Marine Life
New species of shark discovered off New Zealand
A new species of shark has been discovered in the deep waters off the coast of New Zealand, according to…
‘Secrets of the Octopus’ – a brilliant new Nat Geo docu-series
A preview of Secrets of the Octopus, premiering this Earth Day (22 April) on National Geographic LIVE and Disney+ A…
SECORE International’s Caribbean-wide coral restoration success
SECORE International‘s coral seeding programme is being hailed as a great success, with its reef restoration initiative now present in…
The Red Army – Cornwall’s kingdom of spider crabs
The aggregation of huge numbers of spider crabs is one of the most astonishing underwater spectacles in UK waters Words…
Marine Curios #11 – order Xiphosura, or horseshoe crabs
Horseshoe crabs are living fossils threatened by a unique usefulness to human science (and they’re not related to crabs) There…
Mystery illness killing smalltooth sawfish
Scientists left worried about mystery illness killing critically endangered smalltooth sawfish in the Florida Keys. Can there be a more…
MMF records first-ever sighting of mimic octopus in Mozambique
Marine Megafauna Foundation scientists’ surprise discovery of the shape-shifting mimic octopus in Mozambique By Madeleine Pierce In a remarkable testament to…
UK government to be taken to court for allowing overfishing
The UK government is being taken to court for setting allowable catch limits that exceed scientific advice for overfishing Blue…
Indonesian activists face jail after exposing damage to marine park
Indonesian environmental activists face jail after exposing the damage illegal shrimp farms are causing to Karimunjawa Marine National Park Rising…
Marine Curios #10 – Pseudocolochirus violaceus or sea apple
Pseudocolochirus violaceus – a cucumber shaped like an apple with an unpleasant mode of defence and which breathes through its…
New species of sea slug discovered off southwest England
Scientists have been left surprised at the recent discovery of a brand new species of sea slug off the coast…
Major study reveals size of Seychelles manta ray population
A recently published study investigating the manta ray populations of Seychelles has highlighted the importance of D’Arros Island and St.…
Solo orca kills great white shark in under two minutes
The rapid evisceration of a great white in Mossel Bay, South Africa, has changed the way science views great white…
Marine Curios #9 – Periophthalmus modestus or Shuttles hoppfish
Many land animals enjoy jumping out of the water, Periophthalmus modestus is a fish that enjoys jumping out of it…
Marine heatwave leads to decline in humpback whales
A marine heatwave could have been responsible for a 20 per cent decline in the Pacific humpback whale population The…
Atlantic humpback dolphin protected by US Endangered Species Act
The United States’ National Marine Fisheries Service has granted protection to the Critically Endangered Atlantic humpback dolphin under the US…
Using satellites to monitor reef biodiversity
Using space technology, a team of researchers has developed a technique for monitoring reef biodiversity on a global scale. Almost…
Marine Curios #8 – Grimothea planipes, or the pelagic or red or tuna crab (or langostilla)
The pelagic red crab, Grimothea planipes, is a species of squat lobster, and possibly one of the most important crustaceans…
Orcas trapped in Japan ice free themselves
A pod of orcas (killer whales) filmed trapped in a tiny break in the ice floe off the coast of…
New species of mussel discovered in Alabama underwater forest
The new species of mussel is the first discovery made by the alliance of institutions known as the Ocean Census…
Mating fish keep Florida residents awake at night
A mystery noise that has kept the residents of Tampa, Florida, awake at night may well be the sound of…
First ever recorded sighting of baby great white shark
The first ever footage of what is thought to be a newborn baby great white shark, filmed off the coast…
Marine Curios #7 – Pelagothuria natatrix or pelagic sea cucumber
Once mistaken for an unknown species of jellyfish, Pelagothuria natatrix has a much more unusual heritage Despite looking a lot…
Sperm whales make consensus, democratic decisions – but slowly
Sperm whale society is structured into distinct clans, groups of which appear to make decisions together, but with some apparent…
Marine Curios #6 – Ambystoma mexicanum, axolotl or Mexican walking fish
The strangest fish in all of Mexico – the axolotl – isn’t actually a fish at all, but that’s just…
Silky shark displays amazing dorsal fin regeneration
The first known example of fin regeneration in silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis) has been documented after scientists from the University…
Population of seals and sharks rises off English coast
Good news from Cumbria where populations of grey seals, sharks and rays are on the increase, but so too are…
Battle of the Colours – the mating ritual of giant cuttlefish
One of nature’s greatest spectacles, the final mating rituals of the giant cuttlefish, takes place on the reefs of South…
Marine Curios #5 – Mitsukurina owstoni, or goblin shark
The rarely-seen goblin shark is one of the oldest fish in the sea, living in the deep darkness of its…
First ever find of a megalodon tooth in-situ on the sea floor
The discovery of a fossilised tooth in-situ in the deep, mid-ocean sheds light on megalodon’s migratory behaviour A new paper…