Tag: fish
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Virus from marine animals may be behind a rare eye illness in people
A strange new line may have just been drawn between the sea and human disease. In China, doctors have identified a small but growing cluster of people with severe eye problems, including glaucoma-like symptoms and, in some cases, permanent vision loss. What makes the cases especially unsettling is the suspected source: a virus once thought…
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7 Hairy Frogfish types that show nature’s wildest camouflage in action
The hairy frogfish is easily one of the ocean’s oddest masters of disguise. With its scruffy filaments, squat body, and knack for vanishing into coral, algae, or even rubble, it’s proof that evolution sometimes gets downright creative. Let’s look at seven types of hairy frogfish, each with its own wild way of hiding in plain…
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The Goliath Tigerfish: Africa’s most dangerous freshwater predator
Lurking in the roiling rivers of Central Africa is a predator so feared, it has earned a reputation as the continent’s most formidable freshwater killer. The Goliath tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath) is not merely big; it is biologically engineered for domination. With teeth that rival a great white shark’s and the speed of a missile, it…
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The truth behind those ‘stoned dolphins’ and their toxic pufferfish toy
It started with a slow float. In a 2013 BBC documentary, a pod of adolescent dolphins was filmed gently passing a pufferfish between them. They didn’t bite or kill. They just nudged it, mouthed it, and then drifted near the water’s surface, as if mesmerized. One dolphin stared at its own reflection. Another hovered with…
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New study links guppy color to brainpower, sex drive, and survival
Male guppies are tiny, tropical fish, but their looks could rival any fashion week runway. The flashier the color, the greater the odds of finding a mate. Now a new study from the University of British Columbia reveals just how deep that preference runs. Turns out, a male’s vibrant orange isn’t just for show,it’s a…
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The oarfish called the ‘doomsday fish’ just washed ashore in Mexico
They called it the “doomsday fish,” and for good reason. On February 9, beachgoers in Playa El Quemado, Baja California Sur, Mexico, spotted an oarfish—a massive, silvery creature with a bright dorsal fin and a reputation steeped in folklore. Robert Hayes was among the first to notice it. “That’s an oarfish,” he said. “Holy sh–,…
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Ocean Surprise: Documenting the Elusive Anglerfish in Broad Daylight
A gentle wind stirred the deck of the vessel Glaucus as marine photographer David Jara Bogunyà readied his underwater camera. He’d come to the waters off Tenerife hoping to capture images of sharks, but found something else gliding toward the surface instead. The silhouette was small, no more than six inches long, but its toothy…
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The Spotted Handfish of Tasmania, Australia that ‘walks’ underwater
They call it the fish that walks, a small but entrancing creature meandering along the silty depths of Tasmania’s Derwent River. At just five inches long, the Spotted Handfish seems more like a miniature explorer than a typical swimmer, slowly pacing along the substrate on pectoral fins that act like stubby hands. It’s a quiet…
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What Makes The Blue-Footed Booby’s Feet So Unforgettable?
They stand on rocky shores in the eastern Pacific, flaunting bright blue feet that look almost artificial against the muted tones of their brown-and-white plumage. Blue-footed boobies owe this vibrant color to carotenoid pigments, which come from the fish they eat, including sardines and anchovies. Their feet change in brightness depending on how many nutrients…