marine biology

The shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) is widely cited as the fastest shark, capable of short bursts that exceed 45 mph (about 70 km/h) and sustained speeds near 30 mph (about 50...

Most hammerhead sharks live between 20 and 35 years in the wild, with some individuals reaching the upper end of that range under favorable conditions. Common species such as th...

The Portuguese man o'war (Physalia physalis) is a pelagic cnidarian often mistaken for a jellyfish, yet it is a siphonophore colony of specialized organisms. It inhabits warm an...

Sharks rely on highly sensitive sensory systems to locate prey, and questions sometimes arise about whether they can detect menstrual blood in the water. The short answer is tha...

Cove fish are the diverse assemblage of marine and estuarine fishes that use small, semi-enclosed coastal inlets known as coves for feeding, refuge, and reproduction. These habi...

A filter feeder strains suspended food such as plankton and organic particles from water. Species that use this strategy typically have specialized structures to capture small o...

Octopuses occupy a wide range of ocean zones, most commonly in shallow coastal waters but extending into the deep sea. Species differences, temperature, oxygen, and shelter avai...

Barnacle and whale symbiosis is most often described as a commensal relationship in which barnacles gain transport and access to nutrient-rich waters, while the whale is general...

The term "skin" in sand dollars commonly refers to the outer living tissues of the animal, distinct from the hard internal test (skeleton). In living sand dollars, this outer la...

The bowhead whale tail is a broad, powerful fluke that supports slow, agile swimming and specialized foraging in Arctic marine environments. Unlike many fast-swimming whales, bo...