For biologists, the study of reproductive dynamics is fundamental to the survival of every species and has always been one of the most important aspects to analyse and describe. However, it is also often the most challenging, due to the many difficulties encountered in direct observation. This is true for most living organisms, but even more so for beings that live and reproduce in aquatic habitats, except for the few species that can be observed in captivity in aquariums.

(To see all the images in the article, please scroll down to the end and download the PDF.)

Here, X-Ray Mag contributors share their favorite images, from the tropical waters of the Solomon Islands, Micronesia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Hawaii and Mexico to the temperate waters of British Columbia and the US East Coast.

Obessions

Text and photos by Lureen Ferretti

When looking at marine life—or even “hunting” specific species for your bucket list, as a photographer would—if possible, it is best to read up on your subject beforehand and try to gain a little more understanding of your quarry. There are four specific regions or aspects of the subject’s life that need to be explored and hopefully to have some understanding of.

Here, X-Ray Mag contributors share their favorite images from the tropical waters of the Philippines, Indonesia, the Maldives, Saba, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, Honduras and Socorro Island in Mexico to the temperate waters of Türkiye, St. Lawrence River and North Carolina.

At the Bottom of the Sea

Text and photos by Anita George-Ares, Ph.D.

Sea stars (or starfish—but they are not fish) are a common sight for divers, as they occur in all the world’s oceans, from tropical reefs to the polar seabed. But how much do you know about these slow-moving predators?

They can have between five and 30 arms, arranged in radial symmetry, and they lack blood, a brain, a heart and other vital organs. Yet they have conquered the world’s oceans. Here are some interesting facts about starfish:

(To see all the images in this article, please scroll down to the end and download the PDF.)

Here, X-Ray Mag contributors share their favorite images from the tropical waters of French Polynesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Egyptian Red Sea, the Bahamas, Mexico and Malpelo to the subtropical and temperate waters off the US East Coast.

Marine Life Multiplied

Text and photos by Anita George-Ares, Ph.D.

Here, X-Ray Mag contributors share their chosen images from the tropical waters of Palau, Chuuk Lagoon, Indonesia, Palau, the Philippines, the Egyptian Red Sea, Mexico and Honduras to the subtropical and temperate waters off the US East Coast.

Inside Cenotes and Wrecks

Text and photos by Olga Torrey

(To see all the photos in this article, please scroll down to the end and download the PDF.)

Here, X-Ray Mag contributors share their chosen images from the tropical waters of Fiji, the Great Barrier Reef, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Palau, the Philippines, the Egyptian Red Sea and Mexico to the subtropical and temperate waters of South Africa, the US East Coast and Vancouver, Canada.

A Splash of Sunshine Beneath the Surface

Text and photos by Kate Jonker