Alligator Gar

With its wide, alligator-like snout and razor-sharp teeth, it’s easy to see how this fish acquired its name. Despite its ferocious appearance, the alligator gar poses little threat to human beings. They prefer to lie and wait for unsuspecting prey within reach, before lunging forward to grab their prey.

As the largest species in the gar family, the alligator gar can reach up to 3 metres in length. Scientists have traced this species in fossil records dating back to 100 million years ago, hence they are also known as living fossils!

Black Sea Cucumber

The black sea cucumber has a soft, elongated body that is primarily black in colour. Found on the seafloor, it is often covered in sand and feeds on decaying organic matter. 

When threatened, the black sea cucumber expels its guts through its anus in order to intimidate predators. It also defends itself by secreting a toxic red liquid when its skin is irritated or injured.

Blue Blubber Jelly

Despite their name, blue blubber jellies can appear in a variety of colours, ranging from white, light blue to dark purple. Swimming in a staccato-like rhythm, blue blubber jellies are better swimmers than most drifting sea jelly species. They feed mainly on plankton, small fish and crustaceans using their cone-shaped oral arms that are tucked neatly underneath their bell.

Bubble Coral

Bubble corals belong to a group of soft corals and can be found in shallow, clear, and warm waters of the Indo-Pacific ocean. Despite its resemblence to grapes, the “bubbles” are actually jelly-like polyps. 

In the day, these polyps increase in size in order to absorb more sunlight for photosynthesis. However, the polyps become smaller and use their tentacles to capture food at night.

Bumphead Parrotfish

Growing up to 1.3 metres in length, bumphead parrotfish are one of the largest coral reef fishes. Using their fused-teeth that resembles a parrot’s beak, they bite and graze on corals and sponges. The undigested calcium carbonate is then excreted as white sand! As such, bumphead parrotfish are important ecosystem engineers that actively shape and restructure the coral reef landscape. 

Did you know that the white sand on the beaches of Hawaii were hypothesized to been derived from their poop? A single adult bumphead parrotfish can produce up to 450kg of sand per year!

Clownfish

With a layer of mucus protecting their body, these feisty fish are able to live among the stinging tentacles of sea anemones. Clownfish and sea anemones have a symbiotic relationship, which means that both parties benefit from the presence of the other. In exchange for shelter and protection for the clownfish, the clownfish removes parasites and provides nutrients for the sea anemone from their waste. 

Did you know that clownfish can change their gender? All clownfish start their lives as males and the largest male changes into a female when the dominant female of their group is lost. 

Decorator Crab

Named for their interesting method of camouflage, the decorator crab selects pieces of seaweed, sponges, corals, and rocks to attach them to hooked bristles, known as setae, on its body. The distasteful nature of some sponges and corals can also serve as deterrence to predators. 

Giant Grouper

The giant grouper is one of the world's largest reef-dwelling bony fish, growing up to 2.7 metres and weighing up to 400 kilograms. This reef giant is commonly found in shallow waters, swimming near the seafloor where it feeds on lobsters, fishes, and even small sharks! An ambush predator, this grouper uses its large mouth to swallow its prey whole.

Giant Moray Eel

Despite their resemblence to snakes, moray eels are actually a type of fish. Instead of scales, a slimy layer mucus covers their skin which protects them from rough surfaces. Moray eels spend majority of their time hidden in crevices to ambush unsuspecting prey.

Moray eels are carnivorous, feeding mainly on fish. Using a second set of jaws in their throat, called pharyngeal jaws, they are able to drag prey into their throat and swallow them whole!

Giant Pacific Octopus

Green Brittle Star

Unlike the sea star, the green brittle star has long, slender, whip-like arms. As their name suggests, their arms break off easily when in distress. Brittle stars are one of the fastest-moving echinoderms and are able to quickly evade predators by darting underneath rocks or tight crevices. 

Interestingly, the patterns observed on their bodies are unique to each individual, just like the fingerprints of human beings!

Hammerhead Shark

Hammerhead sharks are named after the shape of their head which resembles the shape of a hammer. With eyes located at both ends of their head, they have a large visual range of almost 360 degrees.

Specialised sensory organs, called Ampullae of Lorenzini, located around their broad heads detect electrical signals of their prey hidden in the sand. Their hammer-sized head are also used to pin down prey to the seafloor, preventing them from making an escape.

Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

Javanese Cownose Ray

Named for the shape of its head which resembles a cow’s nose, this ray is an active swimmer. Found in shallow marine and brackish coastal waters, cownose rays are known to swim in large schools. They have been observed to synchronise the flapping of their pectoral fins to stir up sediment to expose buried clams and oysters. They use their strong jaws to crush the shells of their prey.

Knobbly Sea Star

Also known as chocolate chip sea stars, knobbly sea stars are covered in dark thorny knobs that discourage predators from taking a bite. They can also be found along the shores of Singapore during low tides. 

Sea stars have an interesting feeding method where they expel their stomachs out of their mouths, which are found on their underside. After digesting their prey externally, their stomach is swallowed back into their body.

Leopard Whipray

Named after the patterns on its body that resembles that of a leopard's coat, the leopard whipray is a bottom-dweller that is found near reefs and feeds on crabs, shrimp and shelled invertebrates.

Their tail can grow up to three times their body length, resembling a long whip!

Long-spined Sea Urchin

As their name suggests, these sea urchins are covered in long, hollow spines that can grow up to 30 centimetres. These spines are venomous, which can cause swelling and pain when stung.

While they lack complex eyes, long-spined sea urchins have sensitive light sensors all over their body, and are regarded to have one of the best vision among sea urchins.

Moon Jelly

Named after its translucent circular bell which resembles the moon, this sea jelly can be found in both tropical and temperate waters, especially near coastlines where their prey is abundant. While their diet typically consist of tiny organisms such as plankton, they have been also observed to feed on tiny fish and crustaceans as well.

Their reproductive organs (gonads) are shaped like a clover-leaf, which can be easily seen from the top of its bell!

New England Blue Lobster

If you ever come across the New England blue lobster, consider yourself extremely lucky! This elusive species is incredibly rare and only occurs one in two million! Its vibrant hue comes from a rare genetic condition which causes the body of the lobster to appear brilliant blue. The New England blue lobster spends majority of its time hiding in a burrow, and actively looks for food during the night.

Nurse Shark

These nocturnal sharks feed predominantly on bottom dwelling animals such as shrimps, crabs and fish. They use their relatively small mouths and large throats to suck in their prey.

They can often be found in groups up to 40 lying closely together during the day. They possess thin, fleshy, whisker-like organs called ‘barbels’ to sense and taste when hunting.

Poison Arrow Frog

Poisonous amphibians tend to sport bright colours and/or eye-catching patterns. Poison Arrow Frogs are good examples. Their bright colouration is a warning that they are inedible (due to toxic skin secretions) to potential predators. Measuring just 1.5cm to 6cm long, Poison Arrow Frogs derive their toxicity from their natural diet of small insects like poisonous ants, termites and even spiders.

Reef Manta Ray

Manta rays are named after the Spanish word "Manta", which means mantle or cloak, due to their large body sizes. Despite being one of the largest creatures in our oceans, manta rays feed on plankton, one of the tiniest organisms in the world. Interestingly, each manta ray can be identified by the spot patterns on their underside. Just like fingerprints, these patterns are unique to every manta ray.

Sand Tiger Shark

Despite its ferocious appearance, the sand tiger shark is a docile and slow-moving shark. It is the only known shark to gulp air from the surface, which it stores in its stomach to stay buoyant in the water while seeking prey.

Despite having no natural predators, the population of the sand tiger shark are in decline. Threatened by overfishing, coupled with its slow reproduction rates, they are vulnerable to extinction.

Scroll Coral

Popular among reef aquarists, scroll corals come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from vases, plates and columns. They are highly adaptable and can change their shape depending on their environment in order to obtain as much sunlight as possible.

Seahorse

Sea Nettle

Found in both tropical and subtropical waters, these invertebrates are carnivorous and prey upon tiny organisms such as zooplankton, small fishes and other sea jellies. 

To feed, sea nettles trail their long tentacles through the water as they drift with the ocean currents. When their tentacles touch their prey, their cnidocytes (stinging cells) fire and paralyze them. They then use their ribbon-like oral arms to transport their prey into their mouth. 

Staghorn Coral

As its name suggests, staghorn corals grow in branches that resemble the antlers of a male deer. Found in shallow tropical reefs, these corals can come in a variety of colours such as blue, purple and pink. With branches growing several centimetres every year, they are one of the fastest growing hard corals.

While staghorn corals obtain nutrients from symbiotic algae in the day, they have been observed to actively capture plankton at night using their stinging tentacles.

Tasmanian Giant Crab

The Tasmanian giant crab reach up to a mass of 17.6 kilogrammes and is one of the largest crabs in the world. It resides on rocky and muddy bottoms in the oceans off Southern Australia and feed mainly on carrion and slow-moving species.

Interestingly, the males of this species can grow twice as large as the females. Males are also observed to possess a claw that is significantly larger than the other, which is presumed to be used for courtship displays.

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