Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
Garibaldi - adult
garibaldi utilize their bright orange coloration and a loud clicking sound to
indicate their territory. They are very aggressive and will even nip or
threaten divers! They can grow to a length of 14 inches and can live up to 17
years! The male garibaldi carefully tends a nesting area of red algae onto
which he entices the female to lay her eggs. He guards the eggs until they
hatch. |
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
Ocean Sunfish -
on first sight, the Sunfish appears to be all head and no body! The mouth of
the Ocean Sunfish, also known as the Mola Mola, is made for slurping up
jellyfish! Recorded up to two tons, this gentle giant inhabits all tropical and
temperate seas. The Ocean Sunfish lays up to 5,000,000 eggs at one time! They
are often seen basking at the surface where their long dorsal fin is often
mistaken for that of a shark. |
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
Brown Cup Coral- like
all cup corals, this species grows within a vase-shaped structure made almost
entirely of calcium carbonate. Delicate flower-like polyps emerge when the
coral is feeding. This coral is usually found in colors ranging from yellow to
purple, gray, green, and brown. It is found throughout the Indo-Pacific
region. |
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West Coast Sea Nettle Jellyfish - jellyfish lack brains, eyes,
ears, gills, and heart. Totally transparent, they are 97 percent water. Simple
sensors around the bell rim let jellyfish know whether they are heading up or
down, into the light or away from it. Using jet propulsion, jellies can swim up
and down in search of their zooplankton food. Jellies have been on the earth
for over 650 million years. They were here before dinosaurs and sharks!
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
Ostrich Plume Bryozoan - colonial microscopic animals that
occur in both freshwater and seawater. They are often known as moss animals.
Members of the group form colonies of varying size and shape and grow on other
objects. The texture of a colony varies from either being soft and gelatinous,
or tufted with leaf-like fronds or forming hard calcified skeletons like a
coral. |
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
Gray Whale - between
October and February the Gray whale migrates south to Baja, returning north to
the Arctic again between February and July. This 'round trip' migration of
between 20,000 and 32,000 miles every year is believed to be the longest of any
mammal! Gray whales have been observed entering kelp forests to escape
predation from killer whales and also to feed on invertebrates. |
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
Grebe - at
first glance, grebes resemble ducks but differ anatomically by having slender
pointed bills, lobed toes, and legs that are set far back on the body. Their
rear-placed legs makes walking difficult, consequently, grebes are rarely seen
on land. Grebes have many unusual behavioral characteristics such as carrying
their downy young on their backs, eating their own feathers, and exhibiting
elaborate courtship displays. Grebes can be seen diving into drift kelp looking
for dinner! |
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Sea Otter - the
most efficient predator of the sea urchin is the sea otter. Sea otters help
keep the population of sea urchins in check in the kelp forest. As an anchor to
prevent drifting away while they sleep, sea otters wrap themselves in kelp.
Often they place their paws over their eyes so they can sleep during the
daylight. |
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
Light Bulb Tunicates - there are approximately 1,300 different
species of tunicates! Most tunicates belong to a class known as sea squirts.
The body of an adult tunicate is quite simple, being essentially a sack with
two siphons through which water enters and exits. Water is filtered inside the
sack-shaped body. It is in this manner that the trunicate gathers
nourishment. |
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
White-sided Dolphin- Pacific white-sided dolphins are among
the fastest and most acrobatic and aerial of all dolphin species. They can swim
up to 25 mph! Pacific white-sided dolphins can hold their breath for at least
7-10 minutes underwater. They may form huge herds or pods of 2,000 or more
during seasonal movements! |
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Isopod - these small insect-like creatures are about an inch
and a half long, and resemble a centipede. They chew through the surface of the
kelp fronds, leaving little trails behind. If left unchecked, they can rapidly
multiply and destroy a kelp forest! Rockfish, kelp bass, and perches feed on
the kelp isopods, helping keep their numbers in check. |
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
California Sea
Lion - the large eyes of the sea lion are adapted for low-light conditions
and are specially designed for clear viewing under water. The nostrils can be
closed when animal is under water. The long whiskers improve sensory ability in
murky water. They are thought to be used to detect vibrations produced by
swimming fish. |
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Purple Sea Urchin- the sea urchin gets its name from an Old
English word for the spiny hedgehog, a land animal similar to the American
porcupine. They can move fast - walking on their tube feet, their spines, or
even their teeth! When a sea urchin dies, all its spines fall off, leaving only
the test (the outer skeleton). |
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
Torpedo Ray -
the torpedo ray (electric ray) stuns its prey with an electrical charge of up
to 80 volts! Rays are surprising animals no matter where they are encountered.
Their entire skeleton is made of cartilage, a strong flexible connective
tissue. People have cartilage in their outer ears. Ancient Romans believed that
a headache, even if it was chronic and unbearable, was taken away forever by
placing a live black torpedo ray on the spot which was in pain, until the pain
ceased! Incredible! |
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Sea Stars -sometimes referred to as "starfish," most sea stars
have five arms, although some species have from four to ten arms. In all
species, the arms can be regenerated if lost! They can spit out their stomachs,
"see" with their feet, grow back most of their body if damaged, and move around
using water pressure! |
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Copyright
Phillip Colla,
all rights reserved
worldwide |
Club-tipped Anemone-
gets its name from the rounded growths on the end of its tentacles. It is also
known as the Strawberry anemone. This small 1 inch anemone is translucent and
ranges in color from red to pink, orange, purple, and brown. These animals use
special stinging cells called nematocysts to catch their prey. |
