God's wonderful creation: Windy at Cyrene Reef

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Windy at Cyrene Reef

Two weeks after Chinese New Year, we are out on another evening tide to check out one of our favourite shores: Cyrene Reef!

Cyrene Reef is ringed by petrochemical plants on Jurong Island and Pulau Bukom. It is also right next to the container terminals on Pasir Panjang. Cyrene Reef has one of the best seagrass meadows in Singapore and its seagrasses are home to lots of marine life!

It was very windy on this trip but we also get to enjoy a rainbow that emerged from the direction of mainland.

As previously sighted at Seringat-Kias, the Forskal's sidegill slugs (Pleurobranchus forskalii) are in season and of course Cyrene never fails to host these fellow in great abundance.

Here's a variety of the different Forskal's sidegill slugs found during the trip.

It was difficult to spot critters on a windy and slightly higher tide. Am glad to still be able to find various slugs such as the Ornate leaf slug (Elysia ornata), Bohol nudibranch (Discodoris boholiensis) and the Beaded nudibranch (Hoplodoris nodulosa). This is probably our first sighting of the Beaded nudibranch in the south!

The mass gatherings of the adult Knobbly sea stars (Protoreaster nodosus) are nowhere to be seen from where we were exploring. They seem to have migrated, though we found one towards the end of the trip.

Whereas, the younger knobblies can still be found in their seagrass nurseries, though not many too.

I found one Thorny sea urchin (Prionocidaris sp.) and noticed it is also home to a commensal Tiny colourful brittle star (Ophiothela danae).

Hidden partially in the sand would be these Grey bonnet snails (Phalium glaucum). The Grey bonnet is listed as 'Endangered' in the Red List of threatened animals of Singapore. It is threatened by habitat loss and over-collection.