Photo of the Week: Squad Goals

From left, Scripps Oceanography researchers Jennifer Smith, Samantha Clements, Nicole Pederson, and Emily Kelly pose with a charming frogfish in this photo Kelly took earlier this year.

"In this photograph, our 100 Island Challenge research team had just completed two weeks of field work in Maui Nui (Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Maui) when we did this final dive on Maui," Kelly writes. "Commerson's frogfish (Antennarius commerson) are regular residents of this reef and we typically have an idea of where to spot them thanks to friends on island who swim the reef daily. It's always nice to say hello to these familiar friendly faces amidst busy underwater work days."

"Who wouldn't be charmed by this fish?"

(Follow Kelly on Instagram at @elak2041.)

In addition to this trip to the Hawaiian Islands, the 100 Island Challenge team recently returned from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Wake Atoll, and Jarvis, Howland, and Baker Islands.  Members of the team are currently collecting field data with local partners in Palau. The goal of the 100 Island Challenge is to better understand how reefs work around the globe and how they respond to local and global stressors such that society can better manage reefs into the future.

Related Image Gallery: Photo of the Week 2017