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Ocean Portal

The best of the ocean and its science, brought to you by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History's Ocean Portal. Visit us at http://ocean.si.edu.We claim no ownership or copyright of any of the images posted. If you are the owner of a specific image & would like it removed, please message & we will do so promptly.
Smithsonian Terms of Use: http://www.si.edu/Termsofuse

A Tunicate MedleyThe Komodo National Park site in Indonesia was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1991. The site hosts “Komodo dragons” (Varanus komodoensis), a unique species that exists nowhere else in the world and is of great interest to... — A Tunicate Medley
The Komodo National Park site in Indonesia was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1991. The site hosts “Komodo dragons” (*Varanus komodoensis*), a unique species that exists nowhere else in the world and is of great interest to scientists studying evolution. The rugged hillsides of dry savannah and pockets of thorny green vegetation contrast starkly with the brilliant white sandy beaches and blue coral-rich waters offshore. Pictured here is some of the diversity of marine life in the park: three species of tunicates (“sea squirts”) - *Polycarpa aurata* is purple and orange, *Atriolum robustum* is green, and the blue is from the genus *Rhopalaea*.
Photo Credit: Nick Hobgood

A sneak peek before Wednesday’s 4th of July festivities. This polychaete reminds us of fireworks.

PolychaeteDay 4th of july worms marine worms

Spaghetti worms are named for the long, thin tentacles they use to feed and explore the seafloor around the opening of their tube.

PolychaeteDay worms marine worms

Your next polychaete on the hour.
This scale worm’s bumpy scales and bristles glow brilliantly under fluorescent light

PolychaeteDay marine worms worms

Beautiful Worms? A photo series for Polychaete Day
This brilliant scaleworm spends its life with a sea star partner, which wears it like a piece of jewelry.
©Alexander Semenov

PolychaeteDay Starfish sea star

Beautiful Worms? A photo series for Polychaete Day
This one looks like a rainbow.
©Alexander Semenov

PolychaeteDay nature photography

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noaasanctuaries

If I said these creatures were our distant cousins, would you believe me? Well, they are!
About 3,000 tunicate species are found in salt water habitats throughout the world. Although tunicates are invertebrates (animals without backbones) found in... — If I said these creatures were our distant cousins, would you believe me? Well, they are!
About 3,000 tunicate species are found in salt water habitats throughout the world. Although tunicates are invertebrates (animals without backbones) found in the subphylum Tunicata (sometimes called Urochordata), they are part of the Phylum Chordata, which also includes animals with backbones, like us.
https://ocean.si.edu/tunicates-not-so-spineless-invertebrates
Photo Credit: Ian Davidson, Smithsonian

tunicates no backbone

Some mesmerizing jellies for your hump day.

The National Museum of Natural History is more than just a museum. Heres a peek behind the scenes in the aquaroom, a jellyfish research lab. Today we visited and got to check out these beautiful cassiopea, or upside down jellyfish.

jellyfish mesmerizing pretty