SCUBA News~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hello - I hope this issue brings you a fresh wave of underwater inspiration, from exploring Santorini's dive sites to discovering 10 less-travelled gems for the adventurous diver. Get expert insights with Nirupam Nigam's review of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, meet the striking Masked Butterflyfish and check out liveaboard deals that make diving more affordable.
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Your LettersHello Scuba News! Many thanks for the information you send us; it is greatly appreciated. The diving industry is very tough financially for many, and unfortunately we see bankruptcies, closures also here in Sweden. However, we maintain the positions within AUSI: reasonable prices, good training, and do not invest in mass- and fast training; here in our cold waters, it is almost always required, apart from hot summers, dry suits, double systems and solid training to cope with tough water conditions. Thanks again for the information, and please mention that AUSI is also available in Europe in your scuba bulletin. Best regards
-- Thank you Goran. We are happy to do so. More about AUSI (Australian Underwater Scuba Instructors) is on our diving qualifications page and at ausi.com.au Liveaboard Diving Offers: Dive for LessA fantastic range of partner deals. With up to 50% off.
Creature of the month is the delightful Masked Butterflyfish, Chaetodon semilarvatusA beautiful golden yellow with a distinctive blue-grey eye patch, divers can easily spot and identify the masked butterflyfish in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.  Taken in Soma Bay, Red Sea. Jill Studholme The butterflyfish family, or Chaetodontidae, are small, colourful fishes with a continuous dorsal fin. At around 23 cm long, though, the masked butterfly fish is large for its family. Chaetodontidae is the Greek for bristle teeth and indeed they do have small, brush-like teeth. The specific part of the name, semilarvatus, means half masked in Latin.  Unusual behaviourWhen preturbed the masked butterfly fish doesn't immediately flee but turns sideways showing one side of their body to the potential predator. As their eye is hidden by the mask, the hunter's normal primary target is concealed and the butterfly fish may zig zag back to safety. This behaviour makes photographing them somewhat easier than with many other fish.  Monogamous pair for lifeMost species of butterfly fish patrol a home range. The Masked butterfly fish form a faithful pair that remains together for years, if not life.  The longest monitoring study of the butterflyfish, over seven years, revealed that they stayed together throughout that time. (They live for more than 10 years.) As butterflyfish have planktonic larvae without any broodcare, monogamy hasn't evolved in response looking after offspring as in many other vertebrate groups. It is probably territorial: a pair can protect their feeding territory more successfully than individuals.  Eats day and night (but mostly night) The masked butterflyfish feeds on coral polyps by day and night. They seem to eat most during the night and late in the evening. Since coral tissue is poor in nutrients, the fish has to eat more often than carnivorous species. A stand-out speciesThe masked butterflyfish is not only striking in appearance but also fascinating in behaviour. Its lifelong pairing, unique predator avoidance tactics, slow swimming and beauty make it a stand-out species on the reef. ReferencesNeudecker, S. (1989). Eye camouflage and false eyespots: chaetodontid responses to predators. In: Motta, P.J. (eds) The butterflyfishes: success on the coral reef. Developments in environmental biology of fishes, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. Nowicki JP, O'Connell LA, Cowman PF, Walker SPW, Coker DJ, Pratchett MS. Variation in social systems within Chaetodon butterflyfishes, with special reference to pair bonding. PLoS One. 2018 Apr 11;13(4):e0194465. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194465. PMID: 29641529; PMCID: PMC5894994. Butterflyfishes of the Southern Red Sea. Zekeria. 2003 Diving news from around the World
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