Oceana North America - peacock mantis shrimp http://oceana.org/en/taxonomy/term/2169/0 en 10 Fascinating Marine Species http://oceana.org/en/blog/2011/09/10-fascinating-marine-species <div class="blogPhoto teaserPhoto"> <img class="imagefield imagefield-field_photo" width="450" height="306" alt="peacock mantis shrimp" src="http://oceana.org/sites/default/files/blog/peacock_mantis_shrimp1.jpg?1314989344" /><p class="image-caption">The peacock mantis shrimp.</p> </div> <p>For millennia, people have wondered just how many species live on Earth. The latest study looking to answer this question <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/87-million-species-exist-on-earth-study-estimates/2011/08/22/gIQAE7aZZJ_story.html">suggests there are about 8.7 million species</a>, the majority of which scientists can’t even name.</p> <p>The oceans, as almost three-quarters of the Earth’s surface, are home to millions of species—and only about 1 in 10 has been officially discovered by scientists. Here are ten ocean-dwellers we think are especially fascinating:</p> <p>1. <a title="Box Jellyfish" href="/en/explore/creatures/box-jellyfish"><strong>The box jellyfish</strong></a><strong><a href="en/explore/creatures/box-jellyfish"></a></strong>, which lives in the waters off North Australia and Indonesia, is one of the most venomous species in the ocean. Its 10-foot-long tentacles can kill even cautious swimmers, yet some kinds of sea turtles can eat box jellyfish without even an upset stomach.</p> <p>2. <strong><a href="/en/explore/creatures/lovely-hatchetfish">The lovely hatchetfish</a></strong> might be redefining lovely, but its thinness when viewed head-on helps it hide from predators, as does its silver color and bioluminescence.</p> <p>3.<strong><a href="/en/explore/creatures/sailor8217s-eyeball"> Sailor’s eyeball</a></strong> is the oceanic equivalent of skinless grapes at Halloween. This seaweed lives in waters around the equator, where it reproduces by disintegrating once young plants have formed inside of it.</p> <p>4. <a href="/en/explore/creatures/blue-ringed-octopus"><strong>The blue-ringed octopus</strong></a> may look pretty, but its vivid colors, which become brighter when the animal is disturbed, mark it as extremely poisonous—it is the most dangerous cephalopod and its saliva can kill a human.</p> <p>5.<a href="/en/explore/creatures/stonefish"><strong> The stonefish</strong></a>, the most venomous fish, can also kill a human with one sting. It takes its name from the camouflage that allows it to lie in wait for passing fish.</p> <p><a href="http://oceana.org/en/blog/2011/09/10-fascinating-marine-species" target="_blank">read more</a></p> marine life marine otter marine species peacock mantis shrimp stonefish Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:50:15 +0000 Meghan Bartels 9475 at http://oceana.org