marine biology

Killer whale OCX043 encountered with three other whales 175km west of Bandon, Oregon, on September 9, 2021 (Encounter 9). This whale was sighted previously 300 km offshore of Monterey Bay, California on January 23, 2020. Credit: Robert L. Pitman, Oregon State University.University of British Columbia researchers believe a group of killer whales observed hunting marine mammals including sperm whales, as well as a sea turtle, in the open ocean off California and Oregon could be a new population.Based on available evidence,…

From renowned photographers Chris and Monique Fallows and co-authors on the new paper: “This image has special meaning to Monique and I as it so incredibly symbolizes the unbelievable sights we witnessed in the early mornings at Seal Island, False Bay, for over two decades – the oceans most famous super predator exhibiting the most spectacular behavior seen in its 60-million-year tenure on our planet. Today tragically the waters around Seal Island are empty of these icons.” Credit: @chrisfallowsphotographyRecent study…

By German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig March 6, 2024A study shows that warming waters cause fish to alter their prey selection towards smaller, more abundant species, potentially increasing extinction risks due to unmet metabolic needs, highlighting marine ecosystems’ vulnerability to climate change.According to a recent study in Nature Climate Change, fish are adapting their hunting and feeding patterns in response to warmer ocean temperatures, a shift that models indicate could…

A groundbreaking study documents the first-ever observation of an orca individually consuming a great white shark in South Africa, challenging previous notions of orca hunting behavior and highlighting their adaptability. This discovery raises concerns about the ecological impact on shark populations and emphasizes the importance of collaborative science and adaptable conservation efforts in understanding and protecting marine ecosystems. Credit: Christiaan Stopforth, Drone Fanatics SAResearch reveals “astonishing”…

Researchers in the US have used advanced tracking technology to uncover new migratory corridors and foraging areas for leatherback sea turtles along the US east coast, notably in the South Atlantic Bight, Mid-Atlantic Bight, and southern New England. These findings, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, highlight significant foraging grounds and have implications for the conservation of this endangered species, particularly in light of threats from fishing and offshore wind farm developments.Leatherback sea turtles,…

By Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research February 27, 2024Recent research in the Arctic reveals that jellyfish, once considered negligible in food webs, are a key food source for amphipods during the polar night in Svalbard’s Kongsfjorden, indicating significant changes in the ecosystem due to “Atlantification.” Pictures is a ctenophore or comb jelly. Credit: C. HavermansAWI research team shows that jellyfish play an important, previously unknown role in the diet of amphipods during the…

Oxygen is crucial for life on Earth, but the ocean’s ability to absorb it is diminishing due to global warming, affecting marine ecosystems and human activities. Research involving chemical and morphological analyses of microscopic fossils found in marine sediments has shown that during past climate change events, like the PETM, the tropical ocean’s oxygen levels increased, which may have mitigated mass extinctions in upper ocean layers, contrary to expectations of widespread oxygen depletion. Credit:…

The scientists named the jellyfish Santjordia pagesi because of its bright red stomach that resembles the Cross of St George. Credit: Dhugal John Lindsay/JAMSTECThe creature has been observed just twice within the depths of the Sumisu Caldera, a volcanic formation in the Ogasawara Islands. The scientist was part of the group that documented a scarce medusa species discovered at a depth of 812 meters.A gelatinous animal with a diameter of about 10 cm and a red stomach resembling the Cross of St George when seen from above.…

Research reveals that common clownfish can distinguish between their own species and other species by counting the number of white bands on the sides of fish. This capability enables them to aggressively defend their anemone homes from intruders of their own species while displaying tolerance towards other species. Credit: SciTechDaily.comClownfish count stripes to distinguish friend from foe.Nemo, the small animated fish, is an icon, snuggled up with his father in an anemone. And Pixar would have you believe that…

Scavenging amphipods from Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. Credit: Alfred Wegener Institute / Charlotte HavermansFirst observation of marine invertebrates eating live and dead jellyfish during Arctic winter.In the dark and cold of the months-long polar night, food resources are limited. Some groups of marine organisms in the polar regions overcome this challenge by going into a metabolic resting state in winter, surviving on reserves accumulated during the short growth season. But others, such as several species of marine…