Great excitement in the diving community: on a shallow, accessible reef, several members of the Rhinopias family were spotted. Indeed these rather improbable creatures seem to have taken up residence there, moving only a little despite a growing throng of divers coming to look at them. 

Rhinopias Frondosa looks like a clump of seaweed, which probably is a good thing if you are a lazy ambush hunter. Little fish or shrimps, coming to nibble at the seaweed, might find themselves being nibbled on. Nearby its cousin, Rhinopias Eschmeyeri, looks like a dead leaf, rocking slowly to and fro on the reef. Again unsuspecting prey might get a rude surprise. 

Scientists still know little about these members of the Scorpionfish family. At one time, it was surmised that they are the two sexes of the same species, as they are usually found in close proximity. The debate is apparently not closed yet. 

Now the surprise. A diver, leading a group of tourists, found the Rhinopias Frondosa caught in a plastic bag, tied to a surface buoy. Obviously being collected for an aquarium somewhere. 

These creatures are not protected, and nothing prevents anyone from collecting and selling fish from a public reef. Yet the prospective seller was persuaded to release Frondosa to amuse future groups of divers. 

On a nearby island, the women had developed an expertise in hunting octopus, a delicacy and an important source of protein. Masters of camouflage and very timid, it is quite a feat finding an octopus underwater. An award-winning documentary, My Octopus Teacher, highlighted the intelligence of these fascinating creatures. Yet overfishing nearly wiped them from the reefs of this undeveloped island. 

Despite little education in conservation, the women understood that there was a need for the octopus population to recover and breed. Now there is an agreed-upon period when these creatures are not fished, and the population has stabilized. 

These are just two examples of a social contract between people to use the common good to the greatest advantage of everybody. 

And another question: If we know so relatively little about species we can observe and interact with, how do we hope to communicate with extra-terrestrial beings?