Komodo National Park dive 14: “Tatawa Besar” (2019-1-22)

Dive site notes: 14:52-15:50 (58 min). Max depth=18 m. 24-25ºC (cold), 30% oxygen. poor viz=8 m, high particulate load, gentle current, a typical sloping reef dominated by a fluorescent orange soft coral, small massive Porites, Diploastrea, Pocillopora verrucosa (the world’s most common coral as far as I can tell), giant clams, small digitate Acropora, Platygyra, barrel sponges, Stylophoa pistillata (SP), high fish biomass and diversity (though small mean size), Porites rus (small), Pocillopora acuta, fire coral, some areas dominated by massive sponges, 2-3-m diameter manta, first Napoleon wrasse, Fungia, Galaxea, fairly high relief/structure compared to some reefs in the area. SP=common, Hynophora, Pocillopora eydouxi, Isopora, some table Acropora spp., finger Porites, Tubastrea (green), high Acropora spp. diversity. Not much coral above 11 m. Seriatopora hystrix, fire coral, and soft corals all common in shallows. Black tip reef shark. Large areas of rubble dominated by soft corals covering huge areas of 5-7 m. Another manta at end of dive.