World’s largest marine reptile gives blue whale a run for its money

An artist's impression of Ichthyotitan severnensis washed up on a beach, while some curious dinosaurs investigate

A newly described species of marine reptile could be the largest to ever swim the world’s oceans. The “giant fish lizard” lived more than 200 million years ago, and may give the blue whale a run for its money, size-wise.

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Gallery: 50 new marine species found, including this unimpressed sea toad

An expedition to underwater mountains off the coast of Chile has led to the discovery of 160 species not known to live in the region, at least 50 of which are new to science. The information will inform marine protection strategies for important biodiv… Continue reading Gallery: 50 new marine species found, including this unimpressed sea toad

Clownfish can count – but only to bully enemies away from anemones

It’s safe to say that this distinctive orange and and white creature is one of the most recognizable fish on the planet, due largely to the 2001 hit Finding Nemo. Now, scientists have discovered they also recognize each other, counting the white stripe… Continue reading Clownfish can count – but only to bully enemies away from anemones

In Aussie first, ‘Speckles’ the dolphin shows off extremely rare skin

Animal scientists have had a career-making moment, capturing on film a dolphin with such a rare skin condition that only five other recorded examples exist.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: University of the Sunshine Coast, Animal science… Continue reading In Aussie first, ‘Speckles’ the dolphin shows off extremely rare skin

Tiny sea creature’s ‘snot palace’ inspires new water-pump tech

A house made of mucus may not sound like a desirable abode, yet researchers have found that the crafty animal creating such an unappealing structure may help engineers design cheaper and more efficient pumps for vital industrial applications like water… Continue reading Tiny sea creature’s ‘snot palace’ inspires new water-pump tech

‘Not right now’: Key marine species turned off sex by plastic chemicals

A new study has found that chemical additives in everyday plastic might be stopping – or, at best, interrupting – the reproductive habits of a shrimp-like species that is key to the marine food chain. The findings provide a different perspective on the… Continue reading ‘Not right now’: Key marine species turned off sex by plastic chemicals

This sea worm’s butt detaches from its body to swim off in search of love

In one of the strangest paths to reproduction, this tiny Japanese sea worm actually grows a ‘mini-me’ at its rear end, which it then deploys so it can swim off on its own in search of similar autonomous tail of the opposite sex to spawn with. The worm,… Continue reading This sea worm’s butt detaches from its body to swim off in search of love

Mostly armless: A starfish is one big “head crawling along the seafloor”

Patrick Star of SpongeBob SquarePants fame had already stretched the boundaries of anatomical correctness, yet it turns out that what all of us think about the bodily composition of a sea star is most likely wrong, thanks to new genetic work that sugge… Continue reading Mostly armless: A starfish is one big “head crawling along the seafloor”

We see what was on the trilobite menu nearly half a billion years ago

Some 465 million years since this marine scavenger was caught unawares by an approaching deadly mud current that would bury it alive, it had spent its last hours enjoying a large, varied seafood menu that has, until now, not been pictured in such detai… Continue reading We see what was on the trilobite menu nearly half a billion years ago