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The Ocean Question: What is your favorite marine organism and why?

Posted on April 26, 2012April 26, 2012 By Andrew Thaler 12 Comments on The Ocean Question: What is your favorite marine organism and why?
Science

We caught up with 11 marine scientists (including one honorary marine scientist, paleoblogger Brian Switek) at this year’s Ocean Sciences meeting in Salt Lake City and asked them the following question – What is your favorite marine organism and why? Their responses ranged from the classic (dolphins and sharks) to the bizarre (deep-sea shrimp and snails) to the exceptionally broad (Eukaryotes, Holly? Could you narrow it down just a little?).

Check out what they had to say:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpZGhUOdmIQ

Watch our previous Ocean Question and let us know what your favorite marine organisms are in the comments below.

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Tags: dolphins eukaryote grouper otter sea slug sharks shrimp snail trilobite

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12 thoughts on “The Ocean Question: What is your favorite marine organism and why?”

  1. Ann McElhatton says:
    April 26, 2012 at 2:32 pm

    Limulus polyphemus! 1) Atlantic horseshoe crabs are an amazing blue blooded species that help save lives 2) Atlantic horseshoe crabs are an important species in my hometown are (Cape May County, N.J.) and I have fond memories counting them in the middle of the night when they’d come up to spawn 3) Atlantic horseshoe crabs are gentle on the instead but have a fierce looking exterior 4) Who doesn’t have respect for all living fossils? Limulus Love!!! http://beachchairscientist.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/limuluslove1.jpg

  2. Zen Faulkes says:
    April 26, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    The critter that got me my Ph.D., the spiny sand crab, Blepharipoda occidentalis. Dance with the one that brung ya and all that.

  3. Bruce Townley says:
    April 26, 2012 at 5:11 pm

    Architeuthis dux, the Giant Squid.The mighty kraken!

  4. Southern Fried Scientist says:
    April 26, 2012 at 8:16 pm

    Emerita talpoida was my first love.

  5. Tiz Keller says:
    April 26, 2012 at 9:32 pm

    Luv them Grunions, L. tenuis.
    We know spring is here, and all is well in the surf.

  6. Angela says:
    April 26, 2012 at 10:38 pm

    Nudibranchs and squid!!! Can’t choose just one

  7. klb8s says:
    April 27, 2012 at 10:02 am

    Tardigrade — Because it can kick any or your favorite creatures’ asses, travel to Mars and back without a space suit, and then kick their asses again.

  8. ann says:
    April 27, 2012 at 10:17 am

    Torn between my first love, everything in S.P. Crustacea, and Mola mola.

  9. Chuck says:
    April 27, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    Obviously Squalus acanthias, for being the scrappiest fish in the sea (and getting me into this grad school/science blogging mess). Invert-wise, I’ve always thought crabs have a lot of personality.

  10. Magnus Farr says:
    April 30, 2012 at 6:53 am

    The Mantis Shrimp, either crushers or stabbers. The Mantis Shrimp, Stomatopod Gonodigitalis, or Stomach-foot genital-finger, is a truly formidable crustacean. Its dactyls, or front claws, shoot out and pulverize prey with such speed that water at the point of impact cavitates ina burst of heat and light. Additionally, it possesses the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. It can see 12 primary colors and even circularly polarized light. Not to mention, some species are monogamous and live for twenty years. These animals are incredibly intelligent for crustaceans, though they have been known to bust the glass aquariums they were put in with their incredible rocket claws and suffocate. I’m sorry fellas, but I think I have every one of you beat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdHJ9Nvc-s8

  11. Hai~Ren says:
    April 30, 2012 at 8:26 am

    If I really had to pick a favourite, it would be the stonefish (Synanceia horrida). Probably because they’re so well-camouflaged and can be found on so many shores that my friends and I explore at low tide, and because I was once careless and unlucky enough to step on one. The subsequent hospitalisation and recovery gave me a very special experience to share with others, and it’s also significantly altered my personal philosophy. If I had the strength to overcome getting stung by the world’s most venomous fish, I can get over whatever troubles I’m facing.

  12. Patric Douglas says:
    April 30, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    Ahhh, great question. Without a doubt this critter, because it looks like the Facehugger critter from the Alien series.

    Behold Magnapinna:

    http://sharkdivers.blogspot.com/2008/11/squid-video-magnapinna-focus-focus.html

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