Marine Life
Marine life includes an incredible and vibrant array of wild animals that live in the ocean. From tiny phytoplankton to massive blue whales, marine life is a vital source of food, energy and life for the entire planet.
Box Jellyfish: World's Most Venomous Sea Creature
Stinging 'Sea Lice' Invading Atlantic Beaches
Jellyfish Don't Have Brains, But They Still Sleep
Why No Fish Wants a Tongue-eating Parasitic Louse in its Mouth
Pistol Shrimp: The Fastest Gun in the Sea
The Amazing Mantis Shrimp Punches Its Prey, Plus More Colorful Facts
Giant African Land Snails Invade South Florida Again
The Cone Snail Is a Slow, but Highly Venomous, Predator
The Tiny Blue-ringed Octopus Is the Ocean's Deadliest
How Do Eels Reproduce?
Sailfish Are Super-fast, Stunning and Smart Ocean Predators
The Deep Ocean Giant Isopod Looks Like a Huge Roly-poly Bug
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It's a slippery proposition, to be sure, but bees do it, birds do it and you can bet that eels do it too. The question is, how do eels reproduce?
By Mark Mancini
Sailfish are the fastest known animal in the ocean. Just how fast? As fast as a cheetah. That's how fast.
Cymothoa exigua will make you feel very glad you're not a fish.
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These massive mollusks are one of the world's most invasive species. They have the potential to devastate Florida's agriculture. Oh, and they can cause meningitis in humans.
By Sarah Gleim
Cone snails are marine animals that harpoon their prey and incapacitate them with deadly toxins. They may be beautiful, but they are highly venomous.
Tons of these humongous bug-like creatures live in the darkest depths of the sea, but they are still somewhat of a mystery to us humans.
Even washed up on the beach, the Portuguese man-of-war can deliver searing pain with its stinging tentacles, so whatever you do, don't touch it.
By Mark Mancini
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You might not think a worm could be longer than a whale, but allow us to introduce you to the bootlace worm, one of the longest animals on the planet. And, oh and it packs a potent toxin, too.
By Mark Mancini
Looks can be deceiving. That's definitely true for the blue-ringed octopus. It's tiny, stunningly beautiful and looks harmless. Yet its venom could kill 26 men in minutes.
The pistol shrimp is feared in the ocean for its ability to hit a prey with air bubbles that travel 82 feet per second, pop at 218 decibels and deliver 8,000 degrees Fahrenheit of heat.
By Katie Carman
Yes, this terrifying worm was named after the infamous Bobbitt case. And with good reason.
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These brightly colored crustaceans can smash aquarium glass or quickly cut through a human finger, so whatever you do, keep your distance.
These two sea creatures can be easy to confuse. But they're actually quite different. We talked to experts to find out how to tell them apart.
By Wendy Bowman
Roly-poly bugs are natural soil conditioners because they process decomposing matter, helping keep your garden soil clean and healthy. And — fun fact — they're crustaceans, not insects.
By Jeremy Glass
A master of camouflage, the cuttlefish can count, gender-bend and use a hidden weapon to outsmart its enemies.
By Alia Hoyt
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What lives in water, has no gills, scales or fins and is not a fish? Yep, a starfish — which is why marine biologists have renamed these creatures sea stars.
By Wendy Bowman
A bright pink manta ray named Inspector Clouseau is causing a splash on the runway of the Great Barrier Reef.
Dwindling natural habitats are causing a significant decline in certain seahorse species. To bolster populations, researchers in Australia are building seahorse hotels and leaving the lights on.
By Wendy Bowman
What sea creature looks like a spiny pincushion and is considered a delicacy to gastronomes around the world? Yep, the sea urchin.
By Jeremy Glass
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These saltwater clams are the largest on the planet, and some can live as long as 100 years. And despite their, well, looks, they're pretty darn tasty.
Rumors of giant squid have terrified sailors for centuries, but new technology is now helping to bring these mysterious creatures up toward the light.
Most jellyfish are more bothersome than threatening, but the box jellyfish is so poisonous you might not make it out of the water alive.
Is that a dolphin pancreas? Some extremely firm manatee vomit? Nope, it's sea pork!
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The biggest land-dwelling arthropod can crack into everything from coconuts to carcasses, but they're also really vulnerable.
The single-celled Mesodinium chamaeleon harnesses algae, which lives inside it, for energy.
By Loraine Fick