Archive for the MARINELIFE Category

"Odontactylus scyllarus" What animal strikes faster than a Cheetah, has the eyesight of an Bald Eagle, is almost as ferocious as a Great White Shark and looks like a cross between an insect and a lobster?  It's the Mantis Shrimp? Indeed, the beautiful marine animals that belong toRead more →

"Phycodurus eques" The Sea Dragon is a small, delicate fish found in the tropical coastal waters of south and west Australia. Sea Dragons look similar to and are in fact closely related to Seahorses. There are 2 different species of Sea Dragon, the Leafy Sea Dragon andRead more →

"Hippocampus zostrae” Currently throughout the world, there are 35 known species of Seahorses are classified in the same family as Sea Dragons. As their name implies, Seahorses are best known for their horse shaped head, followed by their distinctive trunk and tail. A Seahorses' body is spiky and roughRead more →

"Cancer magister" The Dungeness Crab is often considered to be the symbol for the "Cancer" sign. They are about 8 inches long. Its common name comes from the USA port of Dungeness, Washington. They are considered to be one of the best tasting sources of seafood as well. Many peopleRead more →

"Grapsus grapsus" The Sally Lightfoot Crab are brightly colored scavengers of the coast. The common name is thought to have originated from a Caribbean dancer and refers to their inherent agility, jumping from rock to rock and climbing up vertical terrain. The Sally Lightfoot Crab was collected by CharlesRead more →

"Nereocyctis luetkeana" Bull Kelp begins with a large, branching hold fast supporting a long, hollow stipe that starts narrow and widens at the top, ending in a tennis-ball shaped float. Attached to the float are long, flat blades a few inches wide and up to 30 feet long.Read more →

"Cyanea capillata" Right from the start, the proper scientific name for these animals is "Sea Jelly" not “Jellyfish”. They are invertebrates and not a fish nor do they have a backbone. The Lion's Mane Sea Jelly is the world's largest sea jelly, their bells can be over 8 feet across. They haveRead more →

"Panopea generosa" The Geoduck Clam is the world’s largest burrowing clam, native to the Pacific coast of Washington & British Columbia. Pronounced “gooey-duck”, this creature grows to an average of about 2 pounds and a shell length of about 7 inches, but much larger specimens have beenRead more →

"Acanthodoris hudsoni" The word Nudibranch pronounced "nooda-brank" which means “naked gills” and consist of soft-bodied Sea Slugs who are members of the class Gastropoda in the phylum Mollusca. The majority of the colorful opisthobranchs that are seen belong to the suborder Nudibranchia. Nudibranchs can be found anywhere from the depths of the ocean,Read more →

"Panulirus argus" Spiny Lobsters get their name from the forward-pointing spines that cover their bodies to help protect them from predators. They vary in color from almost white to dark red-orange and 2 large, cream-colored spots on the top of the second segment of the tail, make Spiny LobstersRead more →