Ecology of the Beaked Whale: There is no one species in taxonomic classification that is referred to as a ‘Beaked Whale’. That is to say that the term Beaked Whale refers to several types of whale that have shared characteristics,…
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The cephalopods are an amazing group. The octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautilus are intelligent, well adapted, and behave in ways that humans can relate to, and yet they are each of a form that makes them seem utterly unlike us,…
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Animal intelligence can be disconcerting and especially so when it is found in relatives of snails. Cephalopods are a class of molluscs that includes octopi, squid and pearly nautilus and they have remarkably advanced nervous systems. They display sophisticated communication,…
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The beluga whale, being named joingtly from “Delphinapterus” (meaning whale without fins) and “lecuas”(meaning white) is a pure white whale sometimes in fact sometimes referred to as simply the “White whale.” There are only two members of the species, one…
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An octopus will only reproduce once during its lifetime. The male octopus will die within a month after releasing the sperm packets in to the female’s mantle cavity. The female will spend nearly two months fertilizing, laying the eggs and…
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The octopus have very unique defense mechanisms unlike the many other ocean dwelling occupants, the octopus is not equipped with sharp teeth or poisonous sting rays. They are however exceptionally strong which works to their advantage when capturing their prey….
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The hammerhead shark is probably the most recognizable fish in the ocean with many of its traits such as facial characteristics, size and behavior quite unique. Hammerhead sharks, “Sphyrna sphyrnidae,” are aggressive predators found in warm waters along coastlines and…
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The basking shark, “cetorhinus maximus,” are the world’s second largest fish after the whale shark. The species is a coastal-pelagic shark, found world wide in temperate waters, though they prefer waters between (46 and 57 F). They get the name…
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The Blacktip shark is a common sight in many areas of the world, where it is regularly encountered by fishermen and divers alike. The species takes its name from the black markings on the tips of its dorsal, pectoral and…
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Biologist E. O. Wilson stated that it “was a nematode world” and how right he was. These simple roundworms are the largest family of multicellular animals on earth. Just one gram of soil may contain just over 100 nematodes. It…
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