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Ocean Portal by The Smithsonian Institution

Fish

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PHOTO Fish Using Counterillumination The fish at left stands out against the lighter waters above. At right the same fish—now with bioluminescent structures on its underside lit—blends in. Many deep sea creatures have evolved t...MORE PHOTOS


	PHOTO MORE PHOTOS Anemonefish in their Host Anemone Two bright orange anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) poke their heads between an...
	BLOG POST MORE STORIES Uncovering Biodiversity Before It Disappears Editor's Note: See more information and details about the organisms displayed in...
	PHOTO MORE PHOTOS Cardinalfish Dad with a Mouthful of Eggs Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus sp.) dads do their part to protect their eggs by gi...

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					Scaly Dragonfish May 8, 2013 - 9:26AMThe long barbel on the chin of this dragonfish (Stomias boa) has a glowing tip that may attract prey. With its large mouth and sharp, curved teeth, the fish makes quick work of any prey that venture too close. Scaly dragonfish...

Seven New Fish Discovered

Apr 25, 2013 - 8:06AM

Starksia blennies, small fish with elongated bodies, generally native to...

A School of Hawaiian Squirrelfish

Apr 10, 2013 - 9:03AM

Check out the eyes on these Hawaiian squirrelfish (Sargocentron...

SPOTLIGHT


The Big Five of the Ocean: Exploring the Waters of East Africa A whale shark swims with a diver off the coast of Southern Mozambique. Photo: Caine Delacy. When we think "Africa," we think...

New Guinea Fish and Crab Jul 9 2010 - 1:22pm The waters of New Guinea teemed with exotic fishes and crabs, which were faithfully depicted by William Dampier’s artist. When Dampier’s book A Voyage to New Holland was published in 1703, illustrations like these—along with Dampier’s vivid prose—introduced enthusiastic readers to plants, birds,...	Smithsonian Scientist Discovers New Fish Species Mar 11 2011 - 5:22pm Using genetic analysis combined with traditional study of morphology, Smithsonian scientist Dr. Carole Baldwin and her team discovered that what were thought to be three species of the fish are actually 10 distinct species from the Caribbean. The discovery of new Starksia blennies, small coral reef...
Sea Creatures from the Deep: A Video by National Geographic and the Census of Marine Life Dec 8 2009 - 11:05pm The Census of Marine Life - a ten-year effort by scientists from around the world to answer the age-old question, “What lives in the sea?” It was an international effort to asses the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine life in our ocean, and the project offically...	Bioluminescent Animals Photo Gallery Aug 18 2011 - 4:24pm Bioluminescence is one of the more captivating adaptations that have evolved in marine animals. It's the ability of organisms to create and emit light. Dive underwater and you may witness lightshows of red, green, and blue. Chemical reactions release energy that produces the light. Many species use...
X-Ray Image of Grooved Razorfish Dec 5 2012 - 11:09am An X-ray image of grooved razorfish, Centriscus scutatus. Razorfish are encased in thin, transparent bony plates attached to their spines, which you can see in the X-ray.	Tapetail Oct 23 2010 - 5:37pm This fish’s tail looks like a long streamer. It lives near the ocean’s surface and grows only up to 45 mm (1.7 in) long. Find out how this fish was part of an international scientific mystery.
X-Ray Image of a Slender Snipe Eel Feb 6 2012 - 6:48pm The elongated body, characteristic long and narrow snout, and small teeth make the slender snipe eel, Nemichthys scolopaceus, easily identifiable in this X-ray image. in the Division of Fishes at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History use X-ray images, like the one shown, to study the...	Creepy Critters: Marine Life Surfaces for Halloween Oct 27 2010 - 1:56pm Claws, spines, spikes, tentacles, and fangs. Aliens, monsters, and ghostly apparitions glowing in the night. Marine life forms have some of the best looks for Halloween—no costumes needed. From freaky fish lurking beneath the surface to creepy crawlies of the deep, meet some of the sea’s strangest...
Bait Ball Jan 31 2013 - 10:11am This bait ball shows how small fish can react when larger predators are near by gathering tightly together in a ball-like formation that exposes the least number of fish. Fish species found in the open ocean are especially in need of some protection, as they don't have the cracks and crevices that...	Candy Basslet Jul 25 2012 - 10:16am A candy basslet (Liopropoma carmabi) was just one of the specimens Smithsonian scientists collected from the deep reefs of Curaçao, in the southern Caribbean. To study biodiversity far below the water's surface, the researchers use a five-person submersible.
Meet the Suspects Oct 23 2010 - 5:15pm CREDIT: Chris Kenaley The Mystery Develops Flash forward to 1956, when scientists described another new kind of fish. It was named the tapetail because of its long, streamer-like tail. It also had a large upturned mouth. Unlike the whalefish, the tapetail was found living near the ocean’s...	World Fisheries from Sea to Table Nov 18 2010 - 3:49pm Worldwide, fisheries touch our lives in countless ways. If well maintained, they can feed millions of people, generate jobs and income, help maintain long-standing community and cultural traditions, and provide a range of products from medicines to clothing. World Fisheries Day, observed annually...
Cardinalfish Dad with a Mouthful of Eggs May 11 2012 - 3:17pm Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus sp.) dads do their part to protect their eggs by gingerly carrying them in their mouths. However, the dads could easily swallow the whole bunch in one gulp! To keep her eggs alive, the cardinalfish mom will often lay a number of yolkless dummy eggs along with the real...	Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP) Jul 31 2012 - 1:06pm About DROP DROP is a multidisciplinary Smithsonian project exploring the diversity of tropical deep reefs off the coast of Curaçao in the southern Caribbean. Deep reefs are natural extensions of shallow water reefs. But because they lie beyond SCUBA diving depths, deep reefs are underexplored...
Arctic Cod Beneath the Ice Aug 9 2012 - 5:21pm An Arctic cod rests in an ice-covered space. View the “Under Arctic Ice” photo essay.	Deep-Sea Dragonfish Dec 31 2012 - 3:58pm The deep-sea dragonfish (Stomiidae), also called the barbeled dragonfish, uses it's fang-like teeth to grab prey in its deep-sea environment.