San Nicholas Island photos

Guadalupe fur seals, two males fighting, Islas San Benito, Arctocephalus townsendi, San Benito Islands (Islas San Benito)

Guadalupe fur seals, two males fighting, Islas San Benito.
Species: Guadalupe fur seal, Arctocephalus townsendi
Location: San Benito Islands (Islas San Benito), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 02296

California sea lion, Zalophus californianus, San Nicholas Island

California sea lion.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 02959

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta, San Nicholas Island

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest.
Species: Northern kelp crab, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10218

Norris topsnail (aka, kelp snail), clings to a kelp pneumatocyst (bubble) at the base of a stipe/blade, midway in the water column, Macrocystis pyrifera, Norrisia norrisi, San Nicholas Island

Norris topsnail (aka, kelp snail), clings to a kelp pneumatocyst (bubble) at the base of a stipe/blade, midway in the water column.
Species: Norris' top snail, Macrocystis pyrifera, Norrisia norrisi
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10214

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta, San Nicholas Island

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest.
Species: Northern kelp crab, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10219

Kelp canopy, Macrocystis pyrifera, San Nicholas Island

Kelp canopy.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 02124

Aggregating anemones. Arrayed in a clonal group, all of these anemones are genetically identical. San Nicholas Island, Anthopleura elegantissima

Aggregating anemones. Arrayed in a clonal group, all of these anemones are genetically identical. San Nicholas Island.
Species: Aggregating anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10150

Aggregating anemones. Arrayed in a clonal group, all of these anemones are genetically identical. San Nicholas Island, Anthopleura elegantissima

Aggregating anemones. Arrayed in a clonal group, all of these anemones are genetically identical. San Nicholas Island.
Species: Aggregating anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10151

Aggregating anemones. Arrayed in a clonal group, all of these anemones are genetically identical. San Nicholas Island, Anthopleura elegantissima

Aggregating anemones. Arrayed in a clonal group, all of these anemones are genetically identical. San Nicholas Island.
Species: Aggregating anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10152

A cluster of lightbulb tunicates cling to the rocky reef, Clavelina huntsmani, San Nicholas Island

A cluster of lightbulb tunicates cling to the rocky reef.
Species: Lightbulb tunicate, Clavelina huntsmani
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10174

Feather duster worm extends from its hole in the reef to capture food floating by in the current, San Nicholas Island Island, Eudistylia polymorpha

Feather duster worm extends from its hole in the reef to capture food floating by in the current, San Nicholas Island Island.
Species: Feather duster worm, Eudistylia polymorpha
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10179

Feather duster worm extends from its hole in the reef to capture food floating by in the current. Its hole is nestled between several holdfast stipes of giant kelp. San Nicholas Island Island, Eudistylia polymorpha, Macrocystis pyrifera

Feather duster worm extends from its hole in the reef to capture food floating by in the current. Its hole is nestled between several holdfast stipes of giant kelp. San Nicholas Island Island.
Species: Feather duster worm, Eudistylia polymorpha, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10181

Sunflower star (sun starfish), dorsal surface detail, Pycnopodia helianthoides, San Nicholas Island

Sunflower star (sun starfish), dorsal surface detail.
Species: Sunflower star, Pycnopodia helianthoides
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10182

Catalina triopha nudibranch, Triopha catalinae, San Nicholas Island

Catalina triopha nudibranch.
Species: Clown nudibranch, Triopha catalinae
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10187

Nudibranch, Anisodoris nobilis, San Nicholas Island

Nudibranch.
Species: Sea lemon, Anisodoris nobilis
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10188

Christmas tree worm, Spirobranchus spinosus, San Nicholas Island

Christmas tree worm.
Species: Christmas tree worm, Spirobranchus spinosus
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10204

Norris topsnail (aka, kelp snail), clings to a kelp pneumatocyst (bubble) at the base of a stipe/blade, midway in the water column, Macrocystis pyrifera, Norrisia norrisi, San Nicholas Island

Norris topsnail (aka, kelp snail), clings to a kelp pneumatocyst (bubble) at the base of a stipe/blade, midway in the water column.
Species: Norris' top snail, Macrocystis pyrifera, Norrisia norrisi
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10212

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta, San Nicholas Island

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest.
Species: Northern kelp crab, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10215

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta, San Nicholas Island

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest.
Species: Northern kelp crab, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10216

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta, San Nicholas Island

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest.
Species: Northern kelp crab, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10220

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta, San Nicholas Island

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest.
Species: Northern kelp crab, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10223

Feather duster worm extends from its hole in the reef to capture food floating by in the current, San Nicholas Island Island, Eudistylia polymorpha

Feather duster worm extends from its hole in the reef to capture food floating by in the current, San Nicholas Island Island.
Species: Feather duster worm, Eudistylia polymorpha
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10180

Norris topsnail (aka, kelp snail), clings to a kelp pneumatocyst (bubble) at the base of a stipe/blade, midway in the water column, Macrocystis pyrifera, Norrisia norrisi, San Nicholas Island

Norris topsnail (aka, kelp snail), clings to a kelp pneumatocyst (bubble) at the base of a stipe/blade, midway in the water column.
Species: Norris' top snail, Macrocystis pyrifera, Norrisia norrisi
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10213

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta, San Nicholas Island

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest.
Species: Northern kelp crab, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10217

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta, San Nicholas Island

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest.
Species: Northern kelp crab, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10221

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta, San Nicholas Island

Northern kelp crab crawls amidst kelp blades and stipes, midway in the water column (below the surface, above the ocean bottom) in a giant kelp forest.
Species: Northern kelp crab, Macrocystis pyrifera, Pugettia producta
Location: San Nicholas Island, California
Image ID: 10222

All photographs copyright © Phillip Colla / Oceanlight.com, all rights reserved worldwide.