oceans

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 51

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

 WATERY WENESDAY # 51

We’re off in the E & E sub to meet a small and spotty shark! Are you ready to meet this cartilaginous fish? We have room for everyone! Let’s do this!

MEET THE LEOPARD SHARK!

   Range/Habitat: Eastern North Pacific/ oceans-near estuaries

   Diet: Carnivore: invertebrates, crabs

   Length/Weight: up to 7 ft/ up to 71 lb

   Conservation Status: common

 

Fun Facts:

  • Leopard Sharks have spots on their backs and sides.
  • They have long slender bodies and a large dorsal fin.
  • Leopard sharks are harmless to humans.
  • Leopard sharks have short round snouts.
  • They have strong jaws full of flat teeth for crushing prey.

 

Leopard Sharks certainly earned their name from another famous predator! It sure seems that spots and stripes help you camouflage in with your habitat! What kind of coloration would you want to help you camouflage in with your habitat?

 

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, entertainment, nature, oceans, science, sharks, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 50

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY #50

We’re taking the E & E sub out today to find a fish who looks like a fruit! Whaaaaat you ask! Well, we are in search of a cool and amazing fish who is yellow and black! We have room for everyone, so let’s head out to meet…

MEET THE PINEAPPLE FISH!

   Range/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Oceans

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, invertebrates

   Length/Weight: up to 11”/ up to 18 oz

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Pineapple Fish get their name from their shape and color.
  • They have sharp spines on their dorsal and pelvic fins.
  • Pineapple fish have a bioluminescent organ on their lower jaw that they use to attract prey.
  • Pineapple fish are nocturnal (active at night).
  • They are found in deeper waters.
  • Pineapple fish have armor-like scaled covering their bodies.

Pineapple fish are really cute, but our favorite thing about them is their bioluminescent organ! How neat it is that they have their own build in glow stick :)!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WEIRD WATERY WEDNESDAY!!!

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

HALLOWEEN WEEK!

WEIRD WATERY WEDNESDAY!

We’re taking the E & E sub down to the deep depths of the ocean for this Weird Watery Wednesday! We’re on the lookout for a fish with fangs! Don’t worry they don’t bite and suck blood; they use their large teeth for eating prey! Is everyone ready?

MEET THE FANGTOOTH FISH!

   Range/Habitat: Tropical-temperate Ocean waters worldwide

   Diet: Carnivore: fish

   Length: up to 7”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Fangtooth fish are also named the orgefish.
  • Fangtooth live in the deep depths of the ocean.
  • They have large heads and small bodies.
  • Fangtooth fish can eat prey that is almost as large as they are.
  • Fangtooth have the largest teeth of any fish in proportion to their body.
  • Their lower teeth fit into specialized pockets in their skulls when their mouths are closed.

 

Wow! Fangtooth fish are crazy weird looking! The deep, deep ocean is full of alien looking creatures! Would you love to be a deep sea explorer?

 

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, entertainment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 49

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WENESDAY # 49

We’re going to the Northwest U.S. today to meet a freshwater and ocean going fish! That’s right folks; there are fish who spend part of their lives in both habitats! You ready?

MEET THE RAINBOW TROUT!

 

   Range/Habitat: Northern Pacific/ North America

   Diet: Carnivore: insects, fish, snails

   Length/Weight: up to 4 ft/ up to 53 lbs

  Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Rainbow trout are members of the salmon family.
  • Some rainbow trout are called steelheads.
  • Steelhead rainbow trout live their adult lives in the ocean, but spawn in freshwater habitats.
  • Some rainbow trout spend their whole lives in freshwater habitats.
  • Rainbow trout are blue green with yellow and a pink streak down their side.

Rainbow trout are really colorful fish! They have been introduced around the U.S. and now are a popular sporting fish.

 

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, rivers, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MYSTERY FISH EYEBALL!

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MYSTERY EYEBALL!

Last week beachcombers found a giant eyeball in Florida! Scientists have figured out that it belong to a swordfish! We met those guys a few weeks ago! Come check out the eyeball story and our SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY adventure where we met these magnificent fish! Woohoo!

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WATERY WEDNESDAY # 48

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WENESDAY # 48

We’re taking the E & E submarine out today to find a fish who lives on the bottom of the ocean floor. Get out your best observation eyes because they are masters of camouflage! Are you ready? We have plenty of room!

MEET THE SOLE!

   Range/Habitat: Eastern North Atlantic- Mediterranean/ oceans-

estuaries

   Diet: Carnivore: mollusks, worms

   Length/Weight: up to 28”/ up to 66 lbs

  Conservation Status: vulnerable

 

Fun Facts:

  • Soles have flat bodies.
  • Soles are brown with dark blotches.
  • They burrow in the sandy or muddy ocean floor.
  • Soles have both eyes on the right side of their bodies.
  • They have an excellent sense of smell that helps them locate their prey.

Soles are cousins of flounders, both have those flat bodies. Our favorite part of the Sole is their funny side faces. What’s your favorite part?

 

 

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WATERY WEDNESDAY # 47

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

WATERY WENESDAY # 47

It’s Watery Wednesday and we’re going diving in a Pacific coral reef to meet a fish who can blow a mean horn! Ok, they can’t actually play the trumpet, but they are pretty cute! Let’s do this!

MEET THE TRUMPETFISH!

   Range/Habitat: Pacific-Indian Ocean/ coral reef

   Diet: Carnivore: small fish

   Length: up to 32”

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Trumpetfish have long slender bodies and long snouts.
  • They are ambush predators.
  • Trumpetfish are yellow or brown in color.
  • They camouflage among the coral by floating vertically head down.
  • Trumpetfish have small jaws and usually suck in their prey.

 

Trumpetfish are masters of camouflage! They just float around looking like coral til their prey swims by and grabs them! If you could camouflage in any habitat what would it be?

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wetlands | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MAMMAL MONDAY # 47

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY #47!

This Mammal Monday we’re going a boat to South America to find one amazing and beautiful marine mammal! What’s black and white and swims? Let’s go find out!

MEET THE COMMERSON’S DOLPHIN!

   Range/Habitat: Tip of South America/ Indian Ocean/ oceans-coastlines

   Diet: Carnivore: sea stars, fish, crabs

   Length/Weight: 4 ½-5 ½ ft

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Commerson’s Dolphins are black and white and look like small killer whales.
  • Commerson’s Dolphins calves are gray and develop their coloration as adults.
  • They live in schools of around 10 individuals.
  • Commerson’s Dolphins are also called the Panda Dolphin.
  • They are very acrobatic swimmers.
  • Commerson’s Dolphins are known to swim upside down to find their prey on the ocean floor.

Wow, these fast and graceful dolphins are gorgeous! They really do look like mini orcas! Did you know that Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family? Neat!

  

 

 

 

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SEA OTTER AWARENESS WEEK!

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SEA OTTER AWARENESS WEEK!

We’re celebrating the largest member of the otter family all this week! That’s right we’re giving a shout out to those adorable marine mammals the Sea Otter!

We’re sharing some cute photos, fun facts and resources to celebrate these fur balls!

  • Sea Otters are members of the weasel family!
  • Sea Otters live in the Pacific ocean along the North American shore and the Northern Asian shore.
  • Sea Otters spend most of their time in water. They will occasionally come ashore to rest.
  • Sea Otters’ fur is water repellant and very thick. They can have up to 1 million furs per square inch.
  • Sea Otters role in order to trap air bubbles in their fur. The air bubbles help keep them warm.
  • Sea Otters are often found floating on the surface of kelp forests. They will even wrap the kelp around themselves to keep anchored while sleeping
  • Sea Otters groom themselves constantly. This helps keep their fur clean and waterproof. 
  • Sea Otters use rocks to break some of their prey, including crabs and sea urchins.
  • Sea Otters help keep the balance in a kelp forest. One of their favorite prey, sea urchins eat kelp; and without the otters to keep the urchin population in check, the kelp would be gone!

There are so many reasons to love sea otters and to protect them! There are many organizations that are working hard to make sure otters have a future in our oceans! Monterey Bay Aquarium has a great sea otter program. There is a new movie going around the country called Otter 501 all about the rescue of an orphaned otter! We are hoping to see it this week!

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Tell us what you love about Sea Otters!

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, oceans, science, sea otters, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY # 45

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

SUPER SURPRISE THURSDAY #45

We’re taking the E & E sub down into the deep blue today! We’re off to find one fast, large and crazy looking fish! There’s always plenty of room in the sub for you! So let’s zoom off to meet…

MEET THE SWORDFISH!

   Range/Habitat: Tropical-Sub tropical oceans worldwide

   Diet: Carnivore: fish, squid

   Length/Weight: up to 15 ft/ up to 1,300 lbs

   Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Swordfish have a broad, flat sword.
  • They are very fast swimmers.
  • Swordfish use their sword snouts to impale fish and squid.
  • Swordfish are generally solitary as adults.
  • They have large dorsal (top) fins.
  • Swordfish have no teeth.
  • Female swordfish are larger than the males.

These fish are so fast and gorgeous! And man, are those sword snouts crazy! The ocean never ceases to amaze us with its inhabitants! It sure would be fun to watch these swordfish fence!

 

  

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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