Ocean Buddies

scinerds: New Shark Species Discovered in Galapagos Scientists...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:57:02 -0600

New Shark Species Discovered in Galapagos

Scientists conducting deep-sea dives around the Galapagos Islands have identified a new species of shark. Part of a family known as a catsharks, the new species is about 1.3 feet long, roughly the same size as a typical housecat.

Catsharks (also sometimes known as dogfishes) are one of the largest families of sharks. The new species — named Bythaelurus giddingsi — was identified from seven specimens during two submersible treks in 1995 and 1998. Researchers have suggested the Galapagos Catshark as the common name of the new species.

The seven specimens were taken to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, where scientists compared them to other known catsharks. B. giddingsi individuals are chocolate-brown and have pale, leopard-like spots randomly distributed on their body. This distinguishes them from other closely related species, which are typically dusky or possess a straight line of spots.

Just wanted to say that your blog is really cute and I love it!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:02:44 -0600

Thank you so much!!! I plan on posting a lot more during Spring Break. College and blogging do not go well together!

A very rare humpback whale that’s entirely white has been...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:31:49 -0600

A very rare humpback whale that’s entirely white has been spotted near Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

The whale’s thought to be a few weeks old and was spotted by a local man.

He said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes, and I just grabbed my camera. Then the white calf approached my boat, seeming to want to check us out.”

White whales are rare - the reef’s rep says there are only 10-15 among the 10,000-15,000 humpback whales living along Australia’s east coast.

And it’s even rarer for them to be completely white like this one.

Aracana ornata (Ornate cowfish)

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:27:04 -0600

Aracana ornata (Ornate cowfish)

Asterias rubens (Common Seastar)

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:21:20 -0600

Asterias rubens (Common Seastar)

Chelonia mydas (Green sea turtle)

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:19:34 -0600

Chelonia mydas (Green sea turtle)

Hippocampus kuda (Common seahorse)

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:17:29 -0600

Hippocampus kuda (Common seahorse)

Chaetodon trifasciatus (Melon butterflyfish)

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:15:16 -0600

Chaetodon trifasciatus (Melon butterflyfish)

Corythoichthys flavofasciatus (Yellow banded pipefish)

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:13:35 -0600

Corythoichthys flavofasciatus (Yellow banded pipefish)

Phycodurus eques (Leafy seadragon)

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:58:29 -0600

Phycodurus eques (Leafy seadragon)

Achoerodus viridis (Eastern blue grouper)

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:58:30 -0600

Achoerodus viridis (Eastern blue grouper)

Carcharhinus perezii (Caribbean reef shark)

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:54:16 -0600

Carcharhinus perezii (Caribbean reef shark)

Opistognathidae (Jawfish)

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:53:17 -0600

Opistognathidae (Jawfish)

Sphyrnidae (Hammerhead sharks)

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:27:27 -0600

Sphyrnidae (Hammerhead sharks)

Pagophilus groenlandicus (Harp seal)

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:25:54 -0600

Pagophilus groenlandicus (Harp seal)

Delphinapterus leucas (Beluga whale)

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:22:48 -0600

Delphinapterus leucas (Beluga whale)

Megaptera novaeangliae (Humpback whale)

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:18:43 -0600

Megaptera novaeangliae (Humpback whale)

sea-sidee: surfthrulife: this is sickening. it’s a shark, it...

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:50:34 -0600

sea-sidee:

surfthrulife:

this is sickening. it’s a shark, it deserves to swim. yet, humans are selfish not only cutting off the fins, BUT THROWING THEM BACK IN THE WATER. this HAS to STOP.

people are disgusting.

scinerds: Kiwa Puravida: Deep-Sea Yeti Crab Farms Food on Its...

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:16:18 -0600

scinerds:

Kiwa Puravida: Deep-Sea Yeti Crab Farms Food on Its Arms

Need some snacks? Hold on I’ll grab some off my crab arms. Wait what?

A thousand feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, a yeti crab “farms” a colony of bacteria on its claws. To help them grow, it waves its pincers over methane and sulfide vents, fertilizing the bacteria and making them good enough to eat.

The crab is a relatively new species, called Kiwa puravida, and was first discovered in 2006. Biologists from Oregon State University describe the crustacean’s smart farming behavior in the journal PLoS One.

Nemateleotris decora (Elegant firefish)

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:12:31 -0600

Nemateleotris decora (Elegant firefish)