An underwater photographer was amazed by the sight of several barrel sponges releasing what looked like ominous plumes of smoke into the water.
He'd actually caught them in the act of spawning. The experience was "like something from a sci fi movie," says photographer Aaron Sanders on Instagram.
Sanders came across the stunning spectacle while diving with Mermaid Liveaboards in the Banda Sea, Indonesia. “I was fortunate enough to witness multiple barrel sponges [releasing] plumes of their spawn into the water column,” he says.
More amazing wildlife stories from around the world
- Birds of paradise ‘glow’ in secret biofluorescent courtship dance
- Dusty old moth found in London museum leads taxonomists to remarkable discovery
- Diver films dramatic moment two giant cephalopods collide in South Australia
- This fearsome ocean crawler slurps prey like a smoothie and breathes through its legs
Video and image credit: Aaron Sanders, originally posted on Instagram 6 December 2024
