Sea Nettles

Marine biologists from more than 80 countries have spent the last 10 years trying to catalogue and count all forms of sea life. The project, called the Census of Marine Life, concluded this year.

Census scientists divided the ocean into six realms, from coastal shores to icy polar seas, and studied the unique sea life in each area.

Weddell Seals

During the census, scientists counted more than 230,000 species, including about 6,000 previously unknown ones. Still, the list is nowhere near complete. Scientists estimate that millions of ocean species exist.

Dumbo Octopus

Terrible-Claw Lobster

Amphipod Crustacean

Flamingo Tongue Snail

Arctic Jellyfish

Census researchers collectedand photographed thousands of creatures like the ones shown here that had never been seen before.

Many new species were found in hard-to-reach areas such as deep ocean trenches. Others were discovered in places like coral reefs, which scientists had studied for years. This siphonophore was observed at a depth of 300 to 1,500 meters (1,000 to 5,000 feet). Some of these creatures can reach 3 m (10 ft) in length!

Siphonophore

Octopuses are a shell-less type of mollusk related to clams and snails. Mollusks, crustaceans, and fish, make up half of all ocean species.

Deep-sea Octopus

• What is the Census of Marine Life?

Acorn Worm

Then read “Taking Stock of Sea Life” in the November 8-22, 2010, issue of Science World. Turn to page 14.

To learn more about the Census of Marine Life, watch this video.

• How did researchers go about cataloguing ocean life?

• What are some of the main threats to ocean biodiversity around the world?

What would life be like on a reef or in the dark waters of the deep sea? Write a short story from the point of view of one of the creatures mentioned in the PowerPoint or article. Research to find facts about your organism’s life to include. For example: Where does your organism live? What does it eat? Does it have any cool adaptations? What threats does it face?

Fangtooth Fish

Slide1: ©Richard Hermann- Galatée films; Slide2: ©Gary Cranitch-Queensland Museum ; Slide3: ©Galatée Films ; Slide4: ©David Shale /naturepl.com ; Slide5: ©Tin-Yam Chan, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung (lobster), ©Kevin Raskoff (jellyfish), ©Kacy Moody (snail), ©Cédric d’Udekem d’Acoz (crustacean); Slide6: ©Kevin Raskoff; Slides 7-9: ©David Shale /naturepl.com.