Coral reefs and the tropical ecosystems that surround them are full of life no matter what time of day it is. Though the daytime activities of all the critters get most of the credit, some of the most fascinating activities can be observed at night! This is one of the things that I looked forward to seeing the most before I even stepped foot in Jamaica. Last night, I finally got a small taste of this fantastic nocturnal world!

The first nocturnal animal we encountered was not even from Discovery Bay but from the trees surrounding the marine lab…bats! Some fellow students were exploring right after dark and came across their dark shapes swooping from tree to tree. The area of Discovery Bay Marine Lab is considered a sanctuary to all types of animals, including these incredible bats. As unbelievable as the sight was, there was a price that came in the form of guano being dropped on my hand.

As the light shone on them, the bats, likely Pteronotus quadridens (sooty mustached) or Myotis yumnaensis (yuma motis) [ed note: species IDs based on Prof. Warren’s acoustic recordings of them] became more visible and active, allowing us to observe their darting movements (the gray blurs).

That same night, we walked down to the dock to observe the nocturnal marine life. We shined our dive lights into the water but could only spot some small fish. It was extremely windy and made spotting anything below the surface nearly impossible. We were just about to head inside when a bright red crab walked across the slipway! After identifying it, we found the name to be Grapsus grapsus, or sally lightfoot crab.

Here is when the crab crawled across the slipway and eventually climbed up the rocks of the cove to be with the other crabs.

I can’t wait to see even more on our night snorkeling trips!

-Avocado Ariana

Armed with more species knowledge and snorkeling experience than I had on day 1, I returned to the water with my snorkel buddies to try and identify and photograph new marine plants and animals. Although the water was choppy and rain clouds were closing in, we were able to spot some cool fish and capture some cool photos! My favorites were a group of longspine squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) and a clear shot of mermaid’s fan algae (Udotea). It was exciting to explore the bay on our own after the other day’s guided tour, and there’s still so much left to see.

A group of small squirrelfish hanging out by some rocks. Unfortunately, my camera is stuck in 2024, but I’ll figure out how to set the date soon!

A mermaid’s fan growing amongst the turtle grass (this was also taken in the year 2025).

The rain started just as we returned to the dock, so it was the perfect time to dry off and identify the plants and animals from the photos. Some of the other species identified from the photos were sergeant major (Abudefduf saxatilis), striped parrotfish (Scarus iseri), and yellowtail snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus). The visibility underwater wasn’t ideal, and the vast majority of my photos came out blurry, but I’d call the venture an overall success! I’m definitely still getting used to snorkeling, but I can’t wait to see how different the same underwater places look at night, when a whole new group of animals becomes active. For now, exploring the tide pools after sunset and looking off the dock for nocturnal creatures is enough for me. Talk to you soon!

• Egg Bagel Emma

As a public policy major, most people were surprised when I said I was going to Jamaica to study marine life. However, I’m someone who loves to swim and finds a variety of topics interesting, so when I heard about this program, I jumped at the chance to learn about reef species. Although the swimming was some of the most strenuous in my life, I was exhilarated by my first snorkeling trip. Armed with my camera, I was ready to see some cool species. One of the coolest species I saw was the queen conch, or Strombus gigas, which is considered threatened by overfishing.

Professor Warren holding a queen conch (Strombus gigas)

I’m looking forward to what other species I might find on future snorkeling trips. One that I’m really hoping to see is the caribbean reef squid, or Sepioteuthis sepioidea, since I have never seen a squid in the wild before.

– Lauren

After a nutritious breakfast, a group snorkel session lead by our amazing professors, and lunch it was time for me to venture out on a second snorkel session. I was accompanied by my new friends Hamburger Hannah, Tomato Tegan, Kiwi Kiyanni, and Lime Liana. After submerging into the water, we started our journey towards the previous reef patches we had gone over in our earlier session. As we headed out the visibility was very low because of the freshwater current that was running through the water column. After swimming around and up and over coral patches it was time to head back in. On our way back into the dock Tomato Tegan pointed out something moving in the sand on the seafloor. When I went to look it was a Yellowtail Stingray (Urolophus jamaicensis). It was the most amazing thing I had seen all day, and I was very excited that I got to see something so special. After all of us had taken our photos, we made our way back in and ended our snorkel session on a high note.

Yellowtail Stingray on the seafloor photo taken by: Tegan

Jordyn 

On our second day in Jamaica, we woke up early to eat breakfast and get ready for our first snorkel session. We snorkeled around the far-left side of Discovery Bay, right in front of the Discovery Bay Marine Lab. While we were out there a few of us spotted a Caribbean reef octopus (Octopus briareus). The octopus was originally seen moving throughout the turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) and quickly took cover within a patch of coral. After a bit, the octopus came back out and was moving throughout the turtle grass once again. We look forward to continuing our search for these wonders of Jamaica!

Caribbean reef octopus (Octopus briareus) surrounded by turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum)

Dante

Web burrfish (Chilomycterus antillarum) seen among the turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum)

Today we had our inaugural snorkel this morning led by our Professors Warren (Java Joe) and Peterson (Baklava Brad). Professor Warren helped me adjust my snorkel mask, thank you, and off we went! I stayed in the water for close to two hours with my snorkel buddy and roommate Kiwi Kiyanni. My roommates and I had not had our fill of snorkeling and after lunch so we went back in the bay. Our second snorkel of the day we had low visibility and went through a large cold pool that had freshwater mixing with the salt water making the water cloudy. We snorkeled over reef patches for a while and realized the water was pretty shallow so we turned around. On our way back we spent some time snorkeling over turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) and saw several species of note but most exciting on our way back to the dock we saw a web burrfish (Chilomycterus antillarum) I had seen a web burrfish with Kiyanni on our first snorkel today but due to some technical difficulties I was unable to use my camera. Professor Warren helped me fix said difficulties and I was snapping away on our second snorkel trip. After dinner today Professor Warren also helped me identify the web burrfish, I was under the impression it was a balloon fish but one of the ID books helped determine it was a web burrfish.

Web burrfish courtesy of Tomato Tegan

Hamburger Hannah

Hello, I’m Neil! I’m a marine vertebrate biology major, but I’m not just here for the fish. I’m pretty much interested in everything that moves, and my first full day at the Discovery Bay Marine Lab delivered. Before breakfast, I took a morning stroll down to the water, and I immediately saw around 6 different fish species, including a porcupine fish, several juvenile Atlantic blue tangs, and more damselfish and dwarf round-herring than I could count. After breakfast, we took our first snorkel trip of the class, and it was incredible. Just around 30 or so feet from the lab, I brought my porcupine fish count up to two, and Dr. Warren showed us several inverts up close, such as West Indian sea eggs and a massive conch. After snorkeling and lunch, me and my group took a quick walk down the boardwalk through the limestone forest, where I found beautiful plants and small insects and spiders, including one of Jamaica’s endemic jumping spiders, in the genus Compsodecta.

Male Compsodecta jumping spider, endemic to Jamaica.

Caribbean land hermit crab (Coenobita clypeatus)

At the end of the boardwalk is a stretch of shoreline, where we found hundreds of chitons, snails, and hermit crabs, as well as a beautiful Atlantic peacock flounder which let us come right up to it.

Atlantic peacock flounder (Bothus lunatus)

After dinner and Dr. Peterson’s lecture, my group and I returned to the water, where we scoured the area with flashlights and saw a yellow stingray, a needlefish, juvenile barracuda, and at least two different species of cardinalfish. The trip started out better than I could have imagined, and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

– Neil

With our feet on the ground (And the water!) here in Jamaica, we’ve begun to learn more about the environment we’ll be staying in, as well as the operations conducted by the Discovery Bay Marine Lab. As an important part of the University of the West Indies, the DBML is dedicated to the ecological preservation of Jamaica’s marine and estuarine wonders. One of these includes the propagation of mangrove trees across the island.

One of the Discovery Bay Marine Lab’s mangrove nurseries, with young mangroves being grown!

Here at the Discovery Bay Marine lab, mangroves are nurtured from propagules into young trees, which are planted across Jamaica to help with mangrove restoration efforts. Mangrove trees are an essential keystone species, and help support entire ecosystems. Three primary species are found here on the island: red, white, and black mangroves. From providing shelter for other flora and fauna, to filtering water and securing sediments, mangrove forests are one of the most important types of coastal ecosystem found in the caribbean. Additionally, mangroves play an instrumental role in protecting the land from coastal erosion and helping to dissipate dangerous storm surges and other violent waves.

A mature mangrove forest I photographed while in the Rif Mangrove Park, on fellow caribbean island Curaçao, featuring all three mangrove species common in the region

Mangrove forests are under threat around the world. These essential trees face dangers from coastal development, pollution, and climate change, among many others. The work the DBML does is vital in keeping these beautiful species thriving, and it was fascinating to learn about their process and see their mangrove nursery up close. I can’t wait to experience more tropical wild and plant life here in Jamaica, as our two week adventure continues!

-Lillian

7 AM my roommates and I got ready to have brekkie at 7:30. It was scrumptious. After our dive intro, we got to do our first snorkel and OH MY GOSH IT WAS AMAZING. Besides me almost swallowing my weight in water and figuring out my fin and snorkel techniques, IT WAS AMAZEBALLS. I saw so many beautiful creatures, like Condylactis gigantea AKA a giant sea anemone. It’s a stationary invertebrate. My favorite ones were of course the anemones with purple at the ends. Me, Hamburger H., Jello J., Tomato T., and Lime L. all went back to snorkel for a second time after lunch. This is when these great pictures were taken.

A bootiful [Ed: the course instructors do not attempt to correct the hip lingo of the students in the class….] Condylactis gigantea with purple tips on the sea floor. Picture taken by Hamburger H.

Sea anemone on a rock with green tips. Picture taken by Hamburger H.

Sea anemone with purple tips and some Osteichthyes that I believe to be French Grunt. Picture taken by Lime L.

Kiwi Kiyanni <3

The 2025 edition of Tropical Marine Ecology has begun.  Sixteen students (undergrad and grad) and 2 faculty from SoMAS arrived this afternoon despite flight delays and very long customs/immigration lines.  Students are getting an orientation to the Discovery Bay Marine Lab, and then it’s dinner time.  Stay tuned for more updates from the class.

Profs. Warren and Peterson