Blue whale underwater closeup photo. This incredible picture of a blue whale, the largest animal ever to inhabit earth, shows it swimming through the open ocean, a rare underwater view.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: California
Image ID: 27331
Humpback Whale Fluke ID. Perfect view of the ventral surface of a humpback whale's fluke, as the whale raises its fluke just before diving underwater. The white patches, spots, scratches and scalloping along the trailing edge of the fluke make this whale identifiable when it is observed from year to year.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Sitka Sound, Alaska
Image ID: 41568
Humpback Whale Fluke ID. Perfect view of the ventral surface of a humpback whale's fluke, as the whale raises its fluke just before diving underwater. The white patches, spots, scratches and scalloping along the trailing edge of the fluke make this whale identifiable when it is observed from year to year.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Sitka Sound, Alaska
Image ID: 41569
California Golden gorgonian polyps. The golden gorgonian is a colonial organism composed of thousands of tiny polyps. Each polyp secretes calcium which accumulates to form the structure of the colony. The fan-shaped gorgonian is oriented perpendicular to prevailing ocean currents to better enable to filter-feeding polyps to capture passing plankton and detritus passing by.
Species: California Golden Gorgonian, Muricea californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 37204
Garibaldi and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: California Golden Gorgonian, Giant Kelp, Garibaldi, Muricea californica, Macrocystis pyrifera, Hypsypops rubicundus
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38501
Garibaldi and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: California Golden Gorgonian, Giant Kelp, Garibaldi, Muricea californica, Macrocystis pyrifera, Hypsypops rubicundus
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38504
Garibaldi and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: California Golden Gorgonian, Giant Kelp, Garibaldi, Muricea californica, Macrocystis pyrifera, Hypsypops rubicundus
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38509
Garibaldi and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: California golden gorgonian, Giant kelp, Garibaldi, Muricea californica, Macrocystis pyrifera, Hypsypops rubicundus
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38510