Some of the places where we have done field work include the Bahamas, Belize (photos above and spawning hamlets on the left), Bermuda, Brazil (including the northeastern coast and oceanic islands of Atol das Rocas, Fernando de Noronha and St. Paul’s Rocks), Cape Verde Islands (West Africa), Christmas (Kiritimati) Island, Florida Keys, Indonesia, Johnston Atoll, the Marquesas, Marshall Islands, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Panama, Sao Tome (West Africa), St. Croix (US Virgin Islands), Moorea (French Polynesia) and Venezuela (Isla Cubagua and Margarita).


Keep voucher specimens is very important, we deposit them in scientific collections, and I have sent fish from the above locations to the Florida Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Ichthyology Collection and several museums in Brazil.

Scientific Expeditions

Our lab has a very active field component and we have the opportunity to collect fishes in many remote locations across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.


Fish collections are done mostly by scuba diving, and being a certified Scientific Diver is a pre-requisite for most field trips.


Underwater photography is also a big part of my work, and all photos in this site (unless otherwise stated) were taken by me.

Frequently, we encounter species that are rarely photographed, such as the African Angelfish, Pomacanthus africanus, endemic to West Africa. Photo taken during the expedition to Sao Tome Island.

The Black Ear Moray, Muraena melanotis, endemic to West Africa and the Central Atlantic. Photo taken during the expedition to Sao Tome Island.

The rare Fatu Hiva Damselfish, Chromis fatuhivae, found only at the island of Fatu Hiva. Photo taken during the expedition to the Marquesas.

The extremely beautiful Royal Basslet, Gramma loreto, common throughout the Caribbean. Photo taken during the expedition to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

The rare Nahacky’s Angelfish, Centropyge nahackyi, found only at Johnston Atoll. Photo taken during the oceanographic cruise to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll.

Even though it may look like paradise, It is not always like that... There is a lot of hard work involved in the planing and execution of these field trips.


Moreover, the weather in the tropics is unpredictable. The photo on the left is of the same palm tree above and it was taken a few minutes before we had to evacuate Carrie Bow Key. The storm surge from a hurricane washed the entire island and cut our field trip short!

Field trips

Conferences, Seminars and Workshops

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