Landlocked Mermaid

Final Friday Top Five Fish I'd Like To See When Diving 5. Nudibranch Photo from Natural History Museum I almost feel like this answer is cheating, because I have seen nudibranchs while diving. I think. But I saw one type. A little brown blob which in the coming tide could have been flora or fauna, we didn't stay still long enough to really tell. There are over 3,000 types of nudibranch, so I would like to see more than just one "maybe" brown one.  4. Basking Sharks Photo from The Times Originally, I wasn't going to include sharks or big things on this list because we all know I want to see all the sharks. Even the terrifying goblin shark. But basking sharks swim in my waters which means I have an increased chance of seeing them - especially in comparison to goblin sharks which live in all the deep trenches. Basking sharks have a migration path which runs along the Welsh coast and these gentle giants are beautiful. They are a ...

April  Green Sea Turtle Photo from NatGeo Kids Their nesting sites can be found on beaches in 80 countries. They migrate across long distances between feeding and nesting grounds. Babies break out of their eggs using an "egg tooth". May Nudibranch Anyone else think this looks like an Oreo? Photo from NatGeo Kids Nudibranchs get their fabulous colouring from the food they eat. They have a foot and slimy tail. Some nudibranchs eat algae and use the energy they produce from photosynthesis.   June Manta Ray Photo from Oceana   Manta Rays have the biggest brains of any fish. They can be identified by the spots on their bodies - each one has a unique pattern. They have 300 teeth, but only filter feed.  July Anglerfish Photo from Gizmodo Their heads are disproportionately bigger than their body - gotta fit them teeth in somehow! There are roughly 200 species of anglerfish, mostly found at deep depths. Though ...

In a blog slot later than usual, it is time for Marine Creature of the Month! This one was inspired by an episode from the O series of Qi , Ocean, where I honestly would have scored all the points. One of the questions was about this particular creature and I knew the answer (if you ignore the fact I refered to it by its Pokémon counterpart!). Naturally, I wanted to learn more about this weird and wonderful creature, so without further waffle, here we are! Sunfish, Mola Mola Photo from Apex Predators Kingdom: Animalia Class: Actinopterygii Conservation Status: VU (Vulnerable) Found: Across the globe Diet: Jellyfish, small fish, larvae, squid Weight: Between 247 - 1,000kg (545 - 2,205lbs) Size: Up to 3.2m (10.5ft) Habitat: Tropical, temperate waters; pelagic water. Can I just start by saying, isn't nature wonderful?! Look at that shape! This fish does not look like it could possibly exist, let alone function and survive, yet here it is. One of...