Today's Catch

  • Sep 6, 2012
    An algal bloom, also known as a red tide, has converted the ocean's surf to a red color

    Red Tide

    In the ocean, microscopic forms of algae, known as dinoflagellates, can "bloom" into dense patches near the surface, often referred to as "red tides." Some of these harmful algal blooms (HABs) are dangerous, producing toxins that can kill marine organisms, taint shellfish, cause skin irritations, and even foul the air. They seem to be increasing in size, intensity, and persistence—possibly due to nutrient-rich runoff from land or a warming climate. 

    Algae, Algae blooms, Human impacts, Microorganisms
    CREDIT:

    Flickr User AJC1
  • Sep 5, 2012
    Hawaiian Monk Seal

    Hawaiian Monk Seal

    The endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) is one of hundreds of marine species that can be found cruising the waters of Papahānaumokuākea, a chain of islands northwest of the main Hawaiian archipelago. Papahānaumokuākea was listed as a Marine World Heritage Site in August 2010.

    Endangered species, Pacific islands, Seals
    CREDIT:

    James Watt
  • Sep 4, 2012
    This female giant squid is the larger of two on display in the Smithsonian's Sant Ocean Hall.

    Female Giant Squid

    The larger of two giant squids on display in the Smithsonian's Sant Ocean Hall, this female was caught in a fisherman's net off the coast of Spain in 2005. It was probably 2-3 years old and, when alive, 11 meters (36 feet) long with tentacles that extended 6.7 meters (22 feet). It weighed more than 150 kilograms (330 pounds). Since then it has shrunk considerably.

    Cephalopods, Sant Ocean Hall, Smithsonian collections
    CREDIT:

    Don Hurlbert/Smithsonian Institution
  • Aug 30, 2012
    Elephant seals' eyes are specialized to dim light and, in particular, to light at the wavelength of 485 nm -- which is the same wavelength given off by the bioluminescent lanternfish that are the seals' main prey.

    Elephant Seals Laze on the Beach

    These southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) may look like beach bums, but when they are in the water hunting, they are anything but. Satellite tracking by tagging the animals has found that, during the 10 months they spend at sea, elephant seals spend most of their time underwater, hunting fish and squid at depths of 1,300 to 3,300 feet (400 to 1,000 meters).

    Bioluminescence, Predation, Seals
    CREDIT:

    Su Yin Khoo (Flickr user kyusin)
  • Aug 29, 2012
    A Florida manatee surrounded by fish and tree roots swims in a fresh water spring.

    Florida Manatee in a Fresh Water Spring

    Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) swimming within a fresh water spring on Crystal River in Florida. Note the tree roots on the right of the frame which make up a portion of this unique ecosystem. Fish aggregate around the manatee and eat algae off of the manatee's body.

    Brian Skerry
    CREDIT:

    Copyright © Brian Skerry
  • Aug 27, 2012
    An underwater photo of a school of jacks and a scuba diver

    Bigeye Jacks and Diver Balicasag, Philippines

    "I was photographing this beautiful school of jacks when a diver slowly approached from beneath. I shifted my position to capture the moment he entered the ball of fish. Seconds later, he was completely immersed in the school.” -- Nature's Best photographer, Steve De Neef

    See a slideshow of other photos from the 2011 Nature's Best Photography Ocean Views Contest.

    Nature's Best, Scuba diving, Underwater photography
    CREDIT:

    Steve De Neef, Antwerp, Belgium www.stevedeneef.com
  • Aug 24, 2012
    Blackdevil Fish

    Blackdevil Fish

    Blackdevil fish (Melanocetus johnsonii) are quintessential monsters from the deep. The female lurks in the dark, drawing in prey with her glowing lure, while the male attaches to her like a blood-sucking parasite. Females can swallow prey larger than their own bodies.

    Parasitism
    CREDIT:

    E. Widder, ORCA (www.teamorca.org)
  • Aug 23, 2012
    A NASA satellite image from August 23, 2011 of Hurricane Irene, the Atlantic basin's first hurricane of 2011.

    Hurricane Irene

    Even when viewed from space, Hurricane Irene looks sizable. When a NASA satellite took this image on August 23, 2011 the storm was 410 miles in diameter, with clouds covering eastern Cuba. Irene is the first Atlantic hurricane of 2011. Read about the science of predicting hurricanes in a blog post by University of Rhode Island oceanographer Isaac Ginis.

    Hurricanes, Natural disasters, Satellite images
    CREDIT:

    NASA/NOAA GOES Project
  • Aug 22, 2012
    Close-up photograph of a large red cuttlefish.

    Australian Giant Cuttlefish

    The largest of the cuttlefish species, Australian Giant Cuttlefish (Sepia apama) delight scientists each year as they gather in masses to spawn in northern Spencer Gulf, northwest of Adelaide in Australia.

    Biodiversity, Cephalopods, Cuttlefish
    CREDIT:

    © 2008 Richard Ling
  • Aug 21, 2012
    Illustration of a four-legged proto-whale with webbed feet.

    Early Whale with Webbed Feet

    This early whale was well suited to life at sea. But it also lived on land. An ancestor of the right whale, Maiacetus lived 49-40 million years ago. It had flipper-like limbs and webbed feet, like modern seals. But it also had ankle bones - clues that although Maiacetus swam, its ancestors walked. As later whales evolved to become more aquatic, the telltale anklebone disappeared.

    Cetaceans, Extinction, Paleobiology, Right whales, Whales
    CREDIT:

    John Klausmeyer/University of Michigan Museum of Natural History