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what is your favorite kind of shark?

Whale sharks my beloved

See my master post about them here!

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Any fun facts about basking sharks? (Really big sea puppies)

Cetorhinus maximus or Basking Shark

These are the second largest shark and fish in the world (after the whale shark), they can grow to be 12 m (40 ft) long!

Also like whale sharks, they're ram filter feeders. This means that to catch prey, they simply open their mouths, swim forward, and catch whatever happens to get in their way! This is why they (and other ram filter feeders) tend to have such large mouths. The basking sharks mouth can be up to 1 m (3ft wide).

While sharks are mostly thought to be solitary creatures, a lot of species do school and the basking shark is one of them! They're usually divided by sex (except during periods of mating), and schools of over 100 females have been spotted!

And probably the coolest fact about them- THEY CAN JUMP OUT OF THE WATER. Despite weighing around 5,000 kg (approx. 11,000 lbs) they can breach 1.2 m (4 ft) into the air! It's believed they do this as a method to remove parasites.

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This is the closest thing I could find that's native in the western Pacific ocean and specifically the Philippines. It's Copula sivickisi or Sea Wasp. They are indeed a type of box jellyfish, but super tiny!

This is the field guide I used if you want to look into other species of jellyfish in the area!

Hello! I was just wondering if your know this thing, because a few years back, I almost swam face first into a jellyfish but got away just in time. It's bell was clear as glass with four red dots arranged in a little square at the top. I never knew what they were and Google hasn't been helpful, but my brain keeps screaming box jellyfish 👀👀

Where were you swimming? I'll try my best to help narrow it down. It mostly likely wasn't a box jellyfish, as they don't really have red on their bells.

Below are two that kind of fit the description

Lion's Mane Jellyfish // Immortal Jellyfish

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I heard that sharks and rays are super closely related. Are skates an approximate bridging “group” between them? Or are they outside of both groups

They are all really closely related- there in all the same class known as Chondrichthyes, or cartilaginous fish. Sharks evolved first, approximately 350 million years ago during the Carboniferous period. Skates and ray came around at approximately the same time as each other 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period.

So skates aren't really a "bridging group", they're actually most closely related to rays!

[protectoursharks]

Hello! I was just wondering if your know this thing, because a few years back, I almost swam face first into a jellyfish but got away just in time. It's bell was clear as glass with four red dots arranged in a little square at the top. I never knew what they were and Google hasn't been helpful, but my brain keeps screaming box jellyfish 👀👀

Where were you swimming? I'll try my best to help narrow it down. It mostly likely wasn't a box jellyfish, as they don't really have red on their bells.

Below are two that kind of fit the description

Lion's Mane Jellyfish // Immortal Jellyfish

[protectoursharks]

can you do one about vampire squids ? 🦑

Vampyroteuthis infernalis or Vampire Squid

It's (very dramatic) scientific name means "vampire squid from hell". However, the vampire squid is not actually a squid! It's actually the only animal in the Vampyroteuthidae family! It's separated into its own family because it can't change color or produce ink. Instead, it turns itself "inside out" (as shown above) to deter predators.

Proportionally, vampire squids also have the largest eyes compared to their body size! They eat mostly zooplankton, marine snow, and other organisms waste. They grow to be about the size of a football and live to be around 8 years old.

There's even evidence that vampire squids have been around since the Jurassic period- almost 200 million years ago!

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Pssst you know about squat shrimp (aka sexy shrimp ofc XD) 👀? I love coming across a group of em while diving cuz they’re so silly lol

Thor amboinensis or Squat Shrimp

Squat shrimp, yes also known as sexy shrimp, lives amongst the corals of the Indo-West Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. It's believed they get their nick-name from their abdomen which is raised above their heads. They have a commensalistic relationship (beneficial for both organisms) with the coral they live on; the shrimp eats the mucus and detritus from the coral, and the coral gets a personal cleaner!

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Thoughts on which shark has the best name, you choose whether it’s the scientific or regular name.

Definitely Goblin Shark

That's definitely a goblin shark-ified

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What do you think about bluntnose sixgill sharks

Hexanchus griseus or the Bluntnose Sixgill Shark or the Cow Shark

These guys just scream "friend" and I want to pet it (granted, I'd want to pet any shark). Most shark species have only five gill slits, but this species is one of the rare exceptions (hence the name). We don't know for sure why it has six slits instead of five. One of the leading theories is that since the species is so old, it first arose when gills were less efficient, so more were needed and that trait was just never lost.

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His name is penis and he was born without a brain.

Say something nice to him.

Hello Penis,

What you're missing in brains you make up for in 1,100 CM (36 FT) OF PURE FISH

Regalecus glesne or Oarfish

[protectoursharks]

Do you know any cookie cutter shark facts or lantern shark facts

Etmopterus perryi or Dwarf Lantern Sharks

Dwarf Lantern Sharks are so cute! They grow to be a maximum of 20 cm (7.9 in) and live in the Bathypelagic zone at depths of 1,000 - 3,000 m (3,300 – 9,800 ft). This zone is also known as the midnight zone because there is no light. This is why this shark has really large eyes comparative to its body size! This shark, like some other deep-sea sharks, can glow! They have organs known as photophores on its underside, used as camouflage and to attract prey.

These sharks are rarely seen, so there's still a lot we don't know about them!

Thanks for the ask; a post about cookie cutter sharks will be up soon, and I'll link it here!

[protectoursharks]

What is you favorite marine mammal?

DEFINITELY the Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas)

Due to their white color, Beluga Whales are one of the most easily identifiable whales. However, they’re born grey and it can take up to eight years before they’re completely white. They’re also one of the smallest, typically not even growing as long as an average U.S. school bus. They most commonly found in coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean, however, they migrate south in large groups when the sea freezes over. 

They’re known as the canaries of the sea because they’re quite talkative creatures. They produce many different kinds of sounds like whistles, chirps, squeals, and clicks; they’ve even been found to mimic human trainers. Beluga whales eat fish, squid, crabs, octopus, shrimp, and a lot of other animals.  Unlike other whales, the Beluga Whale doesn’t have a fused neck vertebrae, so they can turn their heads up, down, and side to side. 

Thanks for the ask, I always love answering these! Feel free to send in more.

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I'm back :)

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Pagophilus groenlandicus or Harp Seals   

After about three to four weeks, Harp Seals lose their white fur. They get their name from the black patches on their backs that resemble harps. They’re also believed to be the most abundant species of Pinniped (seals, sea lions, walruses) in the Northern hemisphere! 

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Fuck yeah!!

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Slipper lobsters go seriously hard. No fr they’re so swag and full of merriment

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Hii! I just found your account and was wondering if you have cool lemon or zebra shark facts? If you haven't done any already :)

Negaprion brevirostris or Lemon Sharks

Lemon sharks get their name from the faint yellow hue of their skin! They're often found in the coral keys and mangrove forests of the Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Pacific. Their yellowish skin provides them some camouflage with the sandy floor they hunt on. They eat crustaceans, bony fish, sea birds, and even smaller sharks!

Lemon sharks are near threatened since they are often a target for fisheries for their fins and meat. They're also often targeted for their skin- it's thicker than a lot of sharks and is therefor desirable for leather products.

Unlike a lot of sharks, Lemon Sharks don't need to be constantly moving to breathe! They have the ability to pump water through their gills, so you will often see them resting on the sea floor, waiting for dark to start hunting!