Sahil Gupta

Common name : Sardine, Soused pilchards, True sardine, Fair maid Scientific name : Sardina pilchardus Family : Clupeidae Native to : North-East Atlantic, Iceland, North sea, Senegal, Mediterranean, Sea of marmara Black sea Conservation status : Least Concern Pilchards are migratory fish migrating northward in summer and southward in winter. They live in large schools […]

Common name : White-banded triggerfish Scientific name : Rhinecanthus aculeatus Family : Balistidae Native to : Indo-Pacific region Interesting fact : Spawning occurs around sunrise with eggs hatching around sunset. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The picasso trigger is a colourful fish found on reefs and sand flats. It is white with dark bands extending

Scientific name : Sepia pharaonis Family : Sepiidae Native to : Indian to the Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : They shoot a cloud of blackink at predators when threatened. Conservation status : Data Deficient Living on coral and rocky reefs are the pharaoh cuttlefish. With flat bodies, they are camouflagedeasily while hovering near the ocean

Common name : Harlequin mantis shrimp, Painted mantis shrimp, Clown mantis shrimp Scientific name : Odontodactylus scyllarus Family : Odontodactylidae Native to : Indo-Pacific Oceans Interesting fact : They have a complex visionand are able to see ultraviolet, polarized and regular light. Conservation status : Not Evaluated With beautiful peacock colours, this shrimp is found

Common name : Bridled dolphin, Narrow-snouted dolphin Scientific name : Stenella attenuata Family : Delphinidae Native to : Temperate and tropical oceans worldwide Interesting fact : They use echolocation, high-pitched clicks, that bounce back, to locate their prey. Conservation status : Least Concern This pantropical-spotted dolphin is one of the smallest dolphins with white speckles

Common name : Polka-dot cardinalfish, Spotted cardinalfish, Coral cardinalfish, Red spotted cardinalfish Scientific name : Sphaeramia nemanoptera Family : Apogonidae Native to : Western Pacific Oceans Interesting fact : The mucus secreted from its skin protects it from parasites and infections. The pajama cardinalfish inhabits very shallow waters aroundlarge stands of staghorn corals. This 3-inch

Common name : Pacific torpedo, Pacific electric ray Scientific name : Torpedo californica Family : Torpedinidae Native to : North-Eastern Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : They can generate up to 45 volts of electricity in defence. Conservation status : Least Concern The Pacific torpedo ray is a fish that is slate grey or brown with

Common name : West coast sea nettle Scientific name : Chrysaora fuscescens Family : Pelagiidae Native to : East Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : The jellyfish has light detecting organs to help it migrate to the surface from the dark and deep waters. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The Pacific sea nettle is a jellyfish

Common name : North Pacific krill Scientific name : Euphausia pacifica Family : Euphausiidae Native to : Northern Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : Pacific krills migrate verticallyin the night and act as food for surface predators. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Pacific krill are small crustaceans that are important food of baleen whales. They are

Common name : Japanese oyster, Portuguese oyster Scientific name : Crassostrea gigas Family : Ostreidae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : Oysters can filter up to 10 litres of water in an hour for feeding. Conservation status : Least Concern Oysters are immobile molluscs found clinging to shipwrecks, debris and harbour walls. They

Common name : Seed shrimp Scientific name : Zonocypretta kalimna Family : Cypridinidae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : The eggs of the ostracods can survive complete drying and still be viable after many years. Conservation status : Vulnerable Living really deep at 7000 metres are these small crustaceans, around 0.2-30.0 mm in

Common name : Harlequin filefish, Beaked leatherjacket, Longnose filefish Scientific name : Oxymonacanthus longirostris Family : Monacanthidae Native to : Indo-Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : It rests in between branches ofacropora corals looking like a piece of the reef. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The orange spotted filefish is found in lagoonsand coral reefs feeding