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MammalsWarm-blooded vertebrates

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Species directory

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Percebes (Goose Barnacle · Overview)

Pollicipes pollicipes (commonly meant)

ArthropodaSeveral years (temperature/food‑dependent)

Percebes commonly refers to the goose barnacle, and in European gastronomy most often toPollicipes pollicipes. Goose barnacles are···

Vir philippinensis (Philippine Anemone Shrimp)

Vir philippinensis

Arthropoda~1–2 years (environment‑dependent)

Vir philippinensis—often called the Philippine anemone shrimp—is a commensal palaemonid shrimpassociated mainly with sea anemone···

Choriaster granulatus (Granulated Sea Star)

Choriaster granulatus

EchinodermataSeveral years to >10 years

Choriaster granulatus—the doughboy / granulated sea star—belongs to family Oreasteridae.It features short, blunt arms, a puffed ···

Jorunna funebris (Dotted Nudibranch)

Jorunna funebris

MolluscaMonths to ~1–2 years (environment‑dependent)

Jorunna funebris, often called the dotted (Dalmatian) nudibranch, is a dorid sea slug in familyDiscodorididae. The mantle is cover···

Scyphozoa (True Jellyfish · Overview)

Scyphozoa

EchinodermataMedusae months–years; polyps years with episodic budding

Scyphozoa—the true jellyfish—are cnidarians whose life cycles are dominated by the free‑swimming medusa stage.Most species also···

Giant Australian Cuttlefish

Sepia apama

MolluscaAbout 1–2 years; post‑spawning senescence

Sepia apama, the Giant Australian Cuttlefish, is among the largest cuttlefish (order Sepiida, family Sepiidae).It is famed for mil···

Octopodidae (Overview)

Octopodidae

MolluscaTypically 1–3 years; larger species several years

Octopodidae is the principal family of true octopuses (Cephalopoda: Octopoda), widespread from intertidal rocky shores to shelf an···

Christmas Tree Worm

Spirobranchus giganteus

AnnelidaSeveral years; longer on stable reefs

Spirobranchus giganteus—the Christmas tree worm—is a tube‑dwelling serpulid polychaete withtwo vividly coloured, spiral radiola···

Southern Blue‑Ringed Octopus (Highly Venomous)

Hapalochlaena maculosa

Mollusca1–2 years

Hapalochlaena maculosa—the southern blue‑ringed octopus—is a small, highly venomous octopus (family Octopodidae).When threatene···

Crinoids (Overview)

Crinoidea (crinoids)

EchinodermataMulti‑year; deep‑sea taxa may be very long‑lived

Crinoids (class Crinoidea) comprise stalked sea lilies and unstalked feather stars.They are suspension feeders that capture plankt···

Sea Anemones

Actiniaria

EchinodermataGenerally long‑lived; strong regeneration

Actiniaria (sea anemones) are anthozoan cnidarians that are typically solitary and lack a calcareous skeleton.The body comprises a···

Spanish Dancer Nudibranch

Hexabranchus sanguineus

MolluscaSeveral months to ~1 year (environment‑dependent)

Hexabranchus sanguineus, the iconic Spanish dancer, is one of the largest and most conspicuousIndo‑Pacific nudibranchs. When dist···

Lobed Flowerpot Coral

Goniopora lobata

EchinodermataLong‑lived reef builder (years to decades)

Goniopora lobata is a classic “flowerpot coral” in family Poritidae (order Scleractinia).Its polyps bear long, flower‑like tent···

Open Brain Coral

Trachyphyllia geoffroyi

EchinodermataLong‑lived LPS coral (years to decades)

Trachyphyllia geoffroyi, the open brain coral, is a classic large‑polyp stony coral (LPS).Adults are often free‑living on sand o···

Carnation Soft Coral

Dendronephthya sp.

EchinodermataMulti‑year in high‑flow, food‑rich habitats

Dendronephthya sp. (carnation/tree soft corals) are azooxanthellate octocorals that rely onsuspension feeding rather than photosyn···

Yellow Sea Fan

Subergorgia suberosa

EchinodermataLong‑lived octocoral (years to decades)

Subergorgia suberosa, commonly called the yellow sea fan, is a gorgonian‑type soft coral(Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) forming planar···

Bubble Coral

Plerogyra sinuosa

EchinodermataLong‑lived reef builder (multi‑year to decades)

Plerogyra sinuosa, commonly called the bubble coral, is a photosymbiotic reef‑building coral in the familyEuphylliidae. By day th···

Elegant Honeycomb Coral

Favia speciosa (= Dipsastraea speciosa)

EchinodermataLong‑lived reef builder (multi‑year to decades)

Favia speciosa (also cited as Dipsastraea speciosa) is a photosymbiotic, reef‑building stony coral.It harbours zooxanthellae (Sym···

Elegant Leather Coral

Sarcophyton elegans

EchinodermataLong‑lived colonial soft coral

Sarcophyton elegans is an Indo‑Pacific leather (toadstool) soft coral in family Alcyoniidae.Colonies have a stout stalk and a fla···

Tube-dwelling Anemone

Cerianthus membranaceus

EchinodermataMulti-year, site-faithful, long-lived

Cerianthus membranaceus is a classic tube‑dwelling anemone (phylum Cnidaria; class Anthozoa;order Ceriantharia, family Cerianthid···

Nurse Shark

Ginglymostoma cirratum

Large Fish~25–35 years

The nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is a common coastal shark of the western Atlantic–Caribbean,in family Ginglymostomatidae···

Smooth Hammerhead

Sphyrna zygaena

Large Fishc. 20–30 years

The smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena) is a widely distributed temperate–tropical shark in familySphyrnidae. Its hammer‑shaped ···

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray

Mobula birostris (= Manta birostris)

Large Fish~30–50+ years

The giant oceanic manta ray (Manta birostris, widely treated as Mobula birostris) is afilter‑feeding mobulid that frequents upwel···

Ocean Sunfish

Mola mola Linnaeus, 1758

Large Fishc. 20–30+ years

The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is among the heaviest bony fishes (family Molidae).It has a huge disc‑shaped body, the caudal fin r···

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