Census of Marine Life: Wild and Wonderful Creatures

The Census of Marine Life - a ten-year effort by scientists from around the world to answer the age-old question, “What lives in the sea?” It was an international effort to asses the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine life that lives in our ocean, and the project offically concluded in October 2010.

Browse a small sampling of the amazing marine life documented by Census scientists in this photo slideshow. You can learn more about the ambitious survey in the book, Citizens of the Sea: Wondrous Creatures from the Census of Marine Life.

See more marine life and biodiversity in a photo slideshow of marine species at risk and watch a video to learn about how scientists are gathering vast amounts of ecological information to build a catelog of life on the island of Moorea.

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Dragonfish from Australia

Dragonfish from Australia:

Deep-sea species like this dragonfish collected near Australia live in cold, dark waters and may go weeks or months between meals.

CREDIT: Dr. Julian Finn, Museum Victoria

Sargassum fish from the Waters of South Korea

Sargassum fish from the Waters of South Korea:

The sargassum fish typically lives in open waters near floating patches of sargassum seaweed, which offer camouflage.

CREDIT: Dr. Sung Kim

Spider Conch from China

Spider Conch from China:

This beautiful spider conch was collected by Census of Marine Life scientists conducting research near China.

CREDIT: Dr. Julian Finn, Museum Victoria

Arctic Sea Cucumber

Arctic Sea Cucumber:

A new species of sea cucumber from the Arctic discovered by Census of Marine Life researchers.

CREDIT: Antonina Rogacheva, Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow

Zombie Worms Eating Whale Bone

Zombie worm eats whale bones in Japan's Sagami Bay

Zombie Worms Eating Whale Bone:

Zombie worms eat away at the bones of a dead whale that has fallen to the seafloor in Sagami Bay, Japan.

CREDIT: Yoshihiro Fujiwara/JAMSTEC

Deep Water Octopus in the Gulf of Mexico

Deep Water Octopus in the Gulf of Mexico:

A brilliant red octopus photographed at more than 8,800 feet (about 2,700 meters) in the Gulf of Mexico.

CREDIT: I. MacDonald (in Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Vol. 1. Biodiversity. Felder, D. L. and Camp, D. K. (eds.) 2009. Texas A&M Press.)

Atolla Jellyfish from the Waters of Japan

Atolla Jellyfish from the Waters of Japan:

This deep-sea jellyfish was caught on film by an ROV east of Izu-Oshina Island, Japan.

CREDIT: JAMSTEC

Venus Fly-Trap Anemone in the Gulf of Mexico

Venus Fly-Trap Anemone in the Gulf of Mexico:

This elegant Venus fly-trap anemone was photographed in the Gulf of Mexico at roughly 4,900 feet (1500 meters).

CREDIT: I. MacDonald (in Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Vol. 1. Biodiversity. Felder, D. L. and Camp, D. K. (eds.) 2009. Texas A&M Press.)

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Comments

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 7:00pm.

hello great pics

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 08/12/2010 - 8:58pm.

This is amazing. Do invertebrates rule the world?

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 08/20/2010 - 5:57pm.

the first one was weird but the rest was cool and i liked it!

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 08/23/2010 - 5:10pm.

THIS IS THE BAST POWER POINT EVER IT TELLS ALOT ABOUT OCEAN LIFE

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 9:19am.

Fifth graders will LOVE this find!! --- Teacher, WDC

Submitted by Ocean Portal Team on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 6:08pm.

Thanks! That's among the highest compliments we could receive. Please visit again and let us know what your class thinks!

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 09/16/2010 - 8:46pm.

Thanks for studying and let us know a little of marine life
when we understand the process of living beings we understand a little more about human history and ourselves

Subm by Rosely 16 Set 2010

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 1:46pm.

The pictures are extremely interesting. Even now they still catch my eye.

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 11/16/2010 - 1:35pm.

amazing and really mesmarising wonderful sea picture taken at the risk of life by the dedicated indomitable spirits.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 11/24/2010 - 12:24pm.

I find these pictures truely amazing, and i cant wait till i finish my degrees in biology and marine biology so i can get out there and study these strange and beautiful creatures. if you have any info on what i need to do to get in this field please let me know.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 11/24/2010 - 3:12pm.

Really good pic the dragonfish seems like a fun species to learn about :)

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 11/27/2010 - 7:36pm.

OMG! These types of marine life are gross, but yet unusual and interesting. I am doing a project on this and it is very useful.

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 12/14/2010 - 4:14pm.

Wow these discoveries are amazing! That jellyfish was pretty cool!!

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 12/17/2010 - 7:34pm.

I love these pics! when I am older I would like to become a marine biologist and discover things like these. I am in Fifth grade and these are truly weird but cool. i love these!

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 12/17/2010 - 10:07pm.

HOW COOL IS THIS!?!?!?!?

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