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Jun 20, 2019 · As one of the most staggeringly productive places on this planet, the Gulf is home to fish, coral, whales, sea turtles, dolphins and thousands of bird species. Here are ten animals that live in the Gulf of Mexico—that YOU need to meet! Vampire Squid. i. Don’t be afraid—despite their name, vampire squid won’t fly out of the ocean to suck your blood.
- Killer Whale
- Atlantic Silver Hatchetfish (Argyropelecus aculeatus)
- Sea Hare
- Pancake Batfish
- Great White Shark
- Bighead Searobin
- Vampire Squid
- Sargassum Fish
- Lionfish
- Diamondback Terrapin
We typically think of orcas living in colder climates, but about 500 orcas live in the Gulf of Mexico where they feed on tuna and even dolphins in the Gulf’s deep waters, typically far from land. It is believed that these “killer whales” also used to feed on Caribbean monk seals, which went extinct in the 1950s.
Also known as the “lovely hatchetfish,” this opportunistic feeder’s diet consists of everything from copepods to other fish. This fish traverses deep sea waters by making daily trips up and then back down the water column, but what makes this fish really cool is what it does in the Gulf’s dark, cold waters. It has a unique ability to bioluminesce v...
These graceful gliders might resemble an ordinary slug… until you see them soar through seagrass beds in coastal estuaries of the Gulf. You are most likely to catch a glimpse snorkeling around rocky intertidal habitats covered in marine algae, which they are known to feed on. When frightened or feel that they are being threatened, they emit a cloud...
No, someone has not stepped on this poor fish, but rather this is the way it naturally occurs in the wild. This fish uses its foot-like fins, complete with an elbow, to push off the sea floor. Flapping its tail, it swiftly hops across the sand like a frog. This fish also sports a long nose that can project a lure to entice other critters closer to ...
Known as the ocean’s most ferocious predator, great whites occasionally pass through the Gulf but they are most likely to stay in its deeper, cooler waters. However, when the temperature in the gulf plummets to 60 degrees or lower, the large sharks can move into coastal waters, usually 20 miles or more offshore. Just remember, if you catch one you ...
It’s a bird! It’s a fish! No, it’s a searobin! At least 12 species of searobins inhabit Gulf of Mexico waters. The bighead searobin is the largest, most common, and the only one to inhabit lakes and estuaries, as well as nearshore waters. Not only can these beautiful fish glide through the water with ease using their ‘wings’, but they can also use ...
Also known as the “Vampire Squid from Hell,” this living fossil has seen very little change since it first appeared on Earth more than 300 million years ago. Living more than half a mile deep in the Gulf’s dark waters, this cephalopod has unique defense mechanisms, including the ability to turn itself inside out. It also has bioluminescent points o...
This strange-looking fish lives among a unique habitat, Sargassum seaweed, with which it blends in perfectly. The fish blends in perfectly on its floating habitat as it traverses the Gulf of Mexico, often ending up in the sheltered estuaries. The fish can also change color quite rapidly, from light to dark and back again. The sargassum fish is a vo...
The venomous lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific region, are highly invasive, rapid breeders, and opportunistic predators. Fishery scientists are concerned that lionfish, having no natural enemies, may adversely impact natural fish populations. Since 2000, lionfish have been observed primarily by scuba divers in reefs along the southeast coast of ...
This native turtle has one of the largest ranges of all turtles in North America, stretching as far south as Florida Keys and as far north as Cape Cod, calling the brackish coastal swamps of the eastern and southern United States home. Terrapins look much like their freshwater relatives, but are well adapted to the near shore marine environment. Th...
Apr 21, 2020 · NPS Photo/Willis. Home to barrier islands, shipwrecks, historical forts, white sand beaches, wilderness, and thousands of species of plants and wildlife, the Gulf of Mexico is a true treasure. Its 600,000 square miles of sea make it the ninth-largest body of water in the world.
Apr 8, 2024 · Every summer, the Gulf of Mexico becomes a dining room for the world's largest fish. From May to September, whale sharksmigrate to feast on the Gulf's rich blooms of plankton. Due to their sheer size, swimming alongside these animals in the gulf of Mexico is a highlight for many wildlife enthusiasts and divers.
- The first European exploration of the Gulf of Mexico was by Amerigo Vespucci in 1497.
- The Gulf was created first by continental plates colliding in the Late Triassic period, around 300 million years ago, and then by the sea floor sinking.
- The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin -- only a narrow connection to the Atlantic exists as the gulf is surrounded by North America and Cuba.
- It is the ninth largest body of water in the world, covering about 600,000 square miles, and is bordered by five US states in the north, five Mexican states in the west, and Cuba in the southeast.
May 21, 2010 · The Gulf of Mexico supports a wide variety of marine life, including wide-ranging whales and dolphins, coastal-dwelling manatees, fish including tarpon and snapper, and invertebrates such as shellfish, corals, and worms. Reptiles such as sea turtles (Kemp's ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, green and hawksbill) and alligators also thrive here.
Nov 1, 2022 · Originally thought to be a rare baleen whale called a Bryde’s whale, Rice’s whales are genetically and physically different. Photo credit: NOAA. A new-to-us species of whale has been discovered off of Florida’s coast in the Gulf of Mexico — an exciting and unique find for researchers.
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