bury themselves rapidly in the sand at low tide or when threatened. -
Common sea star (Archaster typicus)
Sea stars sometimes have less than 5-arms! -
Common sea star (Archaster typicus)
Sea stars well known for their amazing ability to regenerate lost arms. This 3-armed sea star is growing a tiny near arm! However, this takes time and in the meanwhile the sea star is disadvantaged. So don't purposely mutilate sea stars. -
Common sea star (Archaster typicus)
Common sea stars are sometimes seen one on top of another. The male is usually smaller and on top, interlocking his arms with the female below. Their sexual organs do not meet as they practice external fertilisation, releasing eggs and sperm at the same time. This behaviour is believed to ensure more effective external fertilisation. -
Sand Star (Astropecten sp.)
These beautiful small sea stars can really race across the sand...well, by sea star standards. -
all these sea creatures look gross
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Common Sea star (Archaster typicus)
Like most other sea stars, the Common sea star can bend its arms, for example, to turn itself around if it happens to be upside down. -
hey, we all came from the seaOriginally posted by monkeybusiness:all these sea creatures look gross -
Sea star (Gymnanthenea laevis)
An uncommon sea star that is seldom encountered. -
Sea star (Class Asteroidea)
Some sea stars are tiny, even tinier than a seagrass blade! -
A bewildering variety of creatures are found at Chek Jawa. Some don't even look like animals! The orange stuff are compound tunicates which are often mistaken for sponges. Tunicates are often softer and more jelly-like. The dark pink stuff are sponges. All are animals!