there
are over 200 different species of jellyfish throughout the world's oceans
and seas. jellies are plentiful in monterey bay (left). jellyfish are
invertebrates belonging to the phylum cnidaria. they range from the
size of a thimble to over 100 feet long!
jellyfish consist of a bell (body) which contains its oral surface for eating, and tentacles that are string-like structures extending from the bell rim and function to trap food and in motion.
jellyfish are most known for their stinging cells, which actually sting, captures, and subdues prey. jellyfish stings are quite painful and cause reactions ranging from mild rashes to death. the most dangerous jellyfish is the australian box jelly, whose toxin is more potent than cobra venom! however most jellies are harmless to humans.
the
california spiny lobster (right) is a hearty invertebrate found
off of the california coast. they are popular among both commercial trappers
and scuba divers.
the spiny lobster's body consists of an exoskeleton (hard shell) around a carapace and a tail. the lobster has ten legs with bristles on them that can detect one and a half degree temperature changes! they are brick red with black and yellow eye spots and have long antennaes. an interesting difference of the california lobster is that they lack the claws of their east coast cousin.
while lobsters generally crawl around slowly over rocks, etc, any scuba diver that has tried to catch one can tell you that they are very fast swimmers! they typically swim backwards in short spurts when faced with danger.
fish
are what most people think of when marine life is mentioned. there are
different fish for different habitats: cold water, warm water, salt water,
fresh water, etc. one of my favorites common to the california coast is
the garibaldi (left) . they can typically be found in reefs and
kelp beds. the adults are bright orange and love to eat broken sea urchins.
they are protected by law in california.
the florida keys has some of the most beautiful and colorful fish i've
seen. a common fish that often swam in schools is the blue-striped
grunt (right). more pictures of fish taken on dives can be found from
my snapfish.com underwater pictures
page.
harbor
seals (right) on the pacific coast can be found from alaska to baja
california. they weigh about 30 pounds at birth but can reach sizes of
up to six feet and 300 pounds! they can live up to 25 or 30 years.
the california sea lion is probably more recognizable to divers, being known for their intelligence and playfulness. sea lions can get much larger, with males reaching up to 1000 pounds! a breeding area for the california sea lion is the southern channel islands. i have, on more than one occasion, seen groups of sea lions swimming around me during channel island dives, curiously pausing for a closer look. they are very social animals.
giant
clams (right) are common to the great barrier reef. the largest clam
species may reach 4 feet in length and weigh more than 500 pounds. the
smallest species reaches no more than 15cm in length! the clam spreads
it mantle to capture sunlight for the algae that resides symbiotically
within its tissues.
some divers have heard the myth (and myth it is!) that the giant clam will seize divers by the leg and hold them under until they drown!
