‘Tis the Season in the Ocean
Reindeers, polar bears and penguins might be the animals you might think of at Christmas, but what about under the sea? Let’s look at marine life that can take part in our holiday celebrations!
Christmas Tree Worms
These incredible invertebrates look ready to be decorated this Christmas. We find Christmas tree worms on coral reefs in warm tropical waters. These worms spend their life in one spot, with their tubelike bodies sticking out of corals and covered in hairlike appendages that they use for filter feeding.
Christmas Island Crab
These bright red crustaceans are only found on Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean. You may have heard of this species due to their huge migrations. Every year millions of Christmas Island crabs all emerge from the forest and head out to sea to bread, it is quite a sight to behold!
Christmas Wrasse
Named for their green and red scales, these fish are found in tropical waters. As with many other fish species, the wrasse shows sexual dimorphism. The males and females are different colours and can also change sex during their lifetime.
Snowflake Moray Eel
You can spot a snowflake moray eel by looking for its white snout and the intricate spots that create a snowflake like pattern across its body. They are found in warm tropical waters throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Candy Cane Shrimp
These small shrimps fit right in this Christmas with their candy cane striped bodies. Candy cane shrimp are a species of pistol shrimp, with one larger claw that can snap closed quickly producing a loud noise and bubble. This isn’t the only cool thing about them, the shrimp have a symbiotic relationship with goby fish; the shrimp maintains the goby’s burrow, and in return the goby protects the shrimp.
We hope you enjoyed reading about Christmas in the oceans. Do you have a mini marine biologist ready to start their ocean exploring journey?
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