Floreana Island Dive Tour

This endemic fish is easy to identify, it can stand on the bottom since uses its fins as legs. The head is depressed but elevated, with two prominent eyes and a medium-sized mouth with red lips. The tail is a fan-shaped caudal fin, and its colors are light brown to grey on the back and white underneath. Size about 25 cm or 9.8 inches. It is usually found on sand or rubble bottoms, the depth range can be wide, but is more common between 10 to 20 m (30 to 60 ft).

This marine mammal can dive because of a series of anatomical adaptations, specific dive physiology and behavior. Since the beginning they can hold their breath underwater, but not for a long period of time. The first true dives start normally around the first year. They can store oxygen in their blood cells and in their muscle. The amount of oxygen depends on the animal size, a larger animal can store more oxygen. The administration of oxygen is a key part of dive physiology, the blood circulation will prioritize organs like the brain, the eyes and the heart, while digestion can be completely stopped during a dive, the lungs also collapsed. In longer immersions, they can enter in a deep apnea state, which means lower base metabolism and the breathing reflex suspended.

Octopus oculifer is one of the most common species in the Galapagos water and is considered an endemic species that habit the coastal ecosystem. Octopus has one of the largest and most complex nervous system and brain in the animal kingdom. The brain is contained in a cartilage capsule. The main sense is the eyes, which not only are complex but works in different ways, some species can detect colors and apparently this ability helps to modify the color of their skin to minimize according to the substrate. The octopus can hear between 400 and 1000 Hz, although most of the hearing takes place at 600 Hz.​ They also have a very good tactile sense. The suction cups have chemoreceptors so they can perceive the taste. The tentacles do not tangle or stick together, because the sensors recognize their own skin.