Archive for the MARINELIFE Category

"Vampyroteuthis infernalis” The Vampire Squid looks like something that swam out of a late-night science fiction movie but in spite of its monstrous name, its is a small creature growing to only about 6 inches in length. The Vampire Squid is an ancient species and a phylogenic relic, meaningRead more →

"Conus marmoreus” The Cone Snail is a large predatory sea snail and is also known as Conus, Cone Shells or Cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent (Holocene) periods. Conus species have shellsRead more →

"Aipysurus laevis” The Olive Sea Snake also known as the Golden Sea Snake, is the most common sea snake along the northern coast of Australia and nearby coastal islands. It is found mainly in warm coastal waters in the Indo-Pacific where they live on coral reefs, lagoonsRead more →

"Natator depressus” The Flatback Sea Turtle is named after its flat carapace or shell, which is unlike the curved shell of other sea turtle species. The carapace is pale grayish-green in color with the outer margins distinctly upturned. An adult Flatback Sea Turtle weighs 200 pounds andRead more →

"Lepidochelys olivacea” The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle is considered the most abundant sea turtle in the world, with an estimated 800,000 nesting females annually. The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle gets its name from the olive coloration of its heart-shaped top shell (carapace). Adult turtles are relatively small. TheRead more →

"Crocodylus niloticus" The Nile Crocodile has a well-deserved reputation as a vicious man-eater. The proximity of much of its habitat to people means run-ins are frequent and its virtually indiscriminate diet means a villager washing clothes by a riverbank, might look just as tasty as a migratingRead more →

"Macrochelys temminckii” Alligator Snapping Turtles are sometimes described as dinosaur-like because of their spiky shells and primitive-looking faces. They have three-pointed ridges along their shells that run from head to tail. Unlike all other species of snapping turtle, this one has eyes on the sides of its head.Read more →

"Nemopilema nomurai" Right off the start, the proper scientific name for these animals is "Sea Jelly" not “Jellyfish”. They are invertebrates not a fish nor do they have a backbone. The Nomura's Sea Jelly also known as the "Echizen kurage" by the Japanese, is a large jelly whose width is slightlyRead more →

"Chlorella kessleri” Plankton is composed of the phytoplankton (“the Plants of the Sea”) and zooplankton (zoh-plankton) which are typically the tiny animals found near the surface in aquatic environments. The name Plankton is derived from the Greek adjective πλαγκτός - planktos, meaning errant and by extension "wanderer" or “drifter”. Plankton typically flowsRead more →

"Echinodermata asterozoa" Right from the start, the proper scientific name for these animals is "Sea Star" not "Starfish". They are invertebrates and not a fish nor do they have a backbone. Sea Stars belongs to a large group of marine animals called echinoderms. They can be found in all oceansRead more →