By Alex Suh

This blue ring octopus was flying through the currents, which were heavy in Bali.

Location: Padang Bai Jetty, Bali

Category: Behavior

By Rick Mowbray

Two cowrys meet on a rocky slope. We have never seen this before and have to assume it is part of their courtship ritual.

Location: Kona, Hawaii

Category: Behavior

By Johnny Chiou

I saw him on top of the reef and it looked like he was ready to take off.

Location: Kenting,Taiwan

Category: Macro

By Fayol Chan

I was photographing a female blue ringed octopus, when out came a male from far behind and ...... hooked ON! These unique creatures were splendour all around with golden and blue "unique moment"!

Location: Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

Category: Behavior

By Arthur Borges

I had seen cleaning stations before but nothing like this one. Three different types of shrimp, small fish everywhere and this leopard moray eel being cleaned. After I took this photo, I was even more surpised to see another one come out of the same hole.

Location: Bali

Category: Behavior

By Mark Fuller

A cleaner shrimp gives a grouper a cleaning.

Location: Eilat Red sea

Category: Behavior

By Rick Mowbray

These giants aggregate yearly off the Yucatan coast of Mexico. They arrive with clockwork precision to feed on the spawning skipjack tuna. They skim the surface vacuuming and allow us to watch!

Location: Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Category: Behavior

By Filip Staes

I found two mating nudibranch of the species Halgerda batangas on a macro dive at Permuteran. I used a strobe with a snoot to capture this intimate moment.

Location: Permuteran/Bali

Category: Behavior

by Karin Laurel

One of my favorite fishes posing for me! When I was trying to ID him, the book listed him in the section called "Odd-Shaped Swimmers!" (My favorite group of fishes!)

Location: Bonaire

Category: Behavior

By Martin Klein

I shot this nudi using UV lights at a night dive. I love the flashing colors and the bokeh.

Location: Lembeh

Category: Macro

By Karin Laurel

I never tire of these bright echinoderms.

Location: Sea of Cortez

Category: Divers

By Leonardo Paez

Anemone Shrimps are always elusive, hiding behind anemones. This little fella was the opposite! He even enjoyed flashes and attention. I had the opportunity to take many pictures. Thanks buddy!

Location: Fort Lauderdale Beach

Category: Macro

By Yen-Yi Lee

Coleman Shrimp are also known as Fire Urchin Shrimp, Sea Urchin Shrimp and Toxic Urchin Shrimp. They are found usually in pairs exclusively on the fire urchin, which is also known as the toxic sea urchin. The larger one is the female. The host urchin's spines do not harm the shrimps, but they usually clear an area on the urchin where they perch. They feed on parasites, algae and plankton.

Location: Anilao, Philippines

Category: Macro

By Marchione Giacomo

Perclimenes Imperator on nudibranche in simbiosis.

Location: Hairball. Lembeh strait, Indonesia

Category: Macro

I found this treasure at the end of the tunnel of the magical cave.

Location: St. John's Caves, South Egypt

Category: Wide Angle

By Christian Vizl

A crab hiding beneath a sea urchin.

Location: Sacatoso, Ixtapa, México

Category: Macro

By Steffen Binke

Close-up encounter with an eagle ray after 45 minutes of swimming around me.

Location: Belize

Category: Wide Angle

By Jeffrey de Guzman

This is what I call a nose-bleed shot: I spent two days trying to get this head-on shot, doing a total of five dives; 30-plus minutes per dive at 33 meters and more than 30 minutes deco per dive. I would like to note that this shot would not have been possible without the Nauticam SMC +15 Diopter. The magnification and sharpness are equal to none; it makes shooting super macro with an fx camera possible.

Location: Lembeh Indonesia

Category: Macro

By Marcello Di Francesco

Location: Mabul Island - Malaysia

Category: Behavior

By Gaetano Gargiulo

Pigmy file fish sleeps hanging to the kelp with their teeth.

Location: Botany Bay (NSW)

Category: Behavior

By Henry Mather

Squid caught on Blue Heron Bridge.

Location: Blue Heron Bridge

Category: Macro

By Rick Mowbray

Close up of a striking starfish.

Location: Dumaguete, Philippines

Category: Macro

_By Irwin Ang _

Juvenile Marble Shrimp.

Location: Anilao, Philippines.

Category: Macro

There's nothing cuter than a bespeckled underwater critter! We've compiled a gallery of animals from whales to shrimp with colorful freckles that were submitted to our 2014 Through Your Lens Photo Contest.

Photo names and captions provided by photographers.

More from the our Annual Photo Contest:

Cooky, Cool and Cute Crustations | Jaw-Dropping Shark Photos | 20 Amazing Nudibranch Photos