Splendiferous Sea Life

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The Mototi Octopus, otherwise known as the Poison Ocellate Octopus, has only two iridescent blue rings located between its eyes and arms.

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Toadfish from Cozumel, Mexico

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Crimson Crinoid, otherwise known as a Feather Starfish

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Wailord fatten up in Northern feeding grounds before heading South to look for a mate, they travel over 10,000 miles per year in an endless migration cycle and can survive on their blubber reserves for up 4 months. Northern Sinnoh Bay 1975

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The Olindias Formosa, also known as the Flower Hat Jellyfish

This stunning fluorescent jelly has a translucent bell with dark, opaque pinstripes. Lustrous, multicolored, fluorescent-tipped tentacles trail from its bell, while others are coiled up close to their bodies, making them appear short. Flower hat jellies are nocturnal and remain on or close to the sea bottom during the day. They are found off of southern Japan, Argentina, and Brazil. A part of their life cycle has recently been observed for the first time. |

Splendiferous Sea Life

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Blue Crab in the Gulf of Mexico

Also known as the Chesapeake blue crab or the Atlantic blue crab, these crabs are strong swimmers—largely due to their fifth pair of legs, which are shaped like paddles. They are striking to spot with their often bright-blue claws and olive-colored carapace (shell). The claws on the adult female blue crab are tipped with red. Males can be seven to eight inches (18 to 20 centimeters) across, while females are a bit smaller in size.

The blue crab is widely distributed along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, from Nova Scotia through the Gulf of Mexico and as far south as Uruguay. It also has been introduced in other parts of the world. This crab inhabits estuaries and brackish coastal lagoons. Predators include the Kemp's ridley sea turtle and the whooping crane.

More info here.

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Flower Hat Jellyfish (Olindias Formosa)

Habitat: Brazil, Argentina, and off Southern Japan

This is the rather rare Flower Hat Jellyfish (Olindias formosa). When it’s not using its long, pink tipped tentacles, it will curl them upwards towards its pin-striped bell to sit and wait until some kind of prey comes along.

These jellyfish usually hang out at the sea floor but will occasionally rise to the surface if they’re in the mood. Not much is known about the Flower Hat Jellyfish since it’s a hard creature to find. If you were wondering if you could touch this pretty little thing; I have some bad news. While its tentacles are quite beautiful, they will produce a nasty sting (not deadly, just painful) so try and keep your distance if you ever do run into one of these guys!

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Nudibranch Magnifica - Western Central Pacific

Known only from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and eastern Australia. Also the Philippines.

Approximately 2,300 species of nudibranchs are known to science, this species is called “Magnifica”. Nudibranchs are basically snails without shells. For protection, they use chemical warfare! They eat poisonous things to make themselves more poisonous to predators. They’re all carnivores, and some are cannibals. They’re good examples of the saying ‘beauty’s only skin deep’!

NUDIBRANCHS or SEA SLUGS - Nudibranchs are part of the mollusc family even though they have no shell. They come in every imaginable shape and colour, and occur in oceans worldwide from the tropics to the Southern Ocean. Approximately 2,300 species of nudibranchs are known to science, with the name derived from Latin and Greek words meaning ‘naked gill’. This is appropriate as many species breathe through a gill on their back which is shaped like a rosette. Others have toxic appendages or ‘cerata’ on their backs, to deter predation.

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Heart Feather Duster - Cayman Islands

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Fantastic Facts About the Portuguese Man-of-War

It isn't a jellyfish, and isn't even a single organism.

With its mohawk-like feature, the Portuguese man-of-war is a decidedly punk-rock sea creature. But that's just one of the many odd and interesting facts about this creature.

the man-of-war washes up on beaches all over the world, from South Carolina to Britain to Australia.

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Lions Mane Jelly The largest known species of jellyfish. The largest recorded specimen was washed up in Massachusetts in 1870. It had a bell (body) with a diameter of 7 feet 6 inches and tentacles 120 feet long.

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Moon Jellies

Such a beautiful appearance and mesmerizing swimming behavior... Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) have the very recognizably jellyfish umbrella shape and numerous thin, almost tassel-like tentacles ringing the margins of their bodies. When the lighting is just right, a pretty iridescence shines over their bodies and tentacles. The strong pulses generated by their bodies as they swim immediately dispel any misconception that all jellyfish are mere blobs that just float around with the currents. A dense group of moon jellies all hovering together can be a very impressive sight.

Photo by: Wernher Krutein

For more, see: Splendiferous Sea Life blog on tumblr

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Longhorn Cowfish from Spain ~ He's a Lover, not a Fighter. Just look at those lips...

Longhorn Cowfish (Lactoria cornuta) | For more, see tumblr blog: Splendiferous Sea Life ~ Fish, Sea Life, Diving Photography

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Zebra Stripes Anemone in Timor Leste

Anemone’s ancestors have dated back over 600 million years ago and have been linked to possibly having the same ancestors as animals and not just plants. They have adapted over the years in order to protect themselves. First of all since they do not have skeletal structures they have been known to release an adhesive substance and stick rocks, sand, shells and other things to themselves in order to be protected. They also have adapted to release venom and sting animals in order to paralyze them.

This one was found in East Timor, an island country in the eastern Lesser Sunda Islands, at the southern extreme of the Malay Archipelago.

Photo by Nick Hobgood

For more, see: Splendiferous Sea Life

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A Flamboyant Cuttlefish (Metasepia Pfefferi) patrols the substrate using two forward arms.

From the Cephalopods Family: Blue-Ringed Octopus, Mimic Octopus, Wunderpuss and Flamboyant Cuttlefish are often the most fun to engage, as they are also the most intelligent of marine creatures.  The Wunderpus and Mimic both enjoy feeding on and playing with mantis shrimp, and as a result they tend to share the same habitat.  Hunting on open sand flats, they will move from hole to hole in search of their next meal.  Both are fast moving, animated creatures that are quick to morph colors and shapes.

Flamboyant cuttlefish can be seen walking about on the substrate using two forward arms, and rarely swim unless threatened.  The colors are generally muted until the cuttlefish is excited, when it flashes its flamboyant colors to ward off predators or to communicate.  The skin tissue is also reported to contain TTX, so contact with a flamboyant cuttlefish is highly discouraged.  Cephalopods are the most intelligent invertebrates on earth, however they have a physical limitation that requires them to rest often.  Their hemoglobin wont carry much oxygen as other critters, and most have two hearts to help pump the blood through their body.  This is a big advantage for underwater photographers.