221 Amazing Marine Animals Encyclopedia

Common name : Fin-backed whale, Finner, Common rorqual, Herring whale, Razorback Scientific name : Balaenoptera physalus Family : Balaenopteridae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : Fin whales can swim up to a speed of 40 km per hour Conservation status : Endangered Measuring 18.5-22.0 metres long, fin whales are the second largest animals […]

Common name : Southseas devil, Southseas demoiselle, Fiji damsel Scientific name : Chrysiptera taupou Family : Pomacentridae Native to : Western Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : The male guards the eggs until they hatch. Conservation status : Not Evaluated This blue fish with neon-like reflections lives in lagoons and offshore coral reefs. It is an

Common name : Banjo shark, Fiddler, Green skate, Parrit, Southern fiddler ray Scientific name : Trygonorrhina fasciata Family : Rhinobatidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : The egg capsule of the fiddler stingray is golden in colour. Conservation status : Least Concern Fiddler stingrays live in the shallow waters of sandy bays, rocky reefs

Common name : Common sabertooth, Common fangtooth Scientific name : Anoplogaster cornuta Family : Anoplogastridae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : Despite its looks, the fangtooth fish is actually harmless and its scientific name ‘Anoplo’ means unarmed. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Living really deep in the sea, up to 5000 metres, is

Common name : European fan worm, Feather duster worm, Mediterranean fan worm Scientific name : Sabella spallanzanii Family : Sabellidae Native to : East Atlantic and Mediterranean Interesting fact : When threatened, its crown is withdrawn into the tube. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Fan worms live in shallow waters attached to rocks, concrete, boat

Scientific name : Pseudorca crassidens Family : Delphinidae Native to : Temperate and Tropical waters worldwide Interesting fact : The scientific name ‘crassidens’ of the false killer whale means ‘thick-tooth’ referring to its fearsome conical teeth. Conservation status : Data Deficient False killer whales are huge growing 5-6 metres long and weighing 1200-2200 kg. Its

Common name : Common lobster, Clawed lobster Scientific name : Homarus gammarus Family : Nephropidae Native to : Widespread in North-East Atlantic,Mediterranean and Black Sea Interesting fact : They can swim backwards using their soft and flexible tails. Conservation status : Least Concern The European lobster has an asymmetrical pair of pincers with one for

Common name : Carpet shark, Cat shark, Blind shark, Walking shark Scientific name : Hemiscyllium ocellatum Family : Hemiscylliidae Native to : Australia and New Guinea Interesting fact : To cope with oxygen depletion during night, the shark increases the blood supply to its brain by shutting down non-essential neural functions. Conservation status : Least

Common name : Imperial cleaner shrimp,Emperor partner shrimp Scientific name : Periclimenes imperator Family : Palaemonidae Native to : Indo-Pacific region Interesting fact : The emperor shrimp will perform a manicure if a diver happens to put his hand near it. Conservation status : Not Evaluated You can find emperor shrimps hanging upside down, on

Common name : Roman shield Scientific name : Scutus antipodes Family : Fissurellidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : Elephant snails have a well-developed sense of light and can tell light and shade apart. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The elephant snail looks like someone stepped on it. Its jet-black body has an oval-shaped,

Common name : Northern elephant seal Scientific name : Mirounga angustirostris Family : Phocidae Interesting fact : Elephant seals can hold theirbreath under water for up to 2 hours. Conservation status : Least concern The elephant seal has a trunk-like proboscis (that of an elephant) that can produce loud noises. There are two types–the Northern

Common name : Purple firefish Scientific name : Nemateleotris decora Family : Microdesmidae Native to : Indo-West Pacific region Interesting fact : Elegant firefish are highly monogamous with couples building a nest and taking turns guarding it. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Living among reefs, sandy patches and rubble is this slender, colourful fish with

Scientific name : Electrophorus electricus Family : Gymnotidae Native to : Worldwide Oceans Interesting fact : Electric eels have cells called electrocytes that produce electricity. Conservation status : Least Concern These are about 800 species of this snake-like fish living in the shallow waters of the ocean. Some are found deeper and others live in

Common name : Banjo shark Scientific name : Trygonorrhina fasciata Family : Rhinobatidae Native to : Australia Conservation status : Least Concern The eastern fiddler ray is a guitarfish found in shallow coastal sandy bays, seagrass beds and rocky reefs. They are brown with shades of yellow or olive and distinctive triangular patterns behind their

Common name : Cancer magister Scientific name : Metacarcinus magister Family : Cancridae Native to : West coast of America Interesting fact : It is named after a place called Dungeness in Washington, where it is found in abundance. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Dungeness crabs live in eelgrass beds and water bottoms and are