Aquatic Animals

Latest about Aquatic Animals

A larval mantis shrimp punching with its raptorial appendage, filmed at 20,000 frames per second and replayed in slow motion here.

Baby mantis shrimp throw knockout punches at 9 days old

By Nicoletta Lanese published

Larvae punch slower than adults can, but still strike far faster than their prey can swim.

Aquatic Animals
Lengthwise (left, middle) and cross-sectional (right) views of the fossil remains of what may be the oldest cephalopod on record.

500 million-year-old fossil is the granddaddy of all cephalopods

By Laura Geggel published

Tiny fossils in Newfoundland, Canada may be evidence of the oldest cephalopod on record.

Aquatic Animals
This illustration shows a larger vampyromorph seizing a smaller one during the early Jurassic period.

Vampire squid ancestor died in 'eternal embrace' with its dinner

By Laura Geggel published

A well-preserved fossil reveals that 180 million years ago, an eight-armed predator suffocated with its prey.

Aquatic Animals
A short video clip of an octopus changing colors during active sleep

Do octopuses dream of 8-armed sheep? New study hints at human-like sleep cycle in cephalopods

By Nicoletta Lanese published

Octopuses switch between "quiet" and "active" sleep, where they turn vivid colors.

Aquatic Animals
A raft of by-the-wind sailor jellyfish wash up on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Millions of dead jellyfish are washing up around the world. 'The blob' could be to blame.

By Brandon Specktor published

Every few years, millions of by-the-wind sailor jellyfish wash up on beaches and die. What is causing so many of them to become stranded? The blob could be to blame.

Aquatic Animals
an octopus closeup shown in glowing bluish light

Octopuses can 'see' light with their arms

By Cameron Duke published

Octopuses can "see" light with their arms, even when their eyes are in the dark, researchers have found.

Aquatic Animals
The dead giant squid (Architeuthis dux) found on Golden Mile Beach in Britannia Bay, South Africa.

10 strange animals that washed ashore in 2020

By Laura Geggel published

Here are 10 gnarly animals from our ocean's depths.

Aquatic Animals
A day octopus socks a goldsaddle goatfish in waters near Eilat, Israel, on Oct. 17, 2018. Octopuses may punch a fish ally out of the way to capture prey ... but sometimes it's not clear why they do it.

Octopus punches fish in the head (just because it can)

By Mindy Weisberger published

Octopuses sometimes partner with fish to hunt, but the partnership comes with risks (for the fish, that is).

Aquatic Animals
The octopus's ninth arm is an offshoot on its left third arm.

Rare 9-armed octopus found off Japan coast

By Laura Geggel published

How did an octopus in Japan grow nine arms?

Aquatic Animals
The "meral spread" is a display that mantis shrimp commonly use during contests.

Mantis shrimp punch down, pick on smaller rivals to steal their homes

By Mindy Weisberger published

When mantis shrimp find a burrow that's just right, they'll fight brutal battles to steal it.

Aquatic Animals
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