Malapascua Island
Malapascua is a Philippine island situated in the Visayan Sea, across a shallow strait from the northernmost tip of Cebu Island. Administratively, it is part of the peninsular barangay of Logon, Daanbantayan, Cebu. Malapascua is a small island, only about , and has eight hamlets. According to the latest 2020 census, the island has an estimated population of 6,257. Holiday industry Malapascua has been popular as a dive destination since the early 1990s. Prior to this, the island was known primarily for its wide white sand beach, Bounty Beach. It features coral gardens, coral walls and excellent local dive spots, as well as further-out sites including Gato Island, Monad Shoal, and Kemod Shoal. Monad Shoal is an underwater plateau where thresher sharks and manta rays can regularly be sighted. Most of the islanders derive their livelihood from tourism, while some still rely on subsistence fishing and farming. Similar to other islands, natives were dependent on fishing as a sourc ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Visayan Sea
The Visayan Sea is a sea in the Philippines surrounded by the islands of the Visayas. It is bounded by the islands Masbate to the north, Panay to the west, Leyte to the east, and Cebu and Negros to the south. The sea is connected to several bodies of water: the Sibuyan Sea The Sibuyan Sea is a small sea in the Philippines separating Luzon and the Visayas. It is bounded by the island of Panay to the south, Mindoro to the west, Masbate to the east, and to the north Marinduque and the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon. ... to the northwest via the Jintotolo Channel, the Samar Sea to the northeast, the Guimaras Strait to the southwest which leads to Panay Gulf, the Tañon Strait to the south, and the Camotes Sea to the southeast. The largest island within this sea is Bantayan Island of Cebu province. The sea is a major fishing ground for sardines, mackerel, and herring the Philippines. In 2020, the Western Visayas accounts for 20 percent of sardines total production i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse
The bluestreak cleaner wrasse (''Labroides dimidiatus'') is one of several species of cleaner wrasses found on coral reefs from Eastern Africa and the Red Sea to French Polynesia. Like other cleaner wrasses, it eats parasites and dead tissue off larger fishes' skin in a mutualistic relationship that provides food and protection for the wrasse, and considerable health benefits for the other fishes. It is also notable for having potentially passed the mirror test, though this is not without controversy. Taxonomy A genetic analysis of ''L. dimidiatus'' revealed the population fell into two monophyletic clades, with Indian Ocean populations generally having different stripe widths to western Pacific fishes. The Japanese cleaner wrasses, though, fell within the same group as Indian Ocean fish, despite differing in appearance, and both clades overlap around Papua New Guinea. Two closely related cleaner wrasse species, '' Labroides pectoralis'' and '' Labroides bicolor'', were ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Underwater Diving Sites In The Philippines
An underwater environment is a environment of, and immersed in, liquid water in a natural or artificial feature (called a body of water), such as an ocean, sea, lake, pond, reservoir, river, canal, or aquifer. Some characteristics of the underwater environment are universal, but many depend on the local situation. Liquid water has been present on Earth for most of the history of the planet. The underwater environment is thought to be the place of the origin of life on Earth, and it remains the ecological region most critical to the support of life and the natural habitat of the majority of living organisms. Several branches of science are dedicated to the study of this environment or specific parts or aspects of it. A number of human activities are conducted in the more accessible parts of the underwater environment. These include research, underwater diving for work or recreation, and underwater warfare with submarines. It is hostile to humans in many ways and often inaccessi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Beaches Of The Philippines
Beach tourism is a Tourism in the Philippines, major contributor to the Economy of the Philippines, economy of the Philippines, owing to the country's Climate of the Philippines, tropical climate and Geography of the Philippines, geography of more than Islands of the Philippines, 7,000 islands. The following is a list of notable beaches in the country sorted by Provinces of the Philippines, province. Bicol Albay * Bacacay, Albay, Bacacay ** Hindi Beach ** Pinamuntugan Beach () ** Coron-Coron Beach () ** Panarayon Beach () ** Sogod Beach () ** Cabungahan Beach * Manito, Albay, Manito ** Ilologan Beach * Rapu-Rapu, Albay, Rapu-Rapu ** Batan Island () ** Guinanayan Island () * Tabaco ** San Lorenzo Beach ** Punta Beach () * Tiwi, Albay, Tiwi ** Joroan Beach () Camarines Norte * Daet, Camarines Norte, Daet ** Bagasbas Beach () * Mercedes, Camarines Norte, Mercedes ** Apuao Grande Island () ** Caringo Island () * Paracale, Camarines Norte, Paracale ** Maculabo Island () * Vin ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Carnaza Island
Carnaza is a barangay in the Philippines located on the island of the same name. The turtle-shaped island is located north of Malapascua Island which itself is north of mainland Cebu. Carnaza is then the northernmost offshore island and barangay of the municipality of Daanbantayan. The island is bordered on all sides by the Visayan Sea. Topography The island's topography includes coastal plains, mangrove swamps, lagoons and semi-rounded hills. Its coastal plain constitutes about 9.7% while semi-rounded hills constitute the biggest portion of the island covering about 14.4% of the total area. The mangrove forest has an area of about 10.1 hectares or % of the island. The highest point was measured at above sea level. Within the small island are the sitios of Candionesio, Carnaza, Daanbaryo, Linao, Liogliog and Pantao. Flora The dominant upland vegetation is ipil-ipil (''Leucaena leucocephala''), which covered most of the slopes. Agricultural crops like coconuts, cassava, banana ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hammerhead Shark
The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks that form the family Sphyrnidae, named for the unusual and distinctive form of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a Hammerhead shark#Cephalofoil, cephalofoil (a T-shape or "hammer"). The shark's eyes are placed one on each end of this T-shaped structure, with their small mouths directly centered and underneath. Most hammerhead species are placed in the genus ''Sphyrna'', while the winghead shark is placed in its own genus, ''Eusphyra''. Many different—but not necessarily mutually exclusive—functions have been postulated for the cephalofoil, including sensory reception, manoeuvering, and prey manipulation. The cephalofoil gives the shark superior binocular vision and depth perception. Hammerheads are found worldwide, preferring life in warmer waters along coastlines and continental shelves. Unlike most sharks, some hammerhead species will congregate and swim in large Shoaling and schooling, schools during ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Eagle Ray
The eagle rays are a group of cartilaginous fishes in the family Myliobatidae, consisting mostly of large species living in the open ocean rather than on the sea bottom. Eagle rays feed on mollusks, and crustaceans, crushing their shells with their flattened teeth. They are excellent swimmers and are able to breach the water up to several meters above the surface. Compared with other rays, they have long tails, and well-defined, rhomboidal bodies. They are ovoviviparous, giving birth to up to six young at a time. They range from in length and 7 m (23 ft) in wingspan. Classification Nelson's book ''Fishes of the World'' treats cownose rays, mantas, and devil rays as subfamilies in the Myliobatidae. However, most authors (including William Toby White) have preferred to leave the Rhinopteridae and Mobulidae outside of the Myliobatidae. White (2014) retained three genera (''Aetobatus'', ''Aetomylaeus'', and ''Myliobatis'') in the Myliobatidae, while a fourth (''Pteromylaeu ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mobula
''Mobula'' is a genus of Batoidea, rays in the family Mobulidae that is found worldwide in tropical and warm, temperate seas. Some authorities consider this to be a subfamily of the Myliobatidae (eagle rays). Their appearance is similar to that of manta rays, which are in the same family, and based on Genetics, genetic and Morphology (biology), morphological evidence, the mantas belong in ''Mobula'' (they are traditionally in their own genus ''Manta''). Species of this genus are often collectively referred to as "devil rays", "flying mobula", or simply "flying rays", due to their propensity for Whale surfacing behaviour, breaching, sometimes in a spectacular manner. These rays gather in groups and leap out of the surface into the air up to around two metres before splashing back into the water. Description Depending on the species, the devil rays can attain widths up to , the largest being second only to the manta rays in size, which can reach . Despite their size, little is ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pelagic Fish
Pelagic fish live in the pelagic zone of ocean or lake waters—being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore—in contrast with demersal fish that live on or near the bottom, and reef fish that are associated with coral reefs. The marine pelagic environment is the largest aquatic habitat on Earth, occupying 1,370 million cubic kilometres (330 million cubic miles), and is the habitat for 11% of known fish species. The oceans have a mean depth of . About 98% of the total water volume is below , and 75% is below . Moyle and Cech, p. 585 Marine pelagic fish can be divided into coastal (inshore) fish and oceanic (offshore) fish. Coastal pelagic fish inhabit the relatively shallow and sunlit waters above the continental shelf, while oceanic pelagic fish inhabit the vast and deep waters beyond the continental shelf (even though they also may swim inshore). Pelagic fish range in size from small coastal forage fish, such as herrings and sardines, to large apex pred ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gnathiidae
The Gnathiidae are a family of isopod crustaceans. They occur in a wide range of depths, from the littoral zone to the deep sea. The adults are associated with sponges and may not feed. The juvenile form is known as a 'praniza', and it is a temporary parasite of marine fish. These forms are not larvae; ''Gnathiidae'' instead become parasitic during the manca stage. Mancae of the ''Gnathiidae'' closely resemble the adult form, however they lack the final pair of pereiopod The anatomy of a decapod consists of 20 body segments grouped into two main body parts: the cephalothorax and the pleon (abdomen). Each segment – often called a somite – may possess one pair of appendages, although in various groups these m ...s. Taxonomy in the family relies on male characters, such that females and juveniles cannot be reliably identified. The family contains 182 species, divided among the following genera: *'' Afrignathia'' Hadfield & Smit, 2008 *'' Bathygnathia'' Dollfus, 1901 *'' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ectoparasite
Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson characterised parasites' way of feeding as "predators that eat prey in units of less than one". Parasites include single-celled protozoans such as the agents of malaria, sleeping sickness, and amoebic dysentery; animals such as hookworms, lice, mosquitoes, and vampire bats; fungi such as Armillaria mellea, honey fungus and the agents of ringworm; and plants such as mistletoe, dodder, and the Orobanchaceae, broomrapes. There are six major parasitic Behavioral ecology#Evolutionarily stable strategy, strategies of exploitation of animal hosts, namely parasitic castration, directly transmitted parasitism (by contact), wikt:trophic, trophicallytransmitted parasitism (by being eaten), ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Wrasse
The wrasses are a family, Labridae, of marine ray-finned fish, many of which are brightly colored. The family is large and diverse, with over 600 species in 81 genera, which are divided into nine subgroups or tribes. They are typically small, most of them less than long, although the largest, the humphead wrasse, can measure up to . They are efficient carnivores, feeding on a wide range of small invertebrates. Many smaller wrasses follow the feeding trails of larger fish, picking up invertebrates disturbed by their passing. Juveniles of some representatives of the genera ''Bodianus'', '' Epibulus'', '' Cirrhilabrus'', '' Oxycheilinus'', and '' Paracheilinus'' hide among the tentacles of the free-living mushroom corals and '' Heliofungia actiniformis''. Etymology The word "wrasse" comes from the Cornish word ''wragh'', a lenited form of ''gwragh'', meaning an old woman or hag, via Cornish dialect ''wrath''. It is related to the Welsh ''gwrach'' and Breton ''gwrac'h''. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |