Marine Invertebrate Behavior Photos

Humpback whale lunge feeding on Antarctic krill, with mouth open and baleen visible. The humbpack's throat grooves are seen as its pleated throat becomes fully distended as the whale fills its mouth with krill and water. The water will be pushed out, while the baleen strains and retains the small krill.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Gerlache Strait, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
Image ID: 25648  

Acorn Barnacle extends to feed in ocean current, amid colony of Corynactis anemones.
Species: Acorn barnacle, Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica, Megabalanus californicus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33455  

Acorn Barnacle extends to feed in ocean current, amid colony of Corynactis anemones.
Species: Acorn barnacle, Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica, Megabalanus californicus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33473  

Spiny brittle stars (starfish) detail.
Species: Brittle sea star, Ophiothrix spiculata
Image ID: 35074  

Spiny brittle stars (starfish) detail.
Species: Brittle sea star, Ophiothrix spiculata
Image ID: 35077  

Spiny brittle stars (starfish) detail.
Species: Brittle sea star, Ophiothrix spiculata
Image ID: 35079  

Humpback whale lunge feeding on Antarctic krill, with mouth open and baleen visible. The humbpack's pink throat grooves are seen as its pleated throat becomes fully distended as the whale fills its mouth with krill and water. The water will be pushed out, while the baleen strains and retains the small krill.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Gerlache Strait, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica
Image ID: 25660  

Freediver photographing pelagic gelatinous zooplankton, adrift in the open ocean.
Species: Fried-egg jellyfish, Phacellophora camtschatica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26817  

Freediving photographer in a cloud of salps, gelatinous zooplankton that drifts with open ocean currents.
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 27012  

Colonial planktonic pelagic tunicate, adrift in the open ocean, forms rings and chains as it drifts with ocean currents.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26819  

Colonial planktonic pelagic tunicate, adrift in the open ocean, forms rings and chains as it drifts with ocean currents.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26823  

Salp (pelagic tunicate) reproduction, open ocean.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 01263  

Squid eggs, La Jolla Canyon.
Species: Common squid, Loligo opalescens
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 01972  

Salp chain and diver, open ocean.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 05343  

Salp chain and diver, open ocean.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 05345  

Proliferating anemone with attached juveniles, growing on kelp stipe.
Species: Proliferating anemone, Epiactis prolifera
Location: Monterey, California
Image ID: 00573  

Salp (pelagic tunicate) chain.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 02495  

Squid mating.
Species: Common squid, Loligo opalescens
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 02548  

Simnia and egg cluster on gorgonian.
Species: Simnia, Delonovolva aequalis
Location: Anacapa Island, California
Image ID: 02556  

Squid egg clusters on sand.
Species: Common squid, Loligo opalescens
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 05407  

A cluster of vibrantly-colored strawberry anemones (club-tipped anemone, more correctly a corallimorph) polyps clings to the rocky reef.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 10168  

Freediver photographing pelagic gelatinous zooplankton, adrift in the open ocean.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26818  

Pelagic tunicate reproduction, large single salp produces a chain of smaller salps as it reproduces while adrift on the open ocean.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26820  

Pelagic tunicate reproduction, large single salp produces a chain of smaller salps as it reproduces while adrift on the open ocean.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26821  

Colonial planktonic pelagic tunicate, adrift in the open ocean, forms rings and chains as it drifts with ocean currents.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26822  

Colonial planktonic pelagic tunicate, adrift in the open ocean, forms rings and chains as it drifts with ocean currents.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26824  

Colonial planktonic pelagic tunicate, adrift in the open ocean, forms rings and chains as it drifts with ocean currents.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26825  

Colonial planktonic pelagic tunicate, adrift in the open ocean, forms rings and chains as it drifts with ocean currents.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26826  

Colonial planktonic pelagic tunicate, adrift in the open ocean, forms rings and chains as it drifts with ocean currents.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26827  

Freediver photographing pelagic gelatinous zooplankton, adrift in the open ocean.
Species: Salp, Cyclosalpa affinis
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 26828