Dragonets are scaleless. The males may be brightly coloured once sexually mature, in contrast to the usually drab females. Most species are bottom dwellers, frequently burying themselves in sand in shallow areas. All dragonet species have a similar feeding mechanism. They exist partially buried in the seabed with only their eyes visible. This is a type of defense mechanism. They are also foul-smelling and foul-tasting which makes them inedible to predators.
The grey sea slug can be found around the British Isles and into the colder northern waters of Europe, and despite its name, can be found in a range of colours, including yellow, brown or purple at the base. It has a pair of rhinophores on the head and somewhat longer protruding oral tentacles, which help to sense their surroundings and provide protection. Even though this species is only a quaint 12cm long when fully grown, it can lay up to 400,000 eggs on the underside of a rock, in a pretty ribbon pattern, usually between January and August. The larvae then disperse in plankton once hatched and are usually found in deeper depths until they reach adulthood.
Atlantic spotted dolphins are found in warm temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. They usually form groups of five to 50 individuals but sometimes travel in groups of up to 200. They are fast swimmers and often "surf" in the waves created by vessels. Young Atlantic spotted dolphins do not have spots. As a result, they can look like slender bottlenose dolphins. Their distinctive spotted pattern starts to appear all over their bodies as they get older.
Some lophelia coral reefs can be enormous, stretching for several miles and rising to at least 100 feet (30 m) above the seafloor. Lophelia coral reefs of this size may be tens of thousands of years old. Individual living lophelia colonies are extremely slow growing and are known to live for more than 1000 years. This species is commonly found down to depths of approximately 3300 feet (1000 m), but it has been observed or collected from depths of nearly 10,000 feet (3000 m).
Isopods are opportunistic scavengers, meaning that they'll eat just about anything that crosses their path, no matter how long it's been dead. Anything that makes its way down to their part of the neighborhood in the benthic zone is fair game, and makes for a reliable source of food, as long as there's no competition. While food is available, isopods will gorge themselves to ensure they have enough to survive until their next meal. As a bottom feeder and a scavenger, you may have to wait a while until something ends up that far down in the ocean. Besides carrion, isopods have also been observed to feast on small, marine prey items such as young sponges and small fish.
The Horseshoe Crab has 10 legs; four pairs are walking legs and end in a pair looking like little pincers. The inner sides of their 8 legs are covered in Gnathobase, which means little spines. They help tear up the food for dinner, before getting it into the mouth of the Xiphosura. Almost like how you might tear off a chunk of bread with your hands before eating it, rather than chewing on the loaf. The Horseshoe crab's fifth pair of legs actually has neither spines nor pincers. This pair is used primarily for digging into the ocean bed of sand, or for cleaning the crab's gills.
Scientists don't know exactly why narwhals have tusks—though they might be used to impress females or fight other males. But tusks are more than battle swords—they're packed with nerves and covered in tiny holes that allow seawater to enter. This gives tusks a sensitivity that could help narwhals detect changes in their environment such as temperature or even the water's saltiness. Clues like these might help narwhals find prey or survive in other ways.
Tiger muskies are the hybrid offspring of northern pike and muskies. They are usually sterile, less susceptible to disease, and one study has shown that they grow up to 1.5 times faster than regular muskies. They also have a "hybrid vigor", meaning they grow faster and stronger than their parents. Like muskies, they feed on fish and small birds, and they have a different stripe pattern that is much darker.
Argyrosomus japonicus has many different names, being called mulloway, butterfish, kingfish, Japanese meagre, or kabeljou, depending on where you are. they can be found in coastal waters, rivers and marinas in Australia, Eastern Africa, Pakistan, India, China, Japan, and Indonesia. These magnificent fish can grow up to 2 meters long, and are very fun to catch. They are a prized fish, as they are notoriously difficult to catch, while being easily accessible, so it's always worth a go if you're around their habitat.
Tridacna gigas is one of the most endangered clam species. Antonio Pigafetta documented these in his journal as early as 1521. One of a number of large clam species native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific and Indian oceans, they can weigh more than 200 kilograms (440 lb), measure as much as 120 cm (47 in) across and have an average lifespan in the wild of over 100 years. They are also found off the shores of the Philippines and in the South China Sea in the coral reefs of Sabah (Malaysian Borneo). The main reason that giant clams are becoming endangered is likely to be intensive exploitation by bivalve fishing vessels. Mainly large adults are killed, since they are the most profitable often sold for their meat or as large decorative pieces.