natlparks:

Puerto Morelos (Mesoamerican Barrier Reef) // antonsrkn
Puerto Morelos National Marine Park, Mexico 

(via ocean-ology)

I’ve changed my blog and moved to blogger for this side of things. I’ll probably still update with a few photos (maybe?) here but I wanted to use a proper blog to document my time here and this and that. I don’t find Tumblr very good for text posts! 

(via ocean-ology)

oceansoftheworld:

(Source of photo here)

 The lightning whelk, (Busycon contrarium) is an edible species of very large predatory sea snail  or whelk, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Buccinidae, the busycon whelks. Lightning whelks reach a length of 2.5 to 16 inches (6 to 40 cm). Their distinguishing characteristics include their off-white to tan or gray shell with narrow, brown “lightning” streaks from the top of the shell to the bottom. The shell is white on the inside. The animal inside the shell is dark brown to black. Lightning whelks are unusual in that they have a counterclockwise shell spiral (lightning whelks are usually called “left handed”).

See this previous post to view another whelk. See this previous post to find out how shells are made.

(Source)

(via ocean-ology)

I was trying to find the video that we watched in Marine Ecosystems lecture today (called ‘Farming the Sea’) and found this file instead. 

mad-as-a-marine-biologist:

Juvenile Barramundi Cod (Chromileptes altivelis)

© Ivan Choong

IUCN status: Vulnerable

Threats: Habitat loss, fishing, aquarium trade

(Source: mad-as-a-marine-biologist, via underwater-caverns)

iheartnudibranchs:

Nembrotha kubaryana by Doug Anderson

iheartnudibranchs:

Chromodoris willani

© John Forsyth

mad-as-a-marine-biologist:

Eye of a Blue Ring Octopus (genus Hapalochlaena)

© Ivan Choong

(Source: mad-as-a-marine-biologist)

mad-as-a-marine-biologist:

Male Ribbon Eel (Rhinomuraena quaesita)

© Ivan Choong 

Like many eels, the ribbon eel is sometimes thought to be angry or aggressive, because its mouth is often open, appearing ready to strike. In reality, the eel is simply breathing.

In the wild, the ribbon eel buries itself in sand or hides in rocks or reefs, dashing out to feed on shrimp and fish.

Because most ribbon eels do not live longer than a month in captivity, some feel that this species should never be purchased. Ribbon eels have been observed in nearly every case to stop eating after being captured, although there are reports of them surviving and eating in captivity for 2 years or more.

Info source 

(Source: mad-as-a-marine-biologist)