Nocturnal creatures are those who remain active in the darkness. The green sea turtle is one of these nocturnal creatures. This is a large turtle that lives in the tropical and sub-tropical sea around the world and preys on jellyfish. The green sea turtle is also an endangered species so it is illegal to kill them. These turtles have heart-shaped shells and small heads and can be found in shallow water, reefs, bays and inlets. These large turtles like to bask in the sun and can be seen on secluded beaches.
Another nocturnal predator of the ocean is the moray eel. It likes to feed on damsel fish and cardinal fish that hide in the coral reefs. Another victim of the moray eel is the octopus. This eel can grow up to ten feet in length and can weigh up to 75 pounds. Their mouths are always open so they can gather water and breathe. The ocean is home to millions of sea creatures and many of them are nocturnal creatures.
The Crown of Thorns star is another large nocturnal predator of the sea. This sea creature like to feed on coral polyps. This animals can be yellow, orange, red, purple or magenta. It has venomous spines that contain a neurotoxin. When it attacks its prey, it will paralyze them. People have been stung by them before and they have experienced a sharp, stinging pain that lasts for hours.
Nocturnal creatures sleep during the day. Many of them have special eyes that can see very well in the darkness. The Horseshoe Crab, also known as the King Crab, is a nocturnal creature that likes to feed on clams, sea worms and mollusks. These crabs have a long history that dates back to 500 million years ago. They can be found off the coasts of India, the United States, Indonesia, Japan and the Gulf of Mexico. These are large crabs that grow up to two feet long and can weigh up to ten pounds. A female can lay about 20,000 small, green eggs. They search for their prey by walking along the sea bed.
The offers a very rich diversity of life and a well balanced network of predators and prey. All organisms in the sea are dependant on each other in order to survive. Many sea creatures belong to a certain food chain that is linked to form a food web. All creatures in the sea are predators of plant life.
