Jawfish

To recognise a jawfish you look for a blunt head and prominent eyes protruding vertically from a hole in the seabed. Sabah's jawfish (Opistognathus spp.) include the dendritic jawfish. Scientists Jordan and Richardson first described them in 1908. They construct and maintain deep burrows in sandy-rubble plains. They carry gravel and sand in their mouths to build their burrows. The resulting architecture is structurally sound enough to withstand ocean currents. They hover vertically just above their burrow entrance to feed on passing zooplankton. They retreat tail-first at lightning speed at the slightest provocation. They rely entirely on their burrows for defence.

Mabul and Kapalai dominate the muck diving conversation in the Celebes Sea and a jawfish there is a lucky find. Lankayan Island in the Sulu Sea is the definitive destination. The island is heavily protected as a Marine Protected Area inside the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area. This location provides the coarser sandy substrates required by deep-burrowing species. The resort here is the only one on the island. It closes annually in January and February.

Jawfish Lair

Skill level: Intermediate | Substrate: sandy rubble This dive site sits a few kilometres south of the main island. It features unusually large jawfish congregated in high densities. The sandy substrate provides the ideal building material for their burrows. You rely entirely on your guide to find them. The dive guides have specific active burrows mapped out. Stay close to your guide and follow their signals to locate the inhabited holes.

The behaviour to watch for is a male carrying eggs in his mouth. A male incubates the female's fertilised egg clutches within his extended jaws for several weeks. He must periodically spit the entire egg mass out for a few seconds. This action aerates the eggs and clears detritus before he draws them rapidly back in. A validated photographic record of this behaviour at Lankayan dates to 25 March 2009. April and May are the best months to watch for this mouthbrooding behaviour. Whale sharks pass through between March and September and are seen occasionally. Seeing the jawfish aerate its eggs is a lucky find that rewards patience.

Capturing a mouthbrooding male is an exercise in extreme patience and breath control. Exhaling loudly or moving erratically sends the fish deep into its burrow for extended periods. The approach that works is slow and low. You must lie flat on the sand and pre-focus your macro lens on the burrow entrance. You need to control your breathing and wait. Photographers sometimes wait up to 20 minutes until the fish re-emerges and becomes comfortable enough to aerate the eggs in the open. You need a long focal length macro lens like a 100mm or 105mm. Getting physically close will prevent the behaviour from occurring.

The fish's welfare comes before the photograph. These fish rely entirely on their specific micro-habitats for survival. Never move an animal out of its habitat for a photograph. A subject moved from its burrow is exposed to immediate predation. Do not prod or unearth anything. Hovering directly over a burrow or crowding a brooding male causes severe physiological stress. Your buoyancy, lighting and patience are the skills that let you photograph these fish in their own habitat.

Scientific databases like the World Register of Marine Species record their taxonomy thoroughly. Global conservation statuses are not heavily documented for this specific species. Their highly localised populations mean protecting their specific reef habitats is vital. The marine protection around Lankayan ensures their sandy plains remain undisturbed by destructive fishing practices.

The dive guides at Lankayan know precisely where the active burrows are. Finding them relies entirely on that local expertise. You stay at Lankayan Island Dive Resort to dive these sites. The accommodation includes wooden beach chalets and water chalets. You can bundle this with a Two Coasts package to experience both sides of Sabah. An underwater photography itinerary ensures you get the bottom time you need to wait for the jawfish. You might also explore the Lankayan wrecks during your stay. You can look for other species among the critters of Semporna during visits to the Celebes Sea.

• Lankayan
• The Lankayan wrecks
• Critters of Semporna
• Two Coasts
• Underwater Photography

Send your dates and the names of everyone coming. State the certification levels of your party. The team comes back with what can be arranged for your time in Sabah.