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Invertebrates

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PHOTO Rapa Whelk Rapa whelks, native to Asia, have invaded the Chesapeake Bay and are raising concerns about economic and ecological impacts to the Bay region due to their shellfish diet. Scientists believe...MORE PHOTOS


	PHOTO MORE PHOTOS Invertebrates from the Gulf of Mexico The Smithsonian's Department of Invertebrate Zoology has a collection of over 57...
	BLOG POST MORE STORIES So You Think You're Smarter Than a Cephalopod? The blanket octopus can rip a poisonous tentacle from a Portuguese man-o-war and...
	IMAGE GALLERY MORE GALLERIES Bioluminescent Animals Photo Gallery Bioluminescence is one of the more captivating adaptations that have evolved in...

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					Searching for Crustaceans in the Deep Sea May 16, 2013 - 9:04AMIn this video Smithsonian research zoologist Dr. Martha Nizinski takes viewers with her as she searches for crustaceans in the deep sea. She's particularly interested in finding squat lobsters, which despite their name, are...

Colorful Caribbean Crustaceans

May 15, 2013 - 8:12AM

Discovering new species is an exciting quest, right? Well, some parts are—...

Zombie Worms Eating Whale Bone

May 13, 2013 - 9:23AM

Zombie worms (Osedax roseus) eat away at the bones of a dead whale that has...

SPOTLIGHT


A World Adrift: Life in the Sargassum The open ocean is surprisingly barren to the naked eye. Every now and again you will encounter a school of fish and their...

Can You Spot the Seahorse? Feb 12 2013 - 9:58am It's a pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti), found in Indonesia's biodiverse Coral Triangle and one of the smallest seahorse species in the world! They can change colors like a chameleon to blend into their environment. This helps to protect them from predators and ambush their prey. Read ten...	Deep-Sea Bivalves Jan 6 2011 - 2:46pm Bivalves brought up in a box corer from the deep Arctic seafloor.
Uncovering Biodiversity Before It Disappears Aug 22 2012 - 5:25pm Editor's Note: See more information and details about the organisms displayed in the slideshow here. Researchers who come to Curaçao to take part in DROP (Deep Reef Observation Project) aren’t running on sleep; they’re running on passion, curiosity and a drive to not waste a moment of...	Deep-Sea Amphipod Jan 6 2011 - 2:14pm Lanceola clausi, the bull-dog amphipod, another rare deep-water species captured below 1000 meters (3281 feet) with the multinet. View the “Under Arctic Ice” photo essay to learn more.
Close-up of a Coral Polyp Sep 24 2012 - 10:45am In this close-up photo, you can actually see the photosynthetic algae, or zooxanthellae, living inside a tiny coral polyp. Look for the brownish-green specks in the colorless polyp. Corals depend on these algae for food and for some of their oxygen. To learn more about coral reefs, explore our...	This Flu Season, Thank a Horseshoe Crab Nov 22 2010 - 11:23pm Fever. Aching muscles. Coughing. Sniffling. It’s flu season. Have you had your shot? If so, thank a horseshoe crab.
Tusk Shell Hermit Crab Aug 10 2012 - 3:47pm When this tusk shell was brought up it was a surprise when a hermit crab poked out. Notice the large, operculate-shaped claw that this hermit can use to tightly cover the shell opening when it retracts into the shell. Dr. Rafael Lemaitre, NMNH curator of decapod Crustacea, has identified this...	Tan Sea Urchin Aug 10 2012 - 4:05pm This tan urchin, Conolampas sigsbei, is one of only two known deep-sea urchins that cover their tops with small rocks and shells. Many shallow species cover themselves for reasons that have been determined experimentally. However, none of these explanations make sense for urchins living in the deep...
Bigfin Squid Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am A specimen from the Smithsonian’s squid collection and videos of a mystery squid helped scientists identify a new family of deep sea squid—the Magnapinnidae, known as the bigfin squids. More about deep ocean exploration can be found in our Deep Ocean Exploration featured story.	Male Giant Squid Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am This male giant squid is on display in the Sant Ocean Hall at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. It measures about 2.7 meters (9 feet) long and weighs a little more than 45.5 kilograms (100 pounds). Found off the coast of Spain, it is on loan to the Smithsonian from the...
Marine Biology on the Island of Moorea Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am The island of Moorea is a natural laboratory for scientists on a quest to catalog every life form big enough to pick up with tweezers. Head out into the field and watch as researchers use cutting-edge DNA technology and old-fashioned elbow grease in a giant scavenger hunt that will help us...	Squid Relatives Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Like it or not, giant squids are related to snails, clams, and even slugs. They are all mollusks and have soft, fleshy bodies. More can be found in the Giant Squid section.
Deep-Water Larvacean Jul 27 2012 - 9:35am Found in Arctic waters, this rare deep-water species of larvacean, Oikopleura gorskyi, eats by filtering particles from the seawater it drifts through. Larvaceans build 'houses' around themselves made of protein that helps them filter the water even better. And when the filters in its house...	What is the Largest Squid? A Squid Size Diversity Chart Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Squids come in a wide range of sizes, from smaller-than-your-thumb to the enormous giant squid. Giant squid grow up to 16 meters (50 feet). Learn more the life, range, and ecology of the giant squid in the Giant Squid section.
Video of Cirrate Octopod aka Dumbo Octopus Dec 8 2009 - 7:02pm This octopod is sometimes called a “Dumbo” octopod because its fins resemble the ears of Disney’s Dumbo the elephant. The video was recorded in 2003 on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge by the Russian manned submersible MIR 2. More about deep ocean exploration can be found in our Deep Ocean Exploration...	Horseshoe Crab in Massachusetts Nov 22 2010 - 11:11pm A small horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) rests on seaweed in Stage Harbor, Massachusetts. Atlantic horseshoe crabs can be found along the coast of North America from the Yucatán Peninsula to Maine. Read more about how the copper-based blue blood of horseshoe crabs has helped the medical industry...