Frogfish

Frogfish are some of the most bizarre looking fish in the ocean. They are a type of angler fish with amazing adaptations for camouflage. Their bodies are oddly shaped and they can change colors to blend in with their environment. Most frogfish mimic corals, sponges, seaweed, or rocks. This camouflage keeps predators from identifying them as food, and it keeps their food from identifying them as predators.

Frogfish spend most of their lives scooting along the bottom of the ocean. They lie motionless, resting on specially modified fins that act almost like legs.

Like most angler fish, frogfish have a very clever method of hunting prey. Instead of going out to find their food, they bring their food to them. Frogfish have a small growth on their heads that looks like a small worm or fish. They dangle this lure in front of their mouth, tricking other fish into thinking it is food.

The fish come close, thinking they will eat an easy meal. Instead they become the meal for the frogfish.


Frogfish are found in oceans throughout the world, and they take on a staggering variety of shapes and colors.

Planet Earth Echinoderms Video

This is a clip from the amazing Planet Earth series that aired on the discovery channel. It shows the behavior of some of the echinoderms in the California oceans. You will see starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, and sand dollars. All of these are members of the echinoderm family. The stop motion photography allows you to see the behavior of these slow moving creatures.

Fish

When you think of creatures in the ocean, Fish are probably the first thing that comes to mind. Fish are some of the most populous and successful organisms in the ocean. They are fast, big, and perfectly suited for life in the sea. They are members of the phylum Chordata, meaning they have a backbone and spinal cord. Fish eat anything from algae and plankton to huge marine mammals.

Fish are some of the most diverse and populous organisms on our planet. Fish range in size from tiny fish we can barely see with our naked eye, to the giant whale shark, which dwarfs humans. Fish are spread throughout the oceans of our world and can be found in all seas except the Dead Sea (which is too salty to support any life). Fish can live anywhere from the hot tropical seas to the frigid arctic ocean. Fish have been found from the shallows of tide pools to the deepest reaches of the ocean humans have been able to explore.

I will cover some of the most beautiful, exotic, and bizarre species of fish over the course of this blog. Keep checking for more updates.

Sea Slugs

Nudibranchs, commonly referred to as sea slugs, are some of the most beautiful creatures in the ocean. They are shell-less mollusks related to octopus and clams.

They can be found in oceans throughout the globe, most commonly in shallow tropical waters.

Sea slugs eat a variety of foods, and are usually carnivores. Many species feed on sponges. Some are cannibals.

Sea slugs are often very brightly colored to warn predators that they pack deadly poisons. This kind of coloration advertises that they are bad to eat and keeps predators from trying to make snacks out of them.

Sea slugs are some of the few animals that carry both male and female reproductive organs. They can effectively breed with any other member of their species.

Introduction

The ocean is home to some of the most beautiful and amazing creatures on earth. It covers about 71% of the earth yet man has only been able to explore a tiny fraction of it. It stands as the greatest scientific frontier. Man has always been fascinated with the ocean and the life dwelling in it. I have always had a deep love for the ocean. I will be posting about some of the most interesting creatures in the ocean, along with man's adaptations to life and recreation on the vast aquamarine horizon.