‘Eye-opening’ – Sunday Times Despite being the largest and most diverse group of all the vertebrates, fish are also one of the most misunderstood and exploited groups of animals on the planet. A majority of people imagine that fish are unfeeling, unintelligent and unremarkable, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In his 2016 … More Book club: ‘What a fish knows’ by Jonathan Balcombe
A new study into deep-sea fish and crustaceans has revealed the presence of anthropogenic mercury pollution at the deepest points in the ocean, including the Marianna Trench. Researchers suggest that the most likely source of the toxic chemical is the sinking bodies of dead fish from the surface. Mercury pollution in the ocean is an … More Fish carcasses deliver toxic mercury pollution to the deepest parts of the ocean
New research has uncovered the genetic origin of gill covers in fish, which occurred over 430 million years ago. It sheds light on one of the most important evolutionary developments for fish, as well as over vertebrates such as humans. If you ask a palaeontologist what the most important change in vertebrate evolution was, they … More The evolution of gill covers in fish (and humans)
Deep-sea dragonfish are the only fish that can generate and see red light, which they use to detect prey and sneak up on them, whilst remaining invisible themselves. This unique ability has made them the masters of the deep-ocean by living in a world of their own. Dragonfish are a group of deep-sea fish that … More Seeing red: the incredible vision of dragonfish
‘A sprawling, ambitious underwater journey studded with fascinating tidbits’ – New York Times When talking about the most spectacular or interesting marine creatures in our oceans, it is often the case that fish don’t really get the credit they so rightfully deserve. Step forward Dr Helen Scales, who’s fantastic book ‘Eye of the Shoal: A … More Book club: ‘Eye of the Shoal’ by Helen Scales
Researchers have recently discovered 16 species of ultra-black fish, who have evolved specialised pigmentation in their skin which absorbs over 99.9% of the light that hits them, making them practically invisible in the deep ocean. A new study by researchers from Duke University and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), has revealed 16 … More The ultra-black fish that disappear in the deep
A new study has recently confirmed the extinction of the smooth handfish, the very first marine fish species to be declared officially extinct in the modern era. So what went wrong for these bottom-dwelling fish? And what lessons can we learn from their untimely demise? Unfortunately, extinctions of marine species are nothing new in our … More The first marine fish extinction of the modern era
Deep-sea anglerfish have one of the most bizarre and disturbing mating behaviours in the animal kingdom, known as sexual parasitism, where dwarf males bite into and then permanently fuse bodies with larger females. However as off-putting as this may sound, it is actually a remarkably effective strategy. Sexual reproduction is one of the most important … More Unholy matrimony: the nightmarish sex lives of anglerfish
Oarfish are the world’s longest bony fish, capable of reaching well over 30 feet in length, and also the inspiration for many fantastic tales of sea serpents. But these ‘monsters’ are actually one of the most misunderstood creatures in our oceans. Whether it is hiding in the corners of old nautical maps or starring in … More The real life ‘sea serpents’ behind the maritime legends
Written by Charlie Gregory Cueva del Azufre is a complex cave system in southern Mexico with incredibly harsh conditions which make it seem almost impossible for any form of life to survive there. But despite waters filled with over 50 times the lethal dose of toxic hydrogen sulphide, a near complete absence of light and … More The incredible fish living in a toxic Mexican cave system
Marine Madness 