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This important win means crucial funding for wildfire prevention, wildlife protection, and clean drinking water for California. The Aquarium’s 40-year journey of advocating for ocean health wouldn’t be possible without our amazing members, donors, and supporters like you.
Let’s keep making a lasting impact—together. 💙
MBARI researchers have discovered a remarkable new species of sea slug that lives in the deep sea. Bathydevius caudactylus swims through the ocean’s midnight zone and lights up with brilliant bioluminescence.
With a voluminous hooded structure at one end, a flat tail fringed with numerous finger-like projections at the other, and colorful internal organs in between, the team initially struggled to place this animal in a group. Because the animal also had a foot like a snail, they nicknamed this the “mystery mollusc.”
The team first observed the mystery mollusc in February 2000 during a dive with the institute’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Tiburon offshore of Monterey Bay at 2,614 meters (8,576 feet) deep.
They leveraged MBARI’s advanced and innovative underwater technology to gather extensive natural history information about the mystery mollusc. After reviewing more than 150 sightings from MBARI’s ROVs over the past 20 years, they published a detailed description of this animal.
Learn more more about this dazzling new denizen of the deep on our website.
We'll be going LIVE on Nov. 7th @ 3:30 PM PT to talk about nudibranchs with special guests Nicholas, founder of the local 3D arts company Reef Renders, and aquarist Christy.
We'll be painting 3D models of nudibranchs while chatting about these colorful critters. We hope to sea you there 💙
Hello fronds! Small typo: Today's stream will o-fish-ially start at 3:30 PM PST, not 3 PM PST. Coziness and painting will still be happening! 💙
We'll be going LIVE on Nov. 7th @ 3:30 PM PT to talk about nudibranchs with special guests Nicholas, founder of the local 3D arts company Reef Renders, and aquarist Christy.
We'll be painting 3D models of nudibranchs while chatting about these colorful critters. We hope to sea you there 💙
Remember to go to the polls, vote with the ocean in mind, and know that your choices today shape the future.
VoteForTheOcean at: https://mbayaq.co/47u5TwS
Living up to its name, this quirky creature is covered in lumps, bumps, and ridges, with a row of larger bumps along its sides and a massive, meaty mohawk formed by its thick skin. These deep-sea cruisers (Cyclopterus lumpus) prefer to roam in the dark, but when they’re done swimming, they simply latch onto rocks with their suction-like bellies.
🎶🕷️The itsy bit-sea spider crawled on the ocean floor Down came marine snow, what a tasty score! Up came a friend, and together they made tracks As the itsy bit-sea spiders enjoyed these ocean snack 🕷️ 🎶
When it’s time for a big meal, sea spiders enjoy feasting on soft-bodied animals like sponges and worms. They pierce the animal’s flesh with their proboscis and use it like a straw suck out the prey’s insides… yum?
Your vote can have a crucial impact on the health of our ocean and the planet. Whether it’s by mailing in your ballot or going to the polls, make waves by voting and encouraging your friends to do the same! Join hundreds of people across the country and pledge to vote on VoteForTheOcean.Org!
Listen sometimes you’ve just gotta make do with what you’ve got when you can’t use copyrighted music 🤷
Okay but seariously, sea otters always gotta be hot to go to survive in the chilly waters of the Monterey Bay. Inside their exhibit where our dancers, er, divers are cleaning is the same temperature as the bay thanks to our open water system—on average about 55 degrees fahrenheit or 13 degrees celsius. Thick wetsuits and, of course, fun dances keep the humans warm while they work, much like layers of air trapped in a sea otter’s thick pelt keeps them warm. The sea otters haven’t quite figured out how to dance though…
As Californians, we’ve experienced the increasing impacts of climate change—from wildfires to drought and rising sea levels.
This November, we have a chance to make waves for our environment by voting Yes on Prop 4!
This climate bond will fund critical projects to address climate impacts including protecting our coasts, preventing wildfires, and securing clean drinking water for the future. Let's safeguard our beautiful coastlines—every vote counts! 🐋💧
Today, we celebrate our protected waters throughout the U.S., including the ocean and the Great Lakes.
We have even more to sea-lebrate this year as we look forward to the official designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary on California’s Central Coast.
Once final, 4,500 square miles of coastal waters from Morro Bay to the Channel Islands will receive important protections to help safeguard its ecological, historical, and cultural ocean resources. It will become California’s fifth national marine sanctuary, joining Monterey Bay, Cordell Bank, Greater Farallones, and Channel Islands national marine sanctuaries.
📸 Photo courtesy of @noaasanctuaries
We’ve collected these captivating comb jellies in Monterey Bay alongside our research partners at @mbari-blog. Together, we’re learning more about them—and the deep sea—every day!
You can see Red X today in our Into the Deep/En lo Profundo exhibit!
