Media Gallery: Photos A-Z

  • Shark Embryo
    Jan 10 2013 - 10:47am
    Sharks have young in three different ways. After internal fertilization, some species lay a thick egg case that encloses the shark embryo (seen in the photo here). Most species are ovoviviparous,...
  • A diagram of a shark's six highly refined senses: smell, hearing, touch, taste, sight, and electromagnetism

    Shark Senses
    Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am
    Sharks have six highly refined senses: smell, hearing, touch, taste, sight, and electromagnetism. These finely honed senses, along with a sleek, torpedo-shaped body, make most sharks highly skilled...
  • Dead sharks caught in fish net.

    Sharks caught in nets
    Dec 17 2009 - 7:18pm
    Shark nets are trapping and killing dozens of sharks off the coast of South Africa. More about the great white shark can be found in our Great White Shark featured story.
  • Freshly cut dorsal fin from a scalloped hammerhead shark held by fisherman with knife.

    Sharks Threatened by Finning
    Feb 2 2010 - 11:10am
    This photo of a freshly cut dorsal fin from a scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini), was taken in 2006 on a long-lined fishing boat in Cocos Island, 300 miles off the Pacific coast of Costa...
  • A shell placed in seawater with increased acidity slowly dissolves over 45 days.

    Shell Dissolves in Seawater
    Nov 29 2012 - 11:11am
    Over a 10-year period NOAA scientists have collected 72,000 seawater samples, and their data show that the ocean is becoming more acidic because of climate change-caused warming. That small shift is...
  • North Atlantic right whales and ocean-going vessels often cross paths.

    Ship and North Atlantic Right Whale
    Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am
    North Atlantic right whales and ocean-going vessels often cross paths.
  • A large ship flushes water from its ballast tanks while at sea

    Ship Flushing Ballast Water at Sea
    Jul 27 2011 - 1:51pm
    When people sail the sea, marine organisms tag along. If carried long distances, these hitchhikers can invade and disrupt ecosystems far from their natural homes, pushing out the local species. Some...
  • <p>Steller’s sea eagles, a threatened species, gather on sea ice at the&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 20px;">Shiretoko Peninsula in Japan.</span></p>

    Shiretoko, Japan
    Nov 5 2010 - 1:25pm
    The Shiretoko site in Japan was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2005. The site’s key feature is its exceptional productivity, largely resulting from the formation of relatively low-latitude...
  • A shortfin mako glides through the waters off the coast of California.

    Shortfin Mako Shark
    Jan 7 2013 - 10:06am
    The shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) is found offshore in tropical and warm temperate waters of all oceans, but has been known to travel to cooler waters at times. It is very strong and the...
  • This shrimp is colored to fit in - probably why they are common members of the seaweed community.

    Shrimp hides in the sargassum
    May 21 2012 - 4:06pm
    One of the most common inhabitants of the sargassum community, the shrimp Latreutes fucorum (Hippolytidae) is perfectly colored to hide on the leaf-like blades.
  • <p>The Sian Ka’an site in Mexico was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987. The site’s name means “Origin of the Sky” in Mayan and contains tropical forests, mangroves, and marshes, as well as a large marine area intersected by the Caribbean Barrier Reef. On land there are 1,200 plant species, five species of felines (including jaguars and ocelots), as well as threatened tapirs and peccaries. Aquatic animals include manatees <em>(Trichechus manatus</em>) and nesting colonies of jabiru storks (<em>Jabiru mycteria</em>), frigate birds (<em>Fregata magnificens</em>), brown pelicans (<em>Pelecanus occidentalis</em>), and roseate spoonbills (<em>Platalea ajaja</em>).</p>

    Sian Ka'an, Mexico
    Nov 8 2010 - 1:57pm
    The Sian Ka’an site in Mexico was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987. The site’s name means “Origin of the Sky” in Mayan and contains tropical forests, mangroves, and marshes, as well as a...
  • John Paxton, a scientist who studies marine life, looks into a microscope

    Sleuth at Sea
    Oct 23 2010 - 5:58pm
    Ichthyologist John R. Paxton of the Australian Museum studies freshly caught lanternfishes. Paxton was on the team that solved the whalefish mystery.