Art, obsession, and identity
If you've ever visited an aquarium or watched a David Attenborough show, you'll know that the ocean is filled with exotic and mystifying creatures that seem to be from another planet. As humans, it's much easier to relate to other land mammals and the various critters we observe in our daily lives. Ocean-dwellers are fascinating because they're so different to us. Some of them live in mucus bubbles, and others use pee as a form of communication. What's not to love!
Click through the following gallery to learn some of the most amazing facts about the most wonderful underwater creatures.
Frogfish can actually walk around on their fins like a mammal. Their pectoral fins are unique and can be used to trot around on the ocean floor.
Parrotfish sleep in a protective cocoon made of their own mucus to hide their scent from predators.
Dolphins are said to have emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationships similar to humans. Another way they're comparable to humans is that they like to get high...
Penguins are adorable creatures that are known to mate for life. The males of some species even propose to their mate by giving them a pebble.
Researchers have also observed that they have their own language that sounds like chirps and squeaks. They have been nicknamed "the canaries of the sea."
These adorable otters have special folds of skin under their arms where they store food. They'll never be caught without a snack at the ready.
If a shark loses a tooth, it will always grow back (no matter how old they are). This is because shark teeth are actually a type of scale, and not technically a tooth at all.
The tongue of a blue whale is heavier than an elephant! Blue whales can weigh up to 190 tons (173,000 kg). Their tongues alone can weigh eight tons (7,000 kg).
Jellyfish are some of the most ancient creatures still floating around on Earth today. They are older than the dinosaurs and have survived five mass extinctions.
Crabs have hairy-looking antennae on their feet that contain taste buds. These help them to search out tasty morsels and be more selective about what they put in their mouths.
Stonefish are just as terrifying as they look. They are highly toxic and their sting can be deadly to humans. It's said to be the most painful sting a human being can experience.
The digestive tract of the sea cucumber cleans the ocean. They pretty much eat anything that gets stuck to the ocean floor, and then they poop out clean sand!
Dolphins only sleep with half their brain, and with one eye open at all times!
Many species of fish are hermaphrodites. They are born with the ability to change their gender. If necessary, a female fish will become male to improve their chances of reproduction.
Boxfish don’t have skeletons like other fish. They are literally made up of one box-shaped bone that has a mouth, eyes, and fins sticking out.
Angelfish mate for life. They take their bond so seriously that even if one of them dies, the surviving partner will not mate with anyone else for the rest of their life.
Catfish are remarkable for their extra large mouths. Human beings have 9,000 taste buds, while catfish have 27,000!
The croaker fish is aptly named because it can create a strange croaking noise! The sound is created by vibrating air pockets inside their bodies.
Lobsters are like the lizards of the sea because they can regrow a claw or an eye that gets lost while battling a predator. However, the new appendage might grow to be smaller than the original.
Sea turtles tend to return to the same beach as their mothers to lay their eggs.
Many species of bony fish have more than one set of nostrils. Their nostrils aren't for breathing. They're there just for sense of smell, which allows them to detect predators more easily. So the more nostrils, the better!
There's a type of jellyfish that looks exactly like a fried egg, and it's called the fried egg jellyfish. That is all.
Sharks are covered in tiny teeth called dermal denticles. This is why their skin feels like sandpaper. Although most people don't get close enough to experience that for themselves...
Although manatees are similar to dolphins and whales in appearance, they're actually more closely related to elephants!
Sources: (Underwater Photography Guide) (The Smiling Seahorse) (The Fish Site) (BuzzFeed)
See also: The weirdest mating behaviors in the animal kingdom
Amazing facts about aquatic animals
Exotic creatures that seem to be from another planet
LIFESTYLE Marine life
If you've ever visited an aquarium or watched a David Attenborough show, you'll know that the ocean is filled with exotic and mystifying creatures that seem to be from another planet. As humans, it's much easier to relate to other land mammals and the various critters we observe in our daily lives. Ocean-dwellers are fascinating because they're so different to us. Some of them live in mucus bubbles, and others use pee as a form of communication. What's not to love!
Click through the following gallery to learn some of the most amazing facts about the most wonderful underwater creatures.