Scalloped hammerhead shark swims over a reef in the Galapagos Islands. The hammerheads eyes and other sensor organs are placed far apart on its wide head to give the shark greater ability to sense the location of prey.
Species: Scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini
Location: Wolf Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 16246
Hammerhead sharks swim in a school underwater at Wolf Island in the Galapagos archipelago. The hammerheads eyes and other sensor organs are placed far apart on its wide head to give the shark greater ability to sense the location of prey.
Species: Scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini
Location: Wolf Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Image ID: 16271
Courting pair of southern right whales underwater, Eubalaena australis. While the posture in this photo isn't quite mating, it is a courting behavior that often precedes mating. The male is below, upside down and trying to access the female belly-to-belly. However, the female does not want to mate, so she has positioned herself upside down at the surface so that the males in the courting group cannot reach her genital slit.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38446
Courting pair of southern right whales underwater, Eubalaena australis. While the posture in this photo isn't quite mating, it is a courting behavior that often precedes mating. The male is below, upside down and trying to access the female belly-to-belly. However, the female does not want to mate, so she has positioned herself upside down at the surface so that the males in the courting group cannot reach her genital slit.
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 38345
Scalloped hammerhead shark swims underwater at Cocos Island. The hammerheads eyes and other sensor organs are placed far apart on its wide head to give the shark greater ability to sense the location of prey.
Species: Scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini
Location: Cocos Island, Costa Rica
Image ID: 03192
Sturgeon poacher. This fishes uses its barbels (the whisker-like organs under its chin) to sense food along the ocean bottom.
Species: Sturgeon poacher, Agonus acipenserinus
Image ID: 13718
California sea cucumber. Sea cucumbers are related to sea stars and sea urchins. The sharp looking spines are soft to the touch and disappear into the skin when disturbed. If this visual defense doesnt work, the sea cucumber will expel its respiratory system. When this occurs in the wild it can regrow the lost organs.
Species: California sea cucumber, Parastichopus californicus
Image ID: 13732
California sea cucumber. Sea cucumbers are related to sea stars and sea urchins. The sharp looking spines are soft to the touch and disappear into the skin when disturbed. If this visual defense doesnt work, the sea cucumber will expel its respiratory system. When this occurs in the wild it can regrow the lost organs.
Species: California sea cucumber, Parastichopus californicus
Image ID: 13733
Port-and-starboard light fish. The fish, also called pinecone fish, have two light organs that are housed in pits in their lower jaws. The organs produce a greenish light that allows the fish to feed at night by luring small prey with their dim lights.
Species: Port-and-starboard light fish, Cleidopus gloriamaris
Image ID: 13973
Electric eel. Like other members of the South American knifefish family, the electric eel relies on electrolocation to navigate in find food in murky water. However, its electric organs are more powerful than its relatives, allowing it to produce sufficiently high voltage pulses to stun predators and prey.
Species: Electric eel, Electrophorus electricus
Image ID: 13989