Marine Life Encyclopedia (2024)

01/03/2023

Sea Hare
The California sea hare is hermaphroditic: it has both female and male s*x organs. Mating occurs in the spring and summer; sea hares find each other using chemical cues in the water. Several sea hares may congregate and form a “daisy chain,” either giving or receiving s***m.
Natural history
California sea hare eggs are encased in a protective sticky jelly and look like masses of spaghetti noodles. A sea hare may lay up to eighty million eggs; its larvae hatch in 10-12 days.
The horn-like structures seen on the head of the sea hare are called rhinophores. (“Rhino” means nose, and “phone” means carrier.) Rhinophores allow these animals to pick up chemical cues in the water, such as those from other sea hares during mating season.
Conservation
Rocky shore creatures are at risk from coastal development and pollution such as oil spills and agricultural runoff.
Cool facts
When threatened by predators, a sea hare releases a dark purple fluid in defense. The ink gets its purple color from a pigment in the red algae that makes up part of the sea hare's diet.
A sea hare can't see as we do — its simple eyes can only tell light from the dark.
This slug has a secret shell! The California sea hare has an internal shell that encases its vital organs.

01/03/2023

Red Handfish - The rarest fish on earth
Handfish are a type of anglerfish famous for their modified fins that resemble human hands, which they use to “walk” across the sea floor rather than swim.
Previously known from just one small 50m patch of reef in south-eastern Tasmania, red handfish are thought to have a total population of just 100 adults. Varying in color from bright red to light pink/ brown these tiny benthic fish are typically less than 10cm in length.
The video below shares the story of the recent discovery of a second red handfish colony. At the end of the video, you will learn about the latest conservation successes using a strategy called 'head-starting'.
Highly dependent on their seaweed habitat
The reproductive cycle of the red handfish is said to be complex but poorly understood. Their spawning season is from August to October, though, unlike many marine species, they do not spend their early stages of life drifting as larvae within the water column, and therefore, have poor dispersal capacity which limits their ability to colonize new areas. The females lay their eggs at the base of diverse seaweeds or seagrass and stand guard until they hatch directly onto the sand as a fully developed juvenile between 4 and 6 mm in length.
A species at risk
Their risk of extinction is due to varying processes that affect their diverse seaweed habitat including pollution, excessive nutrients, warming seas, and interactions associated with urchins and their predators. Additionally, collection for the aquarium trade and invasive species are potential threats.
Lend a helping hand
Given their size, small range, and wild remote habitats, red handfish are extremely difficult to find. If you see a red handfish or you think you might have seen one but you're not 100%, get in touch with the team at the Handfish Conservation Project.

28/02/2023

Scorpionfish,
The unlucky prey of the scorpionfish never sees what’s coming until it’s too late. Members of the scorpionfish family are experts at blending in with their surroundings, making them excellent ambush predators in their habitat. Fish of the scorpionfish family are some of the most poisonous animals in the ocean. The combination of their physical appearance and venomous spines makes the scorpionfish a force to be reckoned with in the sea.
Scorpionfish are bottom-dwelling fish that have also been called rockfish or stonefish because they tended to live among rocks near the seafloor. There are more than 200 known species of scorpionfish in the ocean. Members of this fish family are commonly found in the Indian and South Pacific Oceans where water temperatures are temperate and coral reefs are plentiful. Coral reefs provide the perfect space for a scorpionfish to hide and hunt for prey and also avoid any potential predators brave enough to take a bite. But, the body of a scorpionfish is just as important as its habitat when it comes to remaining unseen. Scorpionfish are covered in feathery fins or skin flaps that help with camouflage against surrounding coral. Some scorpionfish are dull in color–mottled brown or yellow– while other species are bright red or orange, making them virtually invisible when hidden among either rocks or reefs. Scorpionfish are also equipped with spines containing dangerous venom. When the spines pierce a predator, the venom is injected immediately at the point of contact. A sting from one of these spines can be potentially fatal to other animals and extremely painful to humans.
Scorpionfish are exceptional sit-and-wait predators. Scorpionfish only hunt at night and spend daylight hours resting in crevices. They will remain in the shadows of rocks or reefs before pouncing on unsuspecting prey swimming by. Their diet consists of small fish, crustaceans, and snails that also live in coral reefs. A scorpionfish’s mouth is wide in size, which allows the fish to quickly suck and swallow prey whole in one bite. Scorpionfish can also use their venom to stun prey before eating them. Predators of scorpionfish remain few, but sharks, rays, and large snappers have been known to hunt the fish.
Most scorpionfish species are less than two feet in size and have a lifespan of 15 years. A female scorpionfish may release upwards of 15,000 eggs into the water for fertilization by the males. Fertilized eggs float to the surface where egg-eating predators are less likely to get to them. After just two days the eggs will hatch and baby scorpionfish will remain near the surface until they are big enough to swim down to the reefs where the adults swim. Scorpionfish face few threats in our ocean—they are not commercially fished because of their venom, but some species may be caught as incidental bycatch when lines and hooks are set near reefs. Their coral reef habitat may also be in jeopardy due to warming oceans and global warming.

28/02/2023

Striped Pyjama Squid,

The striped pajama squid is one of the few known poisonous cephalopods (squid, octopus, cuttlefish, and nautilus) that roam the seafloor of the Indo-Pacific Oceans, along with the flamboyant cuttlefish and the Southern blue-ringed octopus. Scientists believe that the striped pajama squid’s distinctive black stripes give away its venomous nature to potential predators, but small glands under the body are responsible for releasing the toxic slime that is dangerous to passersby.

Despite its common name, the striped pajama squid is a species of cuttlefish, a versatile animal that can often change its appearance, has an internal shell, eight arms, and two feeding tentacles. The striped pajama squid’s small and rounded appearance like that of a dumpling has inspired other people to commonly refer to it as the striped dumpling squid. It lives in sand and mud habitats of shallow coastal waters from the southern Great Barrier Reef to central South Australia.
Similar to other small cephalopod species, the striped pajama squid is a master of disguise and during daylight will bury itself in a background of sand and broken shells so that only the top of its head is visible. Its yellow eye is usually the only part of the cuttlefish that pokes above the sea floor. At night, the cuttlefish emerges to feed on small shrimp and fish. Two long fins flank the sides of the striped pajama squid’s body and the arms of its two feeding tentacles have small suckers, each with a toothed h***y rim. The underside of its body is covered in small glands that secrete slime when the striped pajama squid is under attack, quickly scaring off any predators from making a move. It can also drastically change color to a dark purple-brown, making it easier to camouflage itself against rocks and corals near the bottom of the ocean.
The male pajama squid begins mating by grabbing a female and positioning itself so that they are head-to-head. He then places his s***m packet close to her mouth where she stores it to use when she lays her eggs. If the male finds s***m from a previous male, he will attempt to remove it with a specialized scoop on his lower arm. Females lay round white eggs in little clumps on the seafloor or under coral rubble, and young hatchlings are born with their black pajama stripes already fully visible. Striped pajama squid will only reach about 7 centimeters in length when fully grown.
Data are lacking on the conservation status of striped pajama squids. Commercial fishing does not typically target them, but their shallow coastal habitat is susceptible to human impact. More research is needed to fully understand the status of the striped pajama squid and their future in our oceans.

28/02/2023

Stoplight Loosejaw
How deep? From around 1,600 to almost 13,100 feet (500 to 4,000 m)
Characteristics: The distinguishing feature of the stoplight loosejaw is its jaw which is larger than its skull and has no floor
The stoplight loosejaw belongs to the family Stomiidae, better known as dragonfish. It has an elongated body and rounded snout with sharp fangs, which give it its dragonlike appearance. The jaw of this ambush predator hangs loose, ready to quickly snap and catch even larger prey whenever the opportunity arises.
Loosejaws can both see and produce red light, which gives them a significant advantage over other fish living in the twilight (mesopelagic) and midnight (bathypelagic) zones. It allows them to stay hidden when using the red light to look for prey, as the long wavelength red light is invisible to most other fish. Loosejaws are actually able to produce both red and green light thanks to bioluminescent organs (photophores) around their eyes — this earned them their name “stoplight.”

27/02/2023

Lionfish,
The lionfish, a longstanding showstopper in home aquariums, is a flourishing invasive species in U.S. Southeast and Caribbean coastal waters. This invasive species has the potential to harm reef ecosystems because it is a top predator that competes for food and space with overfished native stocks such as snapper and grouper. Scientists fear that lionfish will also kill off helpful species such as algae-eating parrotfish, allowing seaweed to overtake the reefs. In the U.S., the lionfish population is continuing to grow and increase its range. This is large because lionfish have no known predators and reproduce all year long; mature female releases roughly two million eggs a year.
Identification: Lionfish have distinctive brown or maroon, and white stripes or bands covering the head and body. They have fleshy tentacles above their eyes and below the mouth; fan-like pectoral fins; long, separated dorsal spines; 13 dorsal spines; 10-11 dorsal soft rays; 3 a**l spines; and 6-7 a**l soft rays. An adult lionfish can grow as large as 18 inches, while juveniles may be as small as 1 inch or less. Lionfish have cycloid scales (fish scales that are oval or elliptical with a smooth edge).
Non-native Range: Lionfish have been reported along the southeastern United States coast from Florida to North Carolina. Juvenile lionfish have been collected in waters off Long Island, New York, and Bermuda. Lionfish are a popular marine ornamental fish and were possibly intentionally released into the Atlantic. The first lionfish was reported in South Florida waters in 1985 with many additional sightings occurring until they were documented as established in the early 2000s.
Habitat: Lionfish are found in mostly all marine habitat types found in warm marine waters of the tropics. Lionfish have been found in water depths from 1 to 300 feet on hard bottom, mangrove, seagrass, coral, and artificial reefs (like shipwrecks).

27/02/2023

Coral Reef
Not only will you find remarkable creatures in coral reefs; but you'll also find that the reefs themselves are quite stunning. Coral varies in shape, size, and texture, but they are perhaps most admired for their variegation. The different colors they display are a result of photosynthetic pigments, fluorescent proteins, and nonfluorescent chromoproteins.
Of course, their brilliant colors are severely threatened by warming water temperatures. Rising temperatures result in a reduction in the number of microscopic algae that produce the food corals need to survive, which can destroy coral or cause severe damage to their ecosystem. As of 2021, coral bleaching impacted some 75% of reefs globally.2
Even the largest coral reef system in the world, the Great Barrier Reef, is dying. Other threats to coral reefs include pollution and overfishing.

27/02/2023

White-Plumed Anemone
With more than 1,200 species of sea anemone in the ocean, these creatures are responsible for some of the most stunning colors and shapes you'll find underwater. The white-plumed anemone is among the most captivating because of its odd cauliflower floret-esque appearance.
This columnal plant can grow as tall as three feet and thrives in cold water from Alaska to San Diego. And while the soft pouf at the top looks like a nice place for a fish nap, those tentacles are the anemone's primary tool for stinging and catching prey.

26/02/2023

Enypniastes Eximia
Despite being discovered in the 1880s, the enypniastes eximia was not caught on camera until 2017. This genus of deep-sea sea cucumber is unkindly called a "headless chicken monster" by scientists, and it has neither a true brain nor sensory organs. A better descriptor is the "swimming sea cucumber." Still, it plays a valuable role in filtering sediment off the ocean floor.
The colors of the enypniastes eximia vary from bright pink to reddish-brown. Notably, it is also transparent, which allows its digestive system to be visible. It's considered quite active for being a small, deep-sea creature, and it grows to a length of 9 inches.

26/02/2023

Christmas Tree Worms,
One look at a Christmas tree worm is all it takes to know where they get its name. These beautiful creatures are scattered throughout tropical oceans worldwide, but you'll most likely find them embedded in coral reefs. The feathery "crowns" that give them their distinct yuletide appearance act as both a filter for food and a harness for oxygen. Each worm has two.
Unlike their namesake, Christmas tree worms come in a variety of colors including red, blue, orange, and yellow. They can live for as long as 40 years, making them a much better investment than your typical Christmas fir tree. You only see the crown protruding from the coral, and when the worm gets startled, it retracts rapidly into its burrow. They're not very big—only about 1.5 inches in length.

26/02/2023

Flying Gurnard,
The flying gurnard is most notable for its eye-catching "wingspan." Gurnards usually keep their huge pectoral fins held close against their body, but they flare out spectacularly when a predator is near. The transparency of the fins combined with the colorful blue spots that adorn them make this creature, especially beautiful underwater.
While their name suggests that they fly through the water, flying gurnards are bottom-dwellers. Their large fins do little to help them swim—they don't soar so much as move in short bursts. The name gurnard is derived from the French word for "grunt," which is the sound made by their swim bladder as water moves through it. Flying gurnards grow up to 20 inches in length.

25/02/2023

Nudibranch,
You probably know of nudibranchs by their informal name: sea slugs. These soft-bodied marine mollusks include more than 3,000 species and live in seas all over the world, from warm tropical seas to all three of Canada's frigid oceans.
Nudibranchs can be a variety of bright, beautiful colors and patterns. This is a defense mechanism because of their lack of shell. They resemble the plants around them to camouflage themselves from predators. National Geographic photographer David Doubilet once described them as "the high fashion models" out of all the sea creatures.1
Additionally, bright colors scare away potential dangers as they generally signal that a creature is poisonous (even if it isn't). Amazingly, these animals can soak up their prey's pigment into their tissue, which "allows them to be camouflaged while feeding atop the very animals they eat."You probably know of nudibranchs by their informal name: sea slugs. These soft-bodied marine mollusks include more than 3,000 species and live in seas all over the world, from warm tropical seas to all three of Canada's frigid oceans.
Nudibranchs can be a variety of bright, beautiful colors and patterns. This is a defense mechanism because of their lack of shell. They resemble the plants around them to camouflage themselves from predators. National Geographic photographer David Doubilet once described them as "the high fashion models" out of all the sea creatures.1
Additionally, bright colors scare away potential dangers as they generally signal that a creature is poisonous (even if it isn't). Amazingly, these animals can soak up their prey's pigment into their tissue, which "allows them to be camouflaged while feeding atop the very animals they eat."You probably know of nudibranchs by their informal name: sea slugs. These soft-bodied marine mollusks include more than 3,000 species and live in seas all over the world, from warm tropical seas to all three of Canada's frigid oceans.
Nudibranchs can be a variety of bright, beautiful colors and patterns. This is a defense mechanism because of their lack of shell. They resemble the plants around them to camouflage themselves from predators. National Geographic photographer David Doubilet once described them as "the high fashion models" out of all the sea creatures.
Additionally, bright colors scare away potential dangers as they generally signal that a creature is poisonous (even if it isn't). Amazingly, these animals can soak up their prey's pigment into their tissue, which "allows them to be camouflaged while feeding atop the very animals they eat."

25/02/2023

Brittle Star
Closely related to starfish, brittle stars move briskly along the seafloor, thanks to long, slender arms. Their attractiveness can be attributed to their symmetry, with each arm protruding from a central disk.

Brittle stars, which are also known as serpent stars, are majestic and agile in their movement. They combine a graceful, snakelike quality with flexibility to pull themselves toward their intended direction.

They are also excellent multitaskers, with a five-jawed mouth and the ability to regenerate lost arms. They usually hide under rocks or in crevices during the day, venturing out to feed at night.

23/02/2023

Mantis Shrimp

The shrimp has a "huge punch", just swinging the claws is enough to damage its prey.

Neither a shrimp nor a mantis, this stomatopod is only four inches long. With a long, colorful body and big, bright eyes, the mantis shrimp surely turns heads.

However, this sea creature is more dangerous than it lets on. It uses its tiny but powerful clubs to break the shells of its prey with punches with the force of a .22 caliber bullet.

Mantis shrimp are an extremely fascinating group of shrimp species. While most shrimp species feed on tiny organisms or scavenge on dead organisms, mantis shrimp are true predators. Mantis shrimp have forelimbs that have been modified to spear or stun their prey, and mantis shrimp are broken into subgroups based on this feature.

“Smashers” use these forelimbs as clubs. Since these modified forelimbs have a massive power behind them, they can create forces unequaled in the animal world. The club can reach speeds of nearly 50 mph in a fraction of a second. This creates a force of over 1,500 newtons or the same as a 340-pound object falling directly onto the prey! But, the acceleration of the club also creates a sonic wave, which smashes into the prey shortly after the actual club. This gives Smashers a “1-2 punch” that can cripple much larger prey.

When being studied, scientists must keep mantis shrimp in thick plastic tanks because their powerful punches can break the glass. Even the Guinness Book of World Records states that the mantis shrimp packs the most powerful punch of anyone in the animal kingdom.

20/02/2023

Blue Whale, Do you know how big they really are?

Most of us have seen photos of a glorious, gigantic blue whale; but without something to show scale, it's hard to fathom just how tremendous they are in size.

Blue whales are the largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth. These magnificent marine mammals rule the oceans at up to 100 feet long and upwards of 200 tons. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts are as much as an automobile. For comparison, an adult African bush elephant weighs up to 6 tons, so it may take 30 or more elephants to equal the weight of one blue whale.

The blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have existed — even out-sizing dinosaurs. They weigh up to 441,000 pounds. Their hearts are the size of a car; their heartbeats can be detected from two miles away.

At birth, they already rank amongst the largest full-grown animals. Because of commercial whaling, the species almost went extinct by the 20th century. Thankfully, it has slowly recovered following the global whaling ban. That said, there are fewer than 25,000 individuals left. These animals remain endangered and face a number of serious threats including ship strikes and the impacts of climate change

20/02/2023

Leafy Seadragon

Sea dragons are some of the most ornately camouflaged creatures on the planet. Adorned with gossamer, leaf-shaped appendages over their entire bodies, they are perfectly outfitted to blend in with the seaweed and kelp formations they live amongst.

Though they may look like pieces of seaweed, the leafy seadragon is a fish more closely related to the pipefish than to a seahorse, though it's an intermediate between the two.

Known as "leafies," these creatures are kings of camouflage, living among kelp and seaweed in the waters off south and east Australia.

The flowing protrusions may look like functioning appendages, but the leafy seadragon uses thin, nearly transparent fins to propel itself through the water. Most impressively, this beautiful sea creature has the ability to change color to match its surroundings for better camouflage.

The seadragon has a long, pipe-like snout that it uses to feed. It primarily eats crustaceans including plankton and mysids, but its diet also includes shrimp and small fish. It catches its prey using its ability to be camouflaged. Leafy sea dragons oddly enough do not have teeth, which is rare amongst animals that eat small fish and shrimp.

17/02/2023

Coconut Octopus

The coconut octopus is considered one of the most intelligent invertebrates in the animal kingdom. It impressively uses tools—such as coconut shells—to conceal itself and protect itself from predators. (You can see a fascinating demonstration of this self-defense tactic in the 2020 documentary film, "Mʏ Oᴄᴛᴏᴘᴜs Tᴇᴀᴄʜᴇʀ," although that was a common octopus, not a coconut one.)

When it's not hiding in a self-made bunker, the coconut octopus is a beautiful sea creature. Its appearance is notable for its contrast between light and dark tones. The textured pattern of its main body is reminiscent of snakeskin, and light-colored suckers pop underneath the darker body as this cephalopod swims and even walks along the ocean floor. They are found in the tropical waters of the western Pᴀᴄɪꜰɪᴄ Oᴄᴇᴀɴ.

17/02/2023

Sailfish, Fastest Fish in Ocean

Like a cheetah that runs on land, the Sailfish bullets through the ocean at incredible speeds, making it the fastest wish to swim in Earth’s waters. It’s big, agile, and capable of bursting at extreme speeds to run past predators and catch prey in the blink of an eye. They can swim at speeds reaching a whopping 70mph (about 112 kph).

Marine Life Encyclopedia

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