Sea Life

The Atlantic white-sided dolphin is a short-beaked oceanic dolphin that lives in the northern Atlantic Ocean.

Bamboo sharks are found in shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. They are small, slow-moving sharks with long tails.

The second largest known fish in the world, the basking shark may look scary, but it’s a harmless filter feeder.

The beluga whale is a whale that lives in the cold Arctic and sub-Arctic waters, notable for its white coloration.

This shark is named for the black tips on its dorsal and caudal (tail) fins. It’s found mainly in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, usually around coral reefs.

Blue crabs are crustaceans found in the Western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, named for the blue coloration on their claws and legs.

Named for their steely blue color, this slender shark inhabits the deep waters of the world’s warm oceans.

The bluespotted ray, also called the bluespotted ribbontail ray, is a common sight in the tropical areas of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, usually around coral reefs.

The blue tang is a striking fish in the surgeonfish family, named for its bright blue coloration. Found throughout the Indo-Pacific Ocean, it prefers reef habitats.

The blue whale is the largest living animal and the largest animal, by weight, ever known to have existed. These gentle giants are currently endangered.

The bottlenose dolphin is one of the most recognizable and familiar types of dolphin, occurring nearly worldwide in warm and temperate marine waters.

The bowhead whale is named for its arched mouth – shaped like a bow. It’s one of the longest lived animals on Earth.

While it may not have horns, this shark known for its unpredictability and aggressiveness more than lives up to its name.

Catfish are so named because of whisker-like structures on their face, known as barbels. Some species of catfish are among the largest freshwater fish alive today.

Named for the black line of feathers around their lower face that resembles a chinstrap, these penguins are found in the South Pacific region, including Antarctica.

These vibrantly patterned reef fish are usually orange and white, and are able to hide among the venomous tentacles of sea anemones. They are found in the Indian and Pacfic Oceans.

The cownose ray is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, and gets its name from their uniquely shaped head that resembles a cow’s snout from above.

The largest living species of penguin, the emperor penguin is found in Antarctica and can grow over three feet tall.

Flying fish don’t really fly, but they are capable of propelling themselves out of the water and gliding through the air at speeds of over 35 miles per hour, and distances of over 600 feet.

Frogfish are oddly shaped, stocky marine fish who use camouflage to stalk their prey and hide from predators. They live on rock or coral reefs throughout the world, and can be found in most subtropical and tropical ocean areas.

Long known from specimens that washed up on shore, the giant squid was not captured on film in its natural habitat until 2004.

Goliath grouper are a mostly quiet, mostly gentle behemoth that can be found in rocky shores and in shipwrecks. Once a prized game fish, it is now legal only to catch and release the giants. Divers often find them fascinating and will approach the languid fish as they guard their territories. This usually results only in a few nice pictures and an interesting story, but the fish – which can be four times larger than a human – should be treated with respect and caution.

They gray whale is found today only in the Pacific Ocean, and is the only living member of its family, Eschrictiidae.

One of the most feared and misunderstood creatures in all the ocean, the great white shark is one of the top predators of the sea.

This large sea turtle is found throughout the world’s subtropical and tropical oceans. Its common name comes not from its outer color, but the fat found underneath its shell.

Grey reef sharks are one of the most common sharks in Indo-Pacific waters, this shark inhabits reefs, passes and drop-offs. When picture the archetypal “shark”, the image in their heads is usually very similar to the look of the grey reef shark.

There are currently nine recognized species of hammerhead shark alive today, each with a uniquely shaped hammer-like head that gives them their common name.

Hermit crabs are known for their habit of claiming shells of other animals as their “homes” in order to protect their vulnerable bodies.

Though they are called “crabs”, horseshoe crabs are actually not crustaceans at all. They are arthropods more closely related to spiders, scorpions and other arachnids.

Humboldt penguins are found along the western coast of South America, on islands and rocky coastal areas.

Humpback whales are one of the most easily identifiable marine species in the world. An image of the giant beasts breaching nearly their entire length from the ocean or raising their tails with the huge, tattered-edged flukes is commonly seen both in conservation messaging as well as corporate logos and advertisements. Their scientific name translates to ‘big winged New Englander’ due to their large pectoral fins, which can reach 15 feet. Thousands of whale watchers flock to boats that once hunted the animals for a chance to see one for themselves.

Jellyfish are soft bodied, free-swimming sea animals, usually with tentacles that can deliver a nasty sting.

Koi fish are domesticated Amur carp, which have been specially bred to display a wide range of striking colors and patterns.

While the traditional range of the large mouth bass was the east half of the United States, it is now one of the most widely distributed freshwater fish in the world. This is due to their popularity as game fish and their ability to adapt to many different freshwater environments. The range now includes all of the US, Japan, South Africa, much of Europe, as well as New Zealand and the Philippines. They can be found anywhere from large lakes and rivers to swamps.

The largest living sea turtle (and the largest living of all turtles), the leatherback is so named because of its thick, leathery shell, as opposed to the harder shell found on most other turtles.

Lemon sharks are tropical sharks that enjoy shallow waters such as bays and mangrove swamps. Their yellowish coloration helps them blend into the sandy shallows they call home. Though it is not aggressive toward humans, it should be treated with respect and may attack if provoked. They live in the Atlantic Ocean along the coast of North and South America, as well as the western coast of Africa. They are also found in the Pacific along the coast of Central America and the Gulf of California.

Leopard seals are top predators in the Antarctic. They appear almost reptilian with their long, sleek bodies and large head with strong jaws.

Despite its fearsome name, this shark is harmless to humans. It gets its name not from its ferocity, but from the large spots on its body.

This sea turtle gets its name from its large head, which features powerful jaws and a beak that allows this turtle to crush the shells of the animals it feeds upon.

Found throughout the world’s tropical and subtropical oceans, the mahi-mahi’s dazzling colors (and delicious taste) make them popular sport fish.

These clawed crustaceans are found along the northeastern coast of North America and are the heaviest crustacean living today.

One of the fastest fish alive, mako sharks are found in offshore ocean environments. The shortfin mako is found worldwide, while the longfin mako prefers warmer environments.

Sea monsters have long captured man’s imagination, and real animals are often tied to these myths. When Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic, he sighted what he called a mermaid near the Dominican Republic in 1493. This was the first know sighting by a European of a manatee. He did make note that they were not as attractive as he had been led to believe. Even the name of their order ‘sirenia’ comes from the Latin word that represents sirens and mermaids. It is unknown how long a man has to be at sea before he confuses a sea cow with a woman.

Manta Rays are among the largest species of ray living today. Despite their nickname “devil fish”, they are actually gentle giants that are totally harmless to humans.

The marble ray, or round ribbontail ray, is found throughout the shallower waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. These rays are popular for ecotourism divers, due to their usually docile nature, large size and striking appearance.

Megamouth sharks were only discovered in 1976 and it was purely by accident. A US Navy vessel snagged a large male in its anchor line and the 14-foot specimen was hauled aboard and later preserved for study - although considerable damage had been done before preservation could occur. The deepwater animal was not only found to be a new species, but it also represented an entirely new genus. At the time of their discovery, many people believed that no large shark species were left to be discovered and the megamouth was a shock to the scientific community.

The term “Minke Whale” is used to refer to two closely related species of baleen whale: the Northern and Southern Minke Whale. It is the second smallest baleen whale, but still quite a large animal overall.

Morays are a family of mostly saltwater (but a few freshwater) species of eels that are found worldwide. One of the largest is the green moray.

The narwhal is a unique species of whale that lives in Arctic waters, known for the spiraling tusk that protrudes from the upper jaw in most males.

Since this is one of the most studied sharks, the main mystery that remains is the origin of its name. There are three theories to what it could be. The first, and most common, is that the shark is named for the sucking sound it makes as it hunts, possibly resembling a nursing baby. The other two theories involve archaic words - ‘nusse’ and ‘hurse’. Nusse refers to catsharks, which is still a term applied to nurse sharks in Caribbean waters, where they are called "tiburon gato". Hurse is an Old English word for sea-floor shark.

The oceanic whitetip shark is a large shark found in the open ocean in warm tropical waters. Despite its name, it is not closely related to the whitetip reef shark. Though both are “requiem” sharks in the family Carcharhinidae, they have little in common in terms of appearance and behavior, other than the white marks on the edges of their fins.

Octopuses are eight-legged sea creatures known for their intelligence and unique abilities to manipulate the shape and color of their boneless bodies.

With its distinctive coloration, the orca (or killer whale) is one of the most recognizable denizens of the sea. But did you know this “whale” is actually a dolphin?

The polar bear is the largest living bear species, and also the largest living land carnivore (meat eater). Unlike most other bear species, the vast majority of its diet consists of meat.

Porbeagle Sharks are a type of mackerel shark, related to the Mako Shark, Great White and Salmon Shark. They live in the colder waters of the north Atlantic and southern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In the north Pacific Ocean, the Salmon Shark fills a similar ecological role.

The small, colorful reef squid is found off the coast of Florida and in the Caribbean Sea. They are one of several species of “flying squid” that can launch themselves out of the water for short distances.

Right whales are large plankton eating “baleen whales”, named because they were considered the “right” whales to hunt during the days of whaling.

Rockhopper Penguins get their name from the rocky shores where they make their nests, and their habit of hopping from rock to rock to get around (instead of sliding like most penguin species). They are members of the genus of crested penguins, which are notable for their spiky yellow feathers on their heads.

Salmon are fishes that are noteworthy for their anadromous life cycle. They are born in fresh water, then they swim to the ocean where they live most of their lives, and then they return to fresh water to breed. Salmon are an important food fish that is heavily farmed.

Salmon Sharks are a type of mackerel shark, related to the Mako Shark and Great White. They live in the colder waters of the northern Pacific Ocean. In the Atlantic Ocean, a similar related shark filling the same ecological role is the Porbeagle.

Though it can grow quite large and has a mouth full of frightfully sharp teeth, the sand tiger shark is actually quite docile and has only rarely ever attacked humans. This shark is quite common in public aquaria.

Sawfish are a family of endangered rays notable for their long snouts, which feature rows of teeth on either side similar to a saw.

Sea lions are carnivorous marine mammals, related to seals and walruses.

Seahorses are unique fish with a distinctive body shape including a horse-like head, a curling prehensile tail, and an upright swimming posture.

The sei (pronounced “sigh”) whale is named for the Norwegian word for the pollack, a fish whose arrival often coincided with that of the sei whale. One of the longest whales, it rivals the bowhead for the title of third largest in terms of length. It’s also one of the fastest whales, able to travel at speeds of over 30 miles per hour.

The shark ray is a unique species of fish that has features found in both sharks and rays. It is found in the Western Indo-Pacific Ocean.

The silky shark is named for the smooth feel of its skin. This shark is found worldwide in tropical waters.

The South African penguin is found only on the southern coasts of the African continent. Like all penguins it cannot fly, but is a very effective swimmer.

The largest living toothed predator on Earth, sperm whales can grow over 50 feet long, with their large heads being up to one third of their total body length.

Spiny lobsters are large crustaceans that resemble true lobsters, but lack the distinctive large claws. They also have much more prominent, thick antennae. Spiny lobsters are not closely related to the true lobsters despite the similar appearance, though both are crustaceans in the order Decapoda.

Starfish look like stars, but they aren’t actually fish. They’re a type of invertebrate called an echinoderm.

Stingrays are a type of cartilaginous fish (meaning their skeletons are made of cartilage, not bone), like their relatives, the sharks. They have large pectoral fins that run most of the length of their entire body, giving their bodies a disc or diamond shaped appearance. They have long, whip-like tails armed with a barbed stinger that can deliver a venomous sting to any creatures that threaten the stingray. There are currently around 220 known species.

Thresher sharks are known for their unusually long tails, the top lobe of which can be as long as the rest of the body (nearly half the shark’s total length).

The tiger shark is notorious for its habit of eating just about anything. It gets its name from the striped markings which are most prominent on juvenile sharks.

With its distinctive coloration, the orca (or killer whale) is one of the most recognizable denizens of the sea. The "Type D" orca is a unique kind of orca with distinctive physical features.

The Vaquita is the smallest of the cetaceans, a group that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. It is also by far the most endangered, and it is estimated there may be as little as 30 of these marine mammals left in the wild.

A relative of the seahorse, the weedy seadragon has protrusions on its body that resemble seaweed, to help it camouflage and hide from predators.

The whale shark is most popularly known for its gigantic size. Despite being called a whale, the whale shark is not a whale at all. The term, whale, in their name is due to the large size that is comparable to cetaceans. They are the biggest fish in the world. Many people are surprised to learn that whale sharks are filter feeders and their diets consist of tiny plankton, shrimp, krill, larvae, small fish, and even some algae. With quite an imposing size, most people are relieved to learn that whale sharks pose no great threat to humans.

The whitetip reef shark is a relatively small species of shark in the family known as requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae), which also includes the bull, tiger, lemon, gray reef, blacktip reef, and blue sharks. This shark is unique among its relatives, with its slender body and blunt snout with tubular nasal flaps.

Zebra sharks were named for the striped patterns found on juvenile sharks. As the shark matures, the stripes transition to black spots, which often cause people to mistake the adults for leopard sharks. Zebra sharks are a type of carpet shark. They are nocturnal feeders and spend a great deal of the daytime hours resting on the floors of tropical oceans in the Indo-Pacific region. Their agile bodies allow them to slip into crevices to chase their prey in in-shore areas like coral beds and sand flats. These sharks are docile and not dangerous to humans.