Lionfish
Lionfish released from aquariums in Florida have spread across the Caribbean, where a single lionfish can cut the number of young native fish on a reef by almost 80 percent in a few weeks.
Oceans
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Loggerhead hatchlings use Earth’s magnetic field like a built-in map to navigate across entire ocean basins.
Moon Jellyfish
Moon jellyfish have no brain, heart or bones, and their bodies are about 95 percent water.
Moray Eel
Moray eels have a second set of jaws in their throat that shoot forward to grab prey and drag it into the gullet, like the creature in the film Alien.
Ocean Sunfish
A female ocean sunfish can carry around 300 million eggs, more than any other known vertebrate.
Orca
Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family, and different populations have their own diets, hunting methods and ‘dialects’ that are passed down through generations.
Parrotfish
Parrotfish grind up coral as they feed and excrete fine white sand; a single large parrotfish can produce hundreds of kilograms of sand a year.
Portuguese Man o’ War
The Portuguese man o’ war is not a single animal but a colony of specialised organisms working together as one.
Pufferfish
Many pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a poison far more toxic than cyanide, and in Japan only specially licensed chefs may prepare pufferfish, called fugu, for eating.
Reef-building Coral
Coral reefs cover less than 1 percent of the ocean floor, yet they support about a quarter of all known marine species.
Sailfish
Sailfish hunt in groups, taking turns to slash through shoals of sardines with their long bills, injuring fish that are then easier to catch.
Sawfish
A sawfish’s long, toothed snout is packed with electrical sensors that detect hidden prey, and it uses the saw to slash and pin fish.
Sea Anemone
Clownfish live safely among the stinging tentacles of certain sea anemones, protected by a special coat of mucus.
Sea Urchin
A sea urchin’s mouth has five self-sharpening teeth arranged in a structure called Aristotle’s lantern, which has inspired engineers.
Seahorse
In seahorses, the male becomes pregnant: the female deposits her eggs in his pouch, and he gives birth to live young weeks later.
Southern Stingray
At Stingray City in the Cayman Islands, hundreds of southern stingrays gather in shallow water to be fed by visitors, a tradition that began when fishermen cleaned their catch there.
Sperm Whale
The sperm whale has the largest brain of any animal ever known, weighing about 8 kg, and makes the loudest sounds produced by any animal.
Starfish
A starfish can push its stomach out through its mouth to digest prey outside its body, even inside a clam’s shell.
Swordfish
Swordfish have a special heater organ that warms their eyes and brain, helping them see clearly when hunting in cold, deep water.
Tiger Shark
Tiger sharks eat almost anything, and car number plates, tyres and cans have been found in their stomachs, earning them the nickname ‘garbage cans of the sea’.
Whale Shark
The whale shark is the largest fish in the world, and each one has a unique pattern of white spots that researchers use like a fingerprint.