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Temp: Surf 24°C
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Dive type : Recreational, Reef
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Visibility: Excellent
Recent Divers in Orlando, FL
Recent Pictures in Orlando, FL
Data provided by EOL.org
Species Identified
Rhinobatos lentiginosus Garman, 1880 (Atlantic guitafish)
Inhabits sandy and weedy bottoms, sometimes near patch reefs. Also found along beaches from shoreline to depths of 30 m . Usually buried in the sand or mud. Feeds on mollusks and crustaceans. Ovoviviparous, with up to 6 in a litter . Size at birth 20 cm . Generally uncommon .
Inhabits sandy and weedy bottoms, sometimes near patch reefs. Also found along beaches from shoreline to depths of 30 m . Usually buried in the sand or mud. Feeds on mollusks and crustaceans. Ovoviviparous, with up to 6 in a litter . Size at birth 20 cm . Generally uncommon .
Mobula japanica (Müller and Henle, 1841) (Devilray)
Dasyatis americana Hildebrand and Schroeder, 1928 (stingaree)
The southern stingray is an active swimmer that feeds primarily at night, on a diet of invertebrates and small fishes. They feeding by flapping their wing-like pectoral fins to disturb the sand, and expose their prey . T...
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The southern stingray is an active swimmer that feeds primarily at night, on a diet of invertebrates and small fishes. They feeding by flapping their wing-like pectoral fins to disturb the sand, and expose their prey . This bottom-dwelling species is often found singly or in pairs, except in the summer months when it migrates in schools to higher latitudes . Very little is known about the natural mating behaviour and reproductive biology of the southern stingray. Mating stingrays are rarely encountered in the wild; during one such rare occasion, the male was observed closely following the female, and then biting her before grasping the female's pectoral fins with his mouth, and then copulating. It is thought that southern stingrays are polyandrous, as a female was observed mating with two males in quick succession . The southern stingray is ovoviviparous, a method of reproduction in which the egg develops within the female's brood chamber. The pups hatch from their egg capsules inside the mother, and are born soon afterwards . In captivity, gestation lasted 135 to 226 days, after which a litter of two to ten young were born .
Carcharhinus acronotus (Poey, 1860) (blacknose shark)
Found on continental and insular shelves, mainly over sandy, shell, and coral bottoms. Feeds on small fishes, including pinfish and porcupine fish. Preyed on by larger sharks. Viviparous (with a yolk-sac placenta), wit...
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Found on continental and insular shelves, mainly over sandy, shell, and coral bottoms. Feeds on small fishes, including pinfish and porcupine fish. Preyed on by larger sharks. Viviparous (with a yolk-sac placenta), with 3 to 6 young per litter. Performs a 'hunch' display, with back arched, caudal lowered and head raised, as a possible threat display when confronted by divers. Utilized dried salted for human consumption.
Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810 (sand tiger shark)
The sand tiger shark is one of the best-studied of the shark species. They are the only sharks known to gulp air at the surface and store it in their stomach to provide buoyancy . These sharks generally mate between Octobe...
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The sand tiger shark is one of the best-studied of the shark species. They are the only sharks known to gulp air at the surface and store it in their stomach to provide buoyancy . These sharks generally mate between October and November and courtship can take a long time, with the male aggressively nipping his potential mate . Females are ovoviviparous, giving birth to two large pups every two years. Pups hatch out of their eggs within the oviduct of the mother's reproductive system, one in each oviduct, and then feed on eggs that the female continues to produce . Over nine months to a year, the pups grow within their mother feeding on hundreds to thousands of eggs and, by the time they are born, measure up to a metre long . During the day they are found near caves and ledges , hovering just above the surface either singly or in small groups . These fairly docile sharks are sluggish and, despite a ferocious reputation, feed mainly on fish .
Carcharhinus plumbeus (Nardo, 1827) (sandbar shark)
The sandbar shark spends the majority of its time near the sea bottom, where it patrols continuously for prey , such as small bottom-dwelling fishes, molluscs and crustaceans . Whilst the diet of the adult consists primar...
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The sandbar shark spends the majority of its time near the sea bottom, where it patrols continuously for prey , such as small bottom-dwelling fishes, molluscs and crustaceans . Whilst the diet of the adult consists primarily of fish, the pups appear to feed more on soft blue crabs . Despite its size and large triangular teeth, the sandbar shark has never been blamed for attacks on humans, preferring instead to stick to its live fish meals . Like most other members of the Carcharhinidae family, the sandbar shark is viviparous, giving birth to between 1 and 14 pups in each litter . The size of the litter varies depending on the size of the mother, with large females giving birth to larger litters . Pregnancy is estimated to last from 8 to 12 months , and appears to differ between geographical locations . The time of year in which the pups are born also varies slightly, but all females move inshore to shallow nursery areas to give birth . These nursery grounds are separated from the normal ranges of adults , and presumably offer the young a calm, food-rich environment in which to begin their lives. The females leave these coastal areas soon after giving birth, while the young remain in the nursery grounds until winter , when they move into warmer and deeper water . A common feature of sharks is their slow growth rate and low reproductive output. Estimates of the age at which the sandbar shark matures range from eight to ten years in Hawaii , to between 12 and 15 years of age in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean . Females give birth every other year at most . Populations of sandbar sharks appear to segregate by age .
Rhinoptera bonasus (Mitchill, 1815) (Cownose ray)
Caretta caretta Linnaeus 1758 (Loggerhead Turtle)
Adults are primarily carnivorous, using their powerful jaws to crack open crustaceans such as crabs and even seemingly impenetrable molluscs such as the queen conch (Strombus gigas) and giant clam (Tridacna s...
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Adults are primarily carnivorous, using their powerful jaws to crack open crustaceans such as crabs and even seemingly impenetrable molluscs such as the queen conch (Strombus gigas) and giant clam (Tridacna spp.) . Loggerheads may reach sexual maturity at around 35 years old, and females appear to nest an average of three to five times in one breeding season, returning to breed every couple of years . Nesting occurs at night throughout the summer; females drag themselves out onto beaches beyond the high-tide mark and dig nests into which around 100 eggs are laid . Hatchlings and small juveniles appear to spend some time in pelagic environments, often drifting amongst rafts of sargassum and/or flotsam in the open ocean before migrating to benthic habitats in shallower, coastal waters .
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Edward
United States
Date: 2015-08-29 - 17:30
Max Depth: 7.6m Duration: 40mins
Great indoor dive inside the happiest place on earth, Walt Disney World.
Dove in the Living Seas exhibit, through the Disney DiveQuest program.
Crystal-clear visibility of up to 203 ft, first time using pre-staged gear with only one regulator option.
A little shaky at start because of new equipment, and a bit of ring-rust, after getting my bearings it was a fantastic trip. Saw multiple new species of aquatic life.
Stopped dive with 500bar of air left in tank, started just shy of 2500.
DiveBuddy was a great guy named Chris who is also AD in the USAF.