Coral reefs have the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem on the planet, even more than a tropical rainforest. Occupying less than one percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs are home to more than twenty-five percent of marine life. Saint Martin’s Island (SMI) is the only island of Bangladesh where coral colonies are found. The amazing colorful creatures of SMI remain hidden to the visitors due to inhabiting beneath the water. This underwater album attempts to expose a fraction of the beauties of this island to the readers with a hope to take part in supporting and conserving this tiny but biodivesitically rich island from their own positions. This underwater album covers 131 faunal and 18 floral species representing different groups of organisms viz. Bivalves (5 species), Crabs (5 spp.), Feather star (1 sp.), Fireworm (1 sp.), Fishes (53 spp.), Flatworm (1 sp.), Hard corals (27 spp.), Hermit crab (1 sp.), Jellyfishes (3 spp.), Lobster (1 sp.), Octopus (1 sp.), Sea anemones (3 spp.), Sea cucumber (1 sp.), Sea fans (8 spp.), Sea fern (1 sp.), Sea slug (6 spp.), Sea turtle (1 sp.), Sea snail (1 sp.), Seastar (1 sp.), Sea urchin (1 sp.), Sea whip (1 sp.), Sponges (3 spp.), Tubeworms (4 spp.), Zoanthid coral (2 spp.), and Seaweed (18 spp.). The photographs of these species were captured by scuba diving and snorkeling in the water depth of about 3 to 7 meters in the adjacent area of Saint Martin’s Island, Bangladesh.

Find the preview of this Book: Underwater Citizens of Saint Martin’s Island, Bangladesh