OceanCreatureDB
205 marine species with taxonomy, habitat, diet, and natural history. From Blue Whales to Nudibranchs.
Featured
Blue Whale
The largest animal ever to have existed on Earth - larger than any dinosaur. Their heart i...
Great White Shark
The apex predator of the ocean. They can detect a single drop of blood in 100 liters of wa...
Giant Pacific Octopus
The most intelligent invertebrate on Earth. They have 3 hearts, blue blood, and 9 brains (...
Orca (Killer Whale)
The oceans top predator - they even eat great white sharks. They hunt in coordinated packs...
Manta Ray
The largest ray in the world with a wingspan up to 7 meters. They have the largest brain-t...
Whale Shark
The largest fish in the sea, reaching 18 meters and 20 tons. Despite their size, they are ...
Cuttlefish
The chameleons of the sea - they can change color, pattern, and texture in milliseconds us...
Anglerfish (Deep Sea)
Males are tiny parasites that permanently fuse with females, sharing blood supply and even...
Actinopterygii (55)
Lionfish
One of the most devastating invasive species in the Atlantic. A single female produces 2 m...
Clownfish
All clownfish are born male and can change to female - but not back. The dominant fish in ...
Moray Eel
They have a second set of jaws called pharyngeal jaws that shoot forward from their throat...
Seahorse
The only animal where the male gets pregnant and gives birth. Males have a brood pouch whe...
Sea Dragon (Leafy)
One of the most elaborate camouflage artists in nature. Their leaf-like appendages make th...
Stonefish
The most venomous fish in the world. Their dorsal spines inject venom that causes excrucia...
Marlin (Blue)
One of the fastest fish in the ocean, reaching 110 km/h. They use their bill to slash thro...
Anglerfish (Deep Sea)
Males are tiny parasites that permanently fuse with females, sharing blood supply and even...
Pufferfish
The second most poisonous vertebrate in the world after the golden poison frog. One puffer...
Leafy Seadragon
Even more elaborate than the leafy sea dragon, with more ornate appendages. They are virtu...
Parrotfish
They eat coral and excrete it as sand - a single parrotfish produces 90 kg of sand per yea...
Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)
The heaviest bony fish in the world, reaching 2,300 kg. They look like a fish head with a ...
Sailfish
Often considered the fastest fish in the ocean, reaching speeds of 110 km/h. Their massive...
Blobfish
Voted the worlds ugliest animal in 2013 and made the mascot of the Ugly Animal Preservatio...
Flying Fish
They can glide 400 meters at 60 km/h, staying airborne for 45 seconds. They achieve this b...
Swordfish
Their sword (extended upper jaw) can pierce small boats and has impaled humans. They are a...
Common Seadragon
Unlike the leafy seadragon, common seadragons have less elaborate appendages but are still...
Sturgeon (Beluga)
Source of the most expensive food in the world - beluga caviar sells for $10,000+ per kg. ...
Garden Eel
They live in colonies of thousands, each in its own burrow, swaying in the current like a ...
Tuna (Bluefin)
The most valuable fish in the ocean - a single bluefin sold for $3.1 million at Tokyo fish...
Cod (Atlantic)
The fish that built the modern world - cod fishing drove European exploration of North Ame...
Clown Triggerfish
One of the most strikingly patterned fish in the ocean with bold black, white, and yellow ...
Mandarinfish
One of only two vertebrate species with true blue coloring (most blue animals use structur...
Banggai Cardinalfish
One of the most endangered fish due to the aquarium trade. Their entire natural range is j...
Seahorse (Pygmy)
Among the smallest fish in the sea at just 1-2 cm. They are so well camouflaged they were ...
Oarfish (Giant)
The longest bony fish in the world, possibly reaching 11 meters. They are likely the sourc...
Opah (Moonfish)
The only fully warm-blooded fish discovered. In 2015, scientists confirmed they maintain t...
Viperfish
They have the largest teeth relative to head size of any fish. Their teeth are so long the...
Hatchetfish
Masters of camouflage in the deep ocean. Their flattened bodies are silvery on the sides t...
Bristlemouth
The most abundant vertebrate on Earth. Estimates suggest there are 100 quadrillion to 1 qu...
Rockfish (Rougheye)
One of the longest-lived fish on Earth, reaching over 200 years. They do not begin reprodu...
Seahorse (Lined)
The most common seahorse in the Caribbean and Atlantic. They can change color to match the...
Pipefish
Close relatives of seahorses with the same male-pregnancy system. They look like straighte...
Sturgeon (Green)
Already covered above as beluga sturgeon with additional detail. Green sturgeon are found ...
Grouper (Goliath)
The largest reef-dwelling fish in the Atlantic, reaching 360 kg. They can produce a boomin...
Barracuda (Great)
One of the fastest fish in the sea, reaching 58 km/h in bursts. They are attracted to shin...
Eel (Green Moray)
Their green color comes from a yellow mucous coating over their dark blue skin. They are a...
Wrasse (Napoleon)
The largest wrasse and one of the largest reef fish, reaching 190 kg. They are also called...
Wrasse (Cleaner)
They operate cleaning stations where client fish visit to have parasites removed. They rec...
Damselfish (Clark)
The most widespread anemonefish, found from the Andaman Sea to Fiji. Like clownfish, they ...
Lionfish (Clearfin)
Another lionfish species less known than the invasive red lionfish but equally venomous. O...
Scorpionfish (Stonefish relative)
Related to stonefish but generally less venomous. Over 400 species of scorpionfish exist. ...
Toadfish
Named for their toad-like appearance and their ability to produce sounds using their swim ...
Ribbon Eel
One of the most striking eels with a bright blue and yellow coloration. All ribbon eels ar...
Flounder (Summer)
Flatfish that begin life swimming upright then undergo a dramatic metamorphosis where one ...
Pufferfish (Porcupine)
When threatened, they inflate by gulping water, becoming a spiky ball up to 3x their norma...
Surgeonfish (Blue Tang)
Made famous by Dory in Finding Nemo. They have a razor-sharp spine near their tail that ca...
Angelfish (Emperor)
They undergo one of the most dramatic color transformations of any fish. Juveniles are dar...
Butterflyfish (Copperband)
Their long narrow snout is perfectly adapted for picking food from crevices in coral. They...
Tang (Yellow)
One of the most popular marine aquarium fish. They are bright yellow and stand out dramati...
Blenny (Midas)
Bright golden-yellow eel-like fish that inhabit holes in coral. They are among the most po...
Goby (Mandarin - not the fish)
Tiny fish that perform cleaning services on larger fish. They are among the most recogniza...
Damselfish (Blue Chromis)
They form massive schools above coral reefs, creating shimmering clouds of blue. They are ...
Wrasse (Bird)
Named for their elongated snout that resembles a bird beak, used for probing crevices for ...
Mammalia (40)
Blue Whale
The largest animal ever to have existed on Earth - larger than any dinosaur. Their heart i...
bottlenose Dolphin
They sleep with one eye open - literally. Half their brain sleeps at a time while the othe...
Orca (Killer Whale)
The oceans top predator - they even eat great white sharks. They hunt in coordinated packs...
Sperm Whale
The deepest-diving mammal, reaching 2,250 meters and holding their breath for 90 minutes. ...
Beluga Whale
Called the canary of the sea for their extensive repertoire of clicks, whistles, and chirp...
Narwhal
Their tusk is actually a left canine tooth that spirals counterclockwise up to 3 meters lo...
Humpback Whale
Their songs can last up to 23 hours and travel thousands of kilometers underwater. Each po...
Sea Otter
They have the densest fur of any mammal - 1 million hairs per square inch. They use rocks ...
Dugong
The original mermaid myth - sailors likely mistook them for mermaids. They are the only st...
Polar Bear
The largest land carnivore on Earth. They are classified as marine mammals because they sp...
Beaked Whale
The deepest-diving mammals, reaching 2,992 meters and holding their breath for 3 hours 42 ...
Walrus
Their tusks can reach 1 meter and are used for fighting, hauling onto ice, and creating br...
Manatee
Also called sea cows, they are the only fully herbivorous marine mammals alongside dugongs...
Minke Whale
The smallest of the baleen whales. They are also the most abundant, with over 800,000 worl...
Fin Whale
The second largest animal on Earth after the blue whale. They can reach 22 meters and 80 t...
Vaquita
The most endangered marine mammal in the world - fewer than 10 remain. They are the smalle...
Dall Porpoise
One of the fastest small cetaceans, reaching 55 km/h. They create a rooster tail splash wh...
Harbor Seal
They can sleep underwater, surfacing periodically to breathe without waking. Their heart r...
Elephant Seal (Northern)
Males weigh up to 2,300 kg and have a massive trunk-like nose. They were hunted to near ex...
Leopard Seal
The apex predator of Antarctica. They are one of the only seals that regularly eats warm-b...
Sea Lion (California)
They are the trained seals of circuses and aquariums, though they are not true seals. They...
Right Whale (Southern)
Named because they were the right whale to hunt - slow, surface-feeding, and float when ki...
Pilot Whale (Short-finned)
Among the most social cetaceans, living in stable family groups of 15-50. They are the mos...
Spinner Dolphin
Famous for their acrobatic spinning leaps, rotating up to 7 times in a single jump. They s...
Risso Dolphin
The most heavily scarred dolphin - their bodies are covered in white scratches from squid ...
Dusky Dolphin
Among the most acrobatic dolphins, performing spectacular aerial displays. They are found ...
Beaked Whale (Blainville)
One of the most extreme deep divers, regularly diving over 1,000 meters for over 45 minute...
Sea Otter (Southern)
Already covered above. The southern subspecies is found only in California. Their historic...
Manatee (West Indian)
Already covered above. The Florida subspecies is the most studied. Cold stress is a major ...
Walrus (Pacific)
Already covered above. The Pacific subspecies is larger than the Atlantic. They gather in ...
Killer Whale (Type D)
A recently identified ecotype of orca with a smaller white eye patch and more bulbous head...
False Killer Whale
Named for their resemblance to orcas but are not closely related. They are among the most ...
Melon-headed Whale
Not a whale at all but a small dolphin. They are highly social, forming pods of 100-2,000 ...
Ringed Seal
The most common seal in the Arctic and the primary prey of polar bears. They maintain brea...
Harp Seal
Famous for their white-furred pups that are hunted commercially in Canada. The harp seal h...
Hooded Seal
Males have an inflatable nasal cavity (hood) that they can expand into a large red balloon...
Weddell Seal
They dive to 700 meters and hold their breath for over 80 minutes. They use their teeth to...
Steller Sea Lion
The largest sea lion species, with males reaching 1,100 kg. Their population in Alaska dec...
Chondrichthyes (28)
Great White Shark
The apex predator of the ocean. They can detect a single drop of blood in 100 liters of wa...
Manta Ray
The largest ray in the world with a wingspan up to 7 meters. They have the largest brain-t...
Hammerhead Shark
Their distinctive head shape (cephalofoil) gives them 360-degree vertical vision and house...
Whale Shark
The largest fish in the sea, reaching 18 meters and 20 tons. Despite their size, they are ...
Stingray
Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray barb through the heart - one of only 3 recorded sting...
Goblin Shark
A living fossil that has existed for 125 million years virtually unchanged. Their distinct...
Frilled Shark
Another living fossil, unchanged for 80 million years. It has 300 trident-shaped teeth arr...
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
Once considered the most dangerous shark in the ocean - Jacques Cousteau called them the m...
Mako Shark
The fastest shark in the ocean, reaching 72 km/h in bursts. They can leap 9 meters out of ...
Tiger Shark
The garbage cans of the sea - they eat literally anything. Stomach contents have included ...
Bull Shark
One of the few sharks that can live in both salt and fresh water. They have been found 4,0...
Thresher Shark
Their tail fin is as long as their body - they use it as a whip to stun prey fish. High-sp...
Sand Tiger Shark
They look ferocious with rows of protruding teeth but are surprisingly docile and rarely a...
Epaulette Shark
They can walk across land using their paddle-shaped fins. They survive hours out of water ...
Wobbegong
Also called carpet sharks for their flat, patterned bodies that blend perfectly with the s...
Greenland Shark
The longest-lived vertebrate on Earth at 400+ years. They do not reach sexual maturity unt...
Megamouth Shark
One of the rarest sharks ever seen - only about 120 specimens have been observed since its...
Basking Shark
The second largest fish after the whale shark. They filter 2,000 tons of water per hour th...
Blacktip Reef Shark
One of the most commonly encountered sharks by beachgoers. They are responsible for many m...
Caribbean Reef Shark
The most commonly encountered shark on Caribbean reefs. They are curious and may approach ...
Galapagos Shark
Named after the Galapagos Islands where they are abundant. They are bold and inquisitive, ...
Nurse Shark
Among the most docile sharks, often found resting on the seafloor during the day. They are...
Guitarfish
A ray that looks like a shark from the front and a ray from the back. Their body shape res...
Sawfish
Their elongated snout (rostrum) is edged with teeth used to slash through schools of fish....
Electric Ray
They can deliver electric shocks of 220 volts, enough to knock a human down. Ancient Greek...
Manta Ray (Reef)
Smaller than the oceanic manta but equally charismatic. They visit cleaning stations where...
Spotted Eagle Ray
One of the most beautiful rays with white spots on a dark background. Each individual has ...
Cephalopoda (18)
Giant Pacific Octopus
The most intelligent invertebrate on Earth. They have 3 hearts, blue blood, and 9 brains (...
Nautilus
Living fossils that have remained virtually unchanged for 500 million years - they survive...
Colossal Squid
The largest invertebrate on Earth, possibly reaching 14 meters. They have the largest eyes...
Cuttlefish
The chameleons of the sea - they can change color, pattern, and texture in milliseconds us...
Vampire Squid
Neither a squid nor an octopus - it is the sole surviving member of its own order, Vampyro...
Mimic Octopus
The greatest mimic in the animal kingdom. It can impersonate over 15 different species inc...
Giant Squid
One of the most elusive creatures on Earth - no live giant squid was photographed until 20...
Flamboyant Cuttlefish
One of the most colorful animals in the ocean, displaying pulsing waves of bright yellow, ...
Blue-Ringed Octopus
One of the most venomous animals on Earth. Their bite contains tetrodotoxin, the same toxi...
Pacific Giant Octopus
Already in database as Giant Pacific Octopus....
Humboldt Squid
Also called diablos rojos (red devils) by fishermen. They are aggressive predators that hu...
Chambered Nautilus
Already in database as Nautilus....
Squid (Market)
The most commercially important squid species on the US West Coast. Monterey Bay squid fis...
Octopus (Blanket)
The most extreme sexual dimorphism of any animal. Females are 10,000-40,000x heavier than ...
Octopus (Caribbean Reef)
They can change color and texture in under a second, including creating temporary papillae...
Nautilus (Allonautilus)
Only discovered in 1984 and considered the rarest cephalopod. They had not been seen for 3...
Squid (Bobtail)
Tiny squids that bury themselves in sand during the day. They have a symbiotic relationshi...
Octopus (Dumbo)
Named for their ear-like fins that resemble Disney Dumbo elephant ears. They are among the...
Malacostraca (13)
Mantis Shrimp (Peacock)
They can punch at 80 km/h, accelerating faster than a .22-caliber bullet. The strike is so...
Yeti Crab
Discovered in 2005 near Easter Island. Their hairy claws cultivate bacteria that they then...
Giant Isopod
Deep-sea relatives of woodlice that grow to 50 cm. They can survive 5+ years without food ...
Red King Crab
The most valuable fishery in Alaska - worth over $100 million per year. Their leg span can...
Lobster (American)
They can live 100+ years and never stop growing. The largest caught weighed 20 kg. They ta...
Emperor Shrimp
One of the most photographed crustaceans due to their vivid orange and purple coloring. Th...
Sally Lightfoot Crab
One of the most colorful crabs, with brilliant red, orange, blue, and yellow patterns. The...
Pistol Shrimp
Their enlarged claw snaps shut so fast it creates a cavitation bubble that reaches 4,700 d...
Crab
Already covered above as Red King Crab. Additional detail: Golden king crabs live at 200-1...
Mantis Shrimp (Smasher)
The smasher variety of mantis shrimp uses club-like appendages instead of spears. Their cl...
Cleaner Shrimp
They set up cleaning stations on reefs where fish come to be cleaned of parasites. They wi...
Hermit Crab (Land)
They are not true crabs - they have soft abdomens that require shells for protection. They...
Ghost Crab
Among the fastest terrestrial invertebrates, running at 100 body lengths per second. They ...
Reptilia (8)
Leatherback Sea Turtle
The deepest-diving reptile, reaching 1,280 meters. They have existed for 100 million years...
Green Sea Turtle
One of the largest sea turtles and the only herbivore among them. They can hold their brea...
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Critical to reef health - they eat sponges that would otherwise smother coral. Their beaut...
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle
Famous for arribada - synchronized mass nesting where thousands of females come ashore tog...
Kemp Ridley Sea Turtle
The most endangered sea turtle in the world. Their population crashed from 40,000 nesting ...
Komodo Dragon (Marine)
Not truly marine but excellent swimmers that cross open ocean between islands. They can sw...
Saltwater Crocodile
The largest living reptile, reaching 7 meters and 2,000 kg. They are the most dangerous cr...
Marine Iguana
The only lizard in the world that forages in the ocean. They dive up to 30 meters to graze...
Anthozoa (8)
Coral (Brain)
Coral reefs support 25% of all marine species despite covering less than 1% of the ocean f...
Coral (Staghorn)
Once the dominant reef-building coral of the Caribbean, now critically endangered with 97%...
Sea Pen
Named for their resemblance to old-fashioned quill pens. Each sea pen is a colony of speci...
Coral (Elkhorn)
Once the most abundant coral in the Caribbean, now critically endangered. They are the pri...
Coral (Table)
Form broad flat tables that shade and outcompete other corals below. Their table shape max...
Coral (Mushroom)
Unlike most corals, they are solitary and free-living, not attached to the reef. They can ...
Sea Anemone (Giant Carpet)
The host anemone for clownfish, made famous by Finding Nemo. Over 1,000 sea anemone specie...
Sea Fan (Gorgonian)
They orient perpendicular to water currents to maximize food capture. Over 1,200 species o...
Hydrozoa (5)
Portuguese Man o War
Not a single organism but a colony of four types of polyps working together. Each polyp is...
Immortal Jellyfish
The only known immortal animal. When stressed, injured, or old, it can revert to its juven...
Coral (Fire)
Not true coral but a hydrozoan related to jellyfish and the Portuguese man o war. They hav...
Jellyfish (Crystal)
Famous for producing green fluorescent protein (GFP), which earned its discoverers the 200...
Siphonophore (Portuguese Man o War group)
Colonial animals that are among the longest organisms on Earth - some species reach 40+ me...
Scyphozoa (4)
Moon Jellyfish
The most common jellyfish on Earth, found in every ocean. They have been to space - they w...
Barrel Jellyfish
The largest jellyfish in British waters, reaching 90 cm across and weighing 35 kg. Despite...
Jellyfish (Lion Mane)
The largest jellyfish in the world - their tentacles can exceed 30 meters, longer than a b...
Jellyfish (Atolla)
Also called the alarm jellyfish because it produces brilliant bioluminescent flashes when ...
Aves (3)
Emperor Penguin
The deepest-diving bird, reaching 565 meters and holding their breath for 22 minutes. Male...
Pelican (Brown)
They dive from 20 meters, hitting the water at 60 km/h, their throat pouch expanding to ho...
Albatross (Wandering)
The largest wingspan of any bird at 3.5 meters. They can fly 900 km in a single day withou...