My name is Tyler,

and this is my blog about the ocean. Any pictures I post are ones that I've taken, most likely with my phone's amazing camera. My passion is marine biology, so if you believe that everything's better down where it's wetter, this is the place for you.

[tylerann0saurus]

This beautiful fish, the Stoplight Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) was found all throughout my Caribbean adventure, from Cozumel, Mexico all the way down to the reefs of Roatan, Honduras. This beautiful species begins life with black, red and green scales, but as it matures these colors change drastically. Once a Stoplight Parrotfish has fully matured, it will change from black and red to vibrant shades of green, blue, yellow and red. Its name is derived from its distinctive yellow marking on its tail, which resembles the light of a stoplight. While these fish can be either male or female in their initial phase, the green, fully matured Stoplight Parrotfish are all males. Both pictures were taken in Honduras, with the above picture being an initial phase (juvenile/female) specimen and the below picture being a terminal phase (matured) specimen.

[tylerann0saurus]

One of my favorite fish that I had the pleasure of seeing off the coast of Maya Key, Honduras, this beautiful black and blue fish is known as the Hypoplectrus indigo, or the Indigo Hamlet. These fish stick to the reef bottom and can grow up 5 inches long, and can be found throughout the Western Central Atlantic.

[tylerann0saurus]

This picture was taken with an underwater camera during a family cruise through the western Caribbean Sea; this particular picture was taken off the coast of Maya Key in Honduras. An incredible pair of sea urchins, with the colors of the top one giving it an almost molten appearance. I actually have not been able to identify the species of this sea urchin, and I can't seem to find any pictures out there of similarly colored specimens.

[tylerann0saurus]

This is one of our two McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse. These pictures are of the male, who is often seen “flashing” (displaying its colors and finnage) for the female. McCosker’s flasher wrasse, or Paracheilinus mccoskeri, is native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, inhabiting the reefs there.

[tylerann0saurus]

Hi! My name is Sky. I just created this marine biology blog and I was wondering if you could check it out? I'm an aspiring underwater photographer and marine science expert! I really like your blog btw! Thanks:)

An underwater photographer, now that's an awesome profession(: I like your blog as well! Some awesome pictures there. I look forward to seeing what else you post!

[tylerann0saurus]

This picture is of a color variant of an Ocellaris Clownfish that was being sold at That Pet Place in Pennsylvania. Of all hobbyist aquarium fish sold, clownfish are by far the most popular. Clownfish make up about 43% of all global marine ornamental trade. However, of all the different kinds of clownfish out there, the two most popular species are by far the Percula clownfish and the Ocellaris clownfish. At a glance, the two species are almost indistinguishable from each other. However, there are three physical differences that can help you tell the two species apart.

The first major difference is the general size of the dorsal fin and how many spines are inside of the dorsal fin. Percula clowns typically have 10 spines in their dorsal fin, and it is usually shorter in height when compared to an Ocellaris. Ocellaris clowns typically have 11 spines, and have taller dorsal fins.

The next major difference is the thickness of the black outline of the fish's white stripes. Percula clowns usually have thick black outlines, whereas Ocellaris clownfish typically have very thin black outlines, sometimes to the point of barely being present at all.

The last major difference that can be seen at a glance is the color of the fish's eye. A Percula clownfish's eye usually has orange around the pupil, while an Ocellaris clownfish usually has black around its pupil.

Although these are good rules to follow, one must consider that variations are quite common among these species of clownfish, and the two species can be bred and crossed with each other. Inconsistencies among individuals and cross-breeding can lead to some fish that can be pretty difficult to identify.

[tylerann0saurus]

Probably one of my favorite pictures, this is a Thor Amboinensis, also known  common name of Sexy Anemone Shrimp, that was for sale at That Pet Place in Pennsylvania. Easily one of the prettiest shrimp, these tiny little crustaceans only ever grow to be about 0.5 inches long. They get their interesting name from their unique posture when standing or walking. Sexy anemone shrimp always keeps its abdomen curved upwards into the air, and when they walk, they sway their abdomens back and forth as if trying to be seductive. These interesting little invertebrates can be found all over the world, including the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and other various bodies of water.

[tylerann0saurus]

This picture is of a comb jelly at Monterey Bay Aquarium, whose species I have not been able to figure out yet. Although they look like sea jellies, these little creatures actually belong to an entirely different phylum. Sea jellies, or jellyfish, belong to the phylum Cnidaria (pronounced Nye-DARE-ee-uh). Cnidarians, which are creatures like corals, anemones, and sea jellies, are grouped together because they all have stinging cells, known as nematocysts. Comb jellies, however, do not have  stinging cells. Because of this, they are actually part of the phylum Ctenophora.

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The Flamboyant Cuttlefish, known by the scientific name of Metasepia pfefferi, is found around northern, western and eastern Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. These brightly colored creatures are unique among cuttlefish in that they do not flee when threatened. Instead, they pulse their fins and change their colors in a hypnotic fashion. These are also one of only three cephalopods that have been deemed toxic to eat. This particular picture of a flamboyant cuttlefish was taken at Monterey Bay Aquarium.

[tylerann0saurus]

The Purple Sea Urchin, known by the scientific name of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, as an echinoderm, like sea stars, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers. They are found all along the California coast, and are easily identifiable with their vibrant purple spines. Young specimens have green spines. These pictures were taken at a tide pool along the Coastal Highway, near Monterey.

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Mastigias papua, a sea jelly by the common name of Spotted Jellyfish, is a sea jelly that can be found throughout the South Pacific ocean. These little invertebrates usually grow to be four inches long, but can reach lengths of up to one foot. They typically live for about four months long. Small immature fish will sometimes take shelter in the bell of these sea jellies to hide from predators until they come of age. These particular spotted sea jellies are on display at Monterey Bay Aquarium.

[tylerann0saurus]

Triakis semifasciata, also known as the leopard shark, is a docile shark that is very common off the California coast. This picture of one was taken at the Kelp Forest exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium. These sharks usually have silver-bronze skin with dark ovals along their backs. They can grow up to seven feet long, with females typically growing larger than males. They typically stick to shallow water, where they hunt for small fish and invertebrates. As these sharks age, the inside of their "leopard" spots get paler in coloration, making it relatively easy to guess at a specimen's general age just by inspecting their spots.

[tylerann0saurus]

This picture of the Enchelycore pardalis, commonly known as the Leopard Moray Eel, was taken in Monterey Bay Aquarium. Moray eels are unique fish that possess no external gills, pectoral fins, pelvic fins, or scales. Because of their gill structure, these fish always look as though they're gasping for breath. Another incredible feature of moray eels is a second set of jaws. The set that we see are their oral jaws. Inside their throat, however, lies a second set known as the pharyngeal jaws. When a moray eel captures prey, it uses its mouth, or oral jaws, to hold the prey in place. The pharyngeal jaws then come forward to grasp the prey and then retract, pulling the food down farther into its throat.

[tylerann0saurus]

This picture of a group of Upside-down Sea Jellies (Genus species) was taken in Monterey Bay Aquarium. This jelly is unique in that it rests its bell on the seafloor while upside-down. They do this because of the symbiotic algae that live in the tissues of the jelly's underside. By lying upside-down, the upside-down sea jelly exposes its underside and the algae within it to the sun. This provides enough sunlight for the algae to photosynthesize, which provides the sea jelly almost all the food it needs to survive. These creatures also filter the water for zooplankton with their eight oral arms to gain the rest of the sustenance they need.

[tylerann0saurus]

This Giant Clam (Tridacna sp., possibly Tridacna gigas) is on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Clams have two main ways of getting food- through filter feeding and a symbiotic relationship with certain algae. Clams have two "siphons" that they use to both breathe and suck in tiny organisms to eat. The one that they use to suck water is has many small, tentacle-like cilia used to catch tiny plankton to eat. The other siphon is used to pump water back out of the clam. Alongside filter feeding, clams rely on tiny algae inside of their bodies for vital sugars and proteins. They have a symbiotic relationship: the clam provides the algae shelter and protection from organisms that would eat them, and the algae provide the clam with sugars and proteins that they get from photosynthesis.

[tylerann0saurus]

These pictures were taken at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Anemonefish are a unique group of fish that form symbiotic relationships with anemones. Also known as clownfish, and the two most famous species are Percula clownfish and Ocellaris clownfish. These fish find an anemone host to live in for shelter and food, and secret a special mucus from their skin to help nullify the sting of their host and collect certain chemicals that the anemone produces. By rubbing their bodies against the anemone, clownfish are able to cover themselves with chemicals that the anemone uses to identify itself with. These chemicals are how anemones keep from stinging themselves- thus, anemonefish are able to trick their host into thinking that the fish is actually part of the anemone. This is why their host doesn't sting them.

[tylerann0saurus]

An unidentified sea urchin in Monterey Bay Aquarium. The vibrant blue dots in between its spines are the sea urchin's eyes. Sea urchins are echinoderms, which means "spiny skin". Echinoderms have bumpy skin, tube feet, and five-point radial symmetry.