View of the Changi beach.
One of the first few critters we saw was the hairy seahare. The seasonal animal was noted in my recent CJ trip. However, the number is much lesser in Changi. If there are seahares, there are eggs of cause. Two makes a pair since they are hermaphrodites.
Walking along, we found a few dead critters unfortunately.
Horseshoe crab. Despite its name, it actually does not belong to the same group as crabs. This particular one measures about 45cm.
Fresh dead fish anyone? Right out from the water. Doubt it.
Peacock anemone, but retracted as it was exposed due to the low tide.
Quite a huge bivalve. I think Ron mentioned that it was a Venus shell. Sorry... STM...
Another bivalve but with 'passengers'. The smaller one should be an acorn barnacle. The larger one is actually a drill. Seems like it was having its meal. Drills are able to 'drill' a hole in bivalve shell and feed on the succulent flesh inside. It may take hours for it to drill through the shell, hence if you were to see such sightings, do not try to separate them or else you will deprive the drill of its meal and waste its effort.
A striped hermit crab.
A fat type of bristle worm. Seen this at CJ before. This worm can actually burrow into the sand and swim rather well in the water. However, do not touch with bare skin as its bristle can really irritate your skin.
Saw this in the rocky area. I thought it was a juvenile Eunice sp., but Ron told me it might not be as it lacks the distinct collar.
Also on the rocky area was this little slug called onchidium. I love this little critter. They are usually found on rocks at low tide. Beware as they are masters of camouflage. And I really mean it. Unless you stare hard to find them, most likely you'll miss them or worse... step on them.
A tiny little orange shrimp that caught my eye.
Moon snail. I waited but it doesn't want to come out... Accounts for the numerous number of sand collar (its eggs compacted with sand). Similar to drills, they drill a hole in bivalves to feed on the inside. Only difference is that they engulf their prey with their foot, encasing them totally before starting to drill for their meal.
An unknown snail with a 'passenger', a sea anemone. Not only one but I actually saw quite a number of the same type of snails, each with a sea anemone on their shell. Some critters do this to deter predators.
Crabbies!
Elbow crab. Notice the long 'arms' and the pronouced bend in it, hence its name.
Leaf porter crab. This was flipped over for a photo shot. This crab uses last two pairs of its legs to hold a dead leaf or debris and uses the others to walk around. So next time you see something moving when the water is not flowing, try flipping it over and you might find this critter.
Moon crab. I realised that this crab actually has paddles on all its legs rather than just the last pair.
Unknown crab.
Fishes!
Can you spot the fish? In fact there are two. Note the long green strip from the bottom and the long brown strip across the middle? These are pike fishes.
Scorpion fish. The long extended dorsal fin rays are actually venomous. If you step on them, be prepared for quite some excruciating pain.
Cucumbers!
Thorny sea cucumber.
This one has its feeders out (right end), savaging for food.
Wonder what's this? I saw it poking out of the sand, squirting water out when touched.
Tada! A slimy smooth sea cucumber emerges. It has a disgusting layer of mucus thou...
Sand dollar!
The currency of the sea. I wish... cause they are commonly found...
Seastars!
Sand star
Another sand star, but with a nice distinct pattern.
A very small seastar. Not sure what type thou. It measures the most only 2cm in diameter (inclusive of arms).
Another similar size juvenile seastar. Hey its green!! Cool!
Urchins!
Sea urchin was quite common at Changi. I was rather careful not to step on them.
Looks like another species perhaps. Different arrange of the spikes.
This one got itself entangled with seaweed. Interesting thing is that, it is actually on a desserted durian shell. Talk about relatives... mistaken identity?
A dead urchin. What is left is the 'skeleton' called test.
On our way back, we saw this plant. Avicennia alba I believe. It has pretty much set foot on the beach.
The highlight of the night has got to be this. A seahorse! Well, a sand star decided to steal some limelight also. Do you know that male seahorses are the ones that 'give birth'? Actually the female deposits the eggs in a pouch of the male and the male carries it to term and hence 'gives birth' to the young.
It was definitely an eventful night. But boy, were we hungry... and off to Changi Village for a heavy meal we went. Special thanks to Ron for inviting me along, and also Luan Keng and Samson for showing me around too.
4 comments:
Hi! Woa! Ur pictures are way cool! I tot sg has no such beaches! Could u pls lemme noe which stretch of changi beach the photos were taken? I'm a nature lover miself, and would love to visit it sometime. :)
Hiya,
I can't remember the carpark number. Was it 7? All I remember was that it was near a carpark and toilets. Haha...
But you have to catch the very low tides. Even the part (extension) near the jetty to ubin is good.
Icic. Thanks!
Could it be the part of the beach nearer the changi ferry terminal?
Hmm.
Yea. I think that area is okay also. Not too sure thou.
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