221 Amazing Marine Animals Encyclopedia

Common name : Balarton, Blotched bigeye, Dusky-finned bullseye, Moonshine conga, Rock bullseye Scientific name : Heteropriacanthus cruentatus Family : Priacanthidae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : The glass-eye can make sounds to ward off intruders. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Living in coral reefs, lagoons, seaward reefs and rocky bottoms are these big-eyed […]

Scientific name : Architeuthis dux Family : Architeuthidae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : Giant squids have anammonium chloride solution running throughout their bodies which helps maintain buoyancy. Conservation status : Least Concern The giant squid grows 10-13 metres long, possessing a mantle, eight arms and two longer tentacles. The arms and tentacles

Common name : King of herrings, Ribbon fish, Oar fish Scientific name : Regalecus glesne Family : Regalecidae Native to : Oceans worldwide except the poles Interesting fact : The giant oar fish is the world’s longest bony fish growing up to 56 feet long. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The giant oar fish is

Common name : Greater silver hatchetfish Scientific name : Argyropelecus gigas Family : Sternoptychidae Native to : Oceans worldwide except the North Pacific Interesting fact : Giant hatchetfish can jumpout of water and catch mosquitoes and flies. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The giant hatchetfish lives deep in the sea with about 45 known species.

Common name : Mekong giant catfish Scientific name : Pangasianodon gigas Family : Pangasiidae Native to : Mekong basin Interesting fact : It is the largest freshwaterfish in the world. Conservation status : Critically Endangered The giant catfish is a large fish that looks like a shark. It is grey to white in colour, lacking

Common name : Ornate ghost pipefish, Harlequin ghost pipefish Scientific name : Solenostomus paradoxus Family : Solenostomidae Native to : Indo-Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : Inside the brooding pouch, branching stalks grow out of the skin and attach to the incubating eggs acting like an umbilical cord. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Ghost pipefish are

Common name : Lizard shark, Scaffold shark Scientific name : Chlamydoselachus anguineus Family : Chlamydoselachidae Native to : Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Interesting fact : This vivaparous shark has a gestation period of three and a half years. Conservation status : Near Threatened Living near the bottom of outer continental shelf and upper continental slope

Common name : Foxface rabbitfish Scientific name : Siganus vulpinus Family : Siganidae Native to : Western Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : When stressed or at night, it changes to a mottled brown-colour for better camouflage amongst rocks and sand. Conservation status : Least Concern The foxface lives in coral-rich areas feeding on macroalgae and

Common name : Butterbun, Kete, School mistress Scientific name : Chaetodon capistratus Family : Chaetodontidae Native to : Western Atlantic Ocean Interesting fact : This four-eyed butterfly fish makes an attractive aquarium fish due to its small size. Conservation status : Least Concern You may have seen this attractive fish in photos of coral reefs.

Common name : Backspot flying fish Scientific name : Cheilopogon dorsomacula Family : Exocoetidae Native to : Pacific Oceans Interesting fact : Since a flying fish is attracted by light, a fisherman uses light to lure it to his boat. Conservation status : Least Concern The predators of the flying fish have a tough time

Scientific name : Olindias formosus Family : Olindiidae Native to : Brazil, Argentina and Southern Japan Interesting fact : The sting of a flower hat jelly can cause rashes in humans and blooms of these fish affect shrimp fishing. Conservation status : Not Evaluated A flower hat jelly looks like a colourful firework with its

Common name : Baltic flounder, Mud flounder, River flounder, White fluke Scientific name : Platichthys flesus Family : Pleuronectidae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : Flounders hide in the ocean floor with the eye-side facing up. Conservation status : Least Concern A flounder is a group of round, flatfish living in the ocean

Scientific name : Cyphoma gibbosum Family : Ovulidae Native to : Western Atlantic Ocean Interesting fact : The mantle acts like gills absorbing oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The flamingo tongue snail is a small, brightly coloured sea snail living on corals. The shell is covered by live, bright orange-yellow

Common name : Pfeffer’s flamboyant cuttlefish Scientific name : Metasepia pfefferi Family : Sepiidae Native to : Indo-Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : Flamboyant cuttlefish is the only known poisonous cuttlefish. Conservation status : Data Deficient This colourful, flamboyant cuttlefish is patterned and can change its body colour in a flash. Measuring 8 cm, it has

Common name : Japanese firefly squid, Sparkling enope squid Scientific name : Watasenia scintillans Family : Enoploteuthidae Native to : Western Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : Every year, a natural lightshow happens in the coast of Japan as these squids gather for spawning. Conservation status : Least Concern The firefly squid is aptly named, as