How Scientists Classify Marine Life…and what it all means to you
Suppose you walked into an introductory class called Biology 101, and on day one your teacher presented you with specimens of at least one…
Marine Habitats, Part IV: Life in the Open Sea
We loaded the boat in the first flickering light of dawn. Three hours later we were 20-plus miles/32 km out to sea, completely out…
Life in the Sand and Rubble ecosystems (Part 2)
This article is the second in a four-part series that deals with different ecosystems in the world’s oceans. In this segment, we will take…
Neptune’s Nurseries: Where Sea Meets Land
The intertwined roots of mangroves help stabilize the substrate, providing a better environment for swamp residents. In such food-rich areas, it probably comes as…
How Fishes Use Color
What is the most beautifully colored fish in the world? This is a question that can be passionately debated for hours. Surely the Harlequin…
Squid Run – Invasion of the Cephalopods
New Year’s Eve, and the clock was just about to strike midnight. In the streets and bars of San Diego’s famed La Jolla district,…
The Wonderfully Wacky World Of Fishes
When full grown they vary in length from less than one-fifth of an inch/1 cm to almost 50 feet/16m. Their weight ranges from being…
MATING GAMES: Courtship and Seduction in the Sea
The first time I was asked to go grunion hunting, I was extremely flattered. You see, I was new to the San Diego area,…
Kelp – Forests in the Sea
During an ideal day, few places on earth appear more inviting than a southern California kelp forest. On the surface, the Pacific is calm,…
Learning to See, Seeing to Learn Part II More of What’s Going on Underwater
This tiny, well-camouflaged clingfish provides a classic example of commensalism. The clingfish gains protection by hiding on its host — a crinoid — while…