Landlocked Mermaid

Angler Fish Photo from Creatures of the World Wikia Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii Conservation Status: Vulnerable (VU) Found: Worldwide Diet: Carnivorous Weight: Up to 45kg (100lbs) Size: 20cm (8") to 1m (3') Habitat: Some species are pelagic, some are benthic. Everyone knows of the iconic angler fish. Big, gaping mouth full of spiky teeth and a dangling blob of light hovering just in front of its face, illuminating all that terror. There is more to this fish, seemingly made of nightmares. Did you know that there are two types of angler fish species? The image which comes to mind is that of the ones which live deep under the sea, near the sea bed. These are the benthic species, which are compressed dorsoventrally (face to tail) making them short and squat with an upturned mouth. But there are also palegic species, which live much closer to the surface. These are compressed laterally (at the sides) making them long and thin. Both type...

Suggested by Carole , who is a fan of this month's creature ! Which is... *drum roll* Nudibranch Photo credit: Dive the World Kingdom: Animalia Class: Gastropoda Conservation Status: Not Evaluated (NE) [As far as I can tell] Found: Worldwide; salt water, occasionally brackish water Diet: Carnivorous Size: 0.25-12 inches Weight: Up to 3.3lbs Habitat: Seabed, depths from intertidal zones to 700m (2,300ft) Nudibranch are a vastly diverse species inhabiting our oceans, with 3,000 valid species so far. They are everywhere, in any type of sea. They are found in tropical waters, temperate waters, even the cold (cold) waters of the both Poles. New species are even being found at depths of 2,500m (8,200ft). Everywhere! While they are most diverse in shallow, warm waters, there are two main types of nudibranch: Dorids and Aeolid. They have distinct defining features, which I shall get into later. (I feel you need a little more information first!) Most...