Carcharhinus melanopterus, island of Yap in Micronesia.

Blacktip reef sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus, Yap, Micronesia.

A half above, half below view of blacktip reef sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus, off the island of Yap, Micronesia.

Blacktip reef sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus, Yap, Micronesia.

A split image of blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus, and grey reef sharks, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, above a reef off the island of Yap in Micronesia.

The dorsal fins of blacktip reef sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus, break the surface off the island of Yap, Micronesia. Below, gray reef sharks, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, can be seen.

David Fleetham

underwater photographs of life in the world's oceans

Bluefin trevally or jack, Caranx melampygus, join a diver (MR) in a lava formation off the island of Lanai, Hawaii.

A couple (MR) diving and a day octopus, Octopus cyanea, Hawaii.

A couple (MR) diving and a day octopus, Octopus cyanea, Hawaii.

Lionfish, Pterois volitans, and a diver (MR), Raja Ampat, Indonesia.

A diver (MR) lines up over a reef with his digital SLR camera in an underwater housing with twin strobes. Kona Coast, Hawaii.

Divers (MR) on underwater scooters and a common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, in Palau, Micronesia.

Chambered nautilus, Nautilus pompilius, and divers (MR). Palau, Micronesia.

Divers (MR) and a tree of whip coral, Ellisella ceratophyta, on a reef wall in Palau, Micronesia.

Hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, and divers (MR). Palau, Micronesia.

Spotted eagle ray, Aetobatis narinari, and reef fish. Hawaii.

Spotted eagle rays, Aetobatis narinari, reach over six feet in wingspan and are related to sharks. Hawaii.

This little (less than 3 feet long) horn shark, Heterodontus quoyi, was indifferent to Mr Fleetham and his camera equipment. Galapagos Islands.

Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) gather at a cleaning station where small fish will remove parasites from their skin, West Maui, Hawaii.

This pair of dragon moray eels [Muraena pardalis] are one of the more exotic of the moray family and highly sought in the aquarium trade. Hawaii.

The jaws and teeth of Stout Moray Eel (Gymnothorax eurostus), Hawaii.

A Guineafowl pufferfish, Arothron meleagris, Hawaii.

The spotted porcupinefish, Diodon hystrix, feed primarily at night on hard shelled invertebrates. Hawaii.

A photograher (MR) on a whale watching boat out of Lahaina, Maui, get a close up look at the tail of a humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae. Hawaii.

A photograher (MR) on a whale watching boat out of Lahaina, Maui, gets a close up look at the tail of a humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae. Hawaii.

Mother gray whales, Eschrichtius robustus, bring their calves over to boats to be touched by people. San Ignacio Lagoon, Mexico.

A breaching humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, off the Big Island of Hawaii.

A breaching Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), Hawaii.

A breaching humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, off the island of Maui, Hawaii.

Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae. Hawaii.

Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae. Hawaii.

Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae. Hawaii.

A close look at the front end of a breaching humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae off the Big Island of Hawaii.

A close look at the front end of a breaching humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae off the Big Island of Hawaii.

A close look at the pleats and barnacles on a breaching humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, Hawaii.

Acorn barnacles, Coronula diaderma, and goose neck barnacles, Conchorderma auritum, attached to a humpback whale tail, Megaptera novaeangliae. Hawaii.

The front end of a humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, at the beginning of a spy hop, Hawaii. This is the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, showing baleen. Hawaii.

The ?bumps? on the head of this young male humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, have been abraded until they are bloody by aggressive interactions with other males competing for the attention of a female. Hawaii

A humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, performing a maneuver known as a "peduncle slap". Hawaii.

Humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, are thought to live 30 to 40 years, although there is speculation that this estimate is much lower than reality. Hawaii.

The barnacle encrusted tail of a humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, Hawaii.

After several breaths at the surface humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, will eventually lift their tail out of the water when diving back down to depth. Hawaii.

The humpback whale's scientific name comes from it's long pectoral fins. Megaptera, means ?big-winged?. novaeangliae is a reference to New England, where humpbacks were once common.

The blowhole of a humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae. Hawaii.

This is the tail of "JJ" the gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus, photographed at Sea World in San Deigo. She was released back to the wild, and this images background has been changed digitally to picture that.

Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, Hawaii.

Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata, also known as the slender blackfish or the slender pilot whale, Hawaii.

Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata, also known as the slender blackfish or the slender pilot whale, Hawaii.

Photographer (MR) and an oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, Hawaii.

A photographer (MR) lines up on a young humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, Hawaii.

A camera man (MR) lines up on a humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, Hawaii.

The Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis can reach twelve feet in length and is listed as ?potentially dangerous?. Hawaii.

The Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis can reach twelve feet in length and is listed as ?potentially dangerous?. Hawaii.

The Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis can reach twelve feet in length and is listed as ?potentially dangerous?. Hawaii.

The Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis can reach twelve feet in length and is listed as ?potentially dangerous?. Hawaii.

The Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis can reach twelve feet in length and is listed as ?potentially dangerous?. Hawaii.

The Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis, can reach twelve feet in length and is listed as ?potentially dangerous?. This one was photographed feeding off the Northshore of Oahu, Hawaii.

The Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis can reach twelve feet in length and is listed as “potentially dangerous”. Hawaii.

The Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis can reach twelve feet in length and is listed as “potentially dangerous”. Hawaii.

A Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis, bites down on a photographers camera housing. Hawaii.

A group of whitetip reef sharks, Triaenodon obesus, with blue jacks and a diver (MR) Hawaii.

A pair of whitetip reef sharks, Triaenodon obesus, Hawaii.

The Galapagos shark, Carcharhinus galapagensis can reach twelve feet in length and is listed as ?potentially dangerous?. Hawaii.

As a shark bites, a protective cover comes over it's eye, known as the nictitating membrane. This oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, photographed several miles offshore, is demonstrating this feature for Mr. Fleetham's camera. Hawaii.

This whitetip reef shark, Triaenodon obesus, is sticking close to the reef in search of a meal. Hawaii.

This pair of Caribbean Reef Sharks, Carcharhinus perezi, were photographed off Nassau in the Bahamas and appear to be attempting to create the ?yin and yang? symbol.

A silvertip shark, Carcharhinus albimarginatus, over the reef at Burma Banks. Myanmar.

This image of the toothy grin of a sand tiger shark, Eugomphodus taurus, was shot in southeastern Australia.

This sand tiger shark, also known as a grey nurse shark, Eugomphodus taurus, was photographed in Australia.

The toothy grin on the sand tiger shark, Eugomphodus taurus, has given the species an undeserved reputation of aggressiveness. Far from the truth they are one of the more passive species in the oceans. Australia.

This great white shark [Carcharodon carcharias] was photographed off Guadalupe Island, Mexico..

This great white shark [Carcharodon carcharias] was photographed off Guadalupe Island, Mexico..

This great white shark [Carcharodon carcharias] was photographed off Guadalupe Island, Mexico..

This great white shark [Carcharodon carcharias] was photographed off Guadalupe Island, Mexico..

This pelagic triggerfish, Canthidermis maculates, is a small meal for this oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus. Hawaii

Divers in a cage get a close look at a great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, just below the surface off Guadalupe Island, Mexico.

This Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, is giving divers in a shark cage a close look off Guadalupe Island, Mexico.

Divers in a cage get a close look at a great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, just below the surface off Guadalupe Island, Mexico

Photographers (MR) get a close pass from an enormous great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, just below the surface off Guadalupe Island, Mexico.

This Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, was photographed just outside the cage off Guadalupe Island, Mexico.

A surface, "down the mouth" view of an oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, jaw open, biting at the surface.

This split image of an oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, was taken with a Canon 15mm full frame fisheye lens several miles off the Big Island in open ocean. Hawaii.

This split image of an oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, was taken with a Canon 15mm full frame fisheye lens several miles off the Big Island in open ocean. Hawaii.

Split image of an oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, photographed several miles off the Big Island in open ocean. Hawaii.

A surface view of an oceanic whitetip shark, Carcharhinus longimanus, Hawaii.

end

cast David Fleetham underwater photographs of life in the world's oceans

images and text credit   www. www.telegraph.co.uk www.uwphotographers.net wetpixel.com          Music wav.       created olga.e.

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