What is it? Florida Keys

[herbdb]

This is a cropped blow-up of a reef photo I took last month in the Florida Keys. Can anyone identify the white objects in the photo?

They are an inch or so in size. This is the best resolution I can get from the photo. If I had noticed them when shooting, I would have taken a close up.

 

[herbdb]

I managed to blow up and enhance part of the image. Perhaps it will help with the identification.

 

[Scuba Monkey]

The white needle is a calcareous spike that guards a christmas tree worm hole. The worm retracted itself for protection (probably from your approach), and the spike is a deterrent for even the hungriest reef fish. They will usually reappear after a minute or so. When the worm is out, you can't see the spike.

 

[scubaren]

Those are my teeth. They fell out when I sneezed.

 

[OBXDIVEGUY]

Yup, agree its christmas tree worms. They are seen in a bunch of different colors: yellow, red, purple... They retract very quickly when you come near them, but will come out eventually if you stay still. They embed themselves on a bunch of different corals out there.

 

[herbdb]

Thanks, I am learning to be a lot more observant when diving, I guess I need to move slower too.