Aquatic Invertebrates
49 Results
The Rise and Fall of Acropora
Despite being among the fastest growing corals, the warming of the oceans has caused high mortality among Acropora. However, they also have the potential to recover rapidly and provide shelter to other marine life
Species
Acropora: Facts, Habitat, Threats
All you need to know about these fast-growing hard corals
Infographic
Cuttlefish: Facts, Habitat, Anatomy
Everything you need to know about this very smart marine mollusc
Infographic
Nudibranchs: The Secret Colourful World of Sea Slugs
Some sea slugs camouflage and hide from predators, others are vibrantly coloured, warning predators they may be toxic (even if they are not), and still others absorb toxins from their food and store it, ready to dish out a nasty sting when required
Photo Story
Mantis Shrimp: Facts, Eyesight, Strike
All you need to know about this marine crustacean
Infographic
Mantis Shrimp: Eye-popping Predators of Reefs and Seagrass Meadows
With superhero-like vision and strength and lightning-fast movements, mantis shrimp are formidable marine predators
Species
Deadpool: The Dynamic Cuttlefish Mating System
Trickery, intelligence, aggression, camouflage, and bizarre physiology are all on full display when cuttlefish mate
Photo Story
Bryozoa: Facts, Anatomy, Colonies
All you need to know about moss animals
Infographic
An Ode to Sponges
Ancient marine animals that are food on the sea floor, sponges thrive in a variety of environments. Depending on the species, sponges can be predators, competitors, symbionts, or prey
Species
Marine Flatworms: Facts, Social Habits, Diet
All you need to know about these ocean predators that have existed for millions of years
Infographic
Sea Urchins: Defence Mechanism, Habitat, Threats
Everything you need to know about these spiny marine creatures
Infographic
Octopus and Squid: What’s the Difference?
Here's a quick guide to what sets octopus and squid apart
Explainer
Chitons: Facts, Diet, Species
All you need to know about these marine molluscs that have existed for millions of years
Infographic
Barnacles: Facts, Lifecycle, Habitat
All you need to know about these small, armoured crustaceans that are found along rocky shores
Infographic
Peering Inside a Pocillopora
In the coral paradise of Lakshadweep, four species of this branching coral stand out on the richly coloured reef. Look inside its branches, and you’ll see a mini ecosystem of invertebrates, fish, and algae
Photo Story
Sponges: Facts, Structure, Reproduction
All you need to know about these primitive animals
Infographic
Swimming Amongst Fossils: What Sponges Tell Us About the World
These ancient animals have been an essential part of healthy reef ecosystems for millions of years
Species
Sea Cucumbers: Illegal trade and the Blame Game
How a blanket ban on sea cucumber fishing in India has created an illicit trade and impacted the livelihoods of artisanal communities who have historically harvested them
Conservation
Acroporid Affiliations in the Lagoons of Lakshadweep
Acroporid reefs are a threatened ecosystem that host a multitude of species, each part of a complex web of interactions
Photo Story
Nine Facts That Make Nudibranchs Even Cooler
Cartoons and illustrations on wildlife, environment and conservation
Green Humour
Hermit Crab: Facts, Habitat, Diet
All you need to know about this soft-bodied crustacean
Infographic
Hermit Crabs: Mobile Home in a Snail Shell
To stay safe, these asymmetrical crabs spend their lives looking for a shell that is roomy enough to house their entire body. Finding such a home is a complex process and involves both negotiation and competition
Species
Pincers and Claws: Crabs of the Konkan Coast
An incredible variety of crabs, ranging from tiny pea crabs to massive mud crabs, inhabit the diverse habitats of India’s Konkan coast
Photo Story
Ghost Crab: Facts, Diet, Habitat
All you need to know about this swift-footed nocturnal crab
Infographic
Squids: Facts, Diet, Threats
All you need to know about these fast marine invertebrates
Infographic
Sea Cucumbers: Facts, Diet, Threats
All you need to know about these marine invertebrates
Infographic
A Star Has Feelings Too
Cartoons and illustrations on wildlife, environment and conservation
Green Humour
Sand Scavengers: Ghost Crabs in the Intertidal Zone of Chennai’s Elliot’s Beach
Living on the foggy cusp of land, sea, sand, and sky, ghost crabs are the beach clean-up crew, the vultures of sandy coastal ecosystems.
Species
Bollywood and the Bad Romance of Water Striders
Cartoons and illustrations on wildlife, environment and conservation
Green Humour
Decorator Crabs: Facts, Size, Shells
All you need to know about one of nature's trendy dressers, the spider crab
Infographic
Common Venomous Reef Creatures of the Shallow Seas
Among the multitude of fish on reefs are a vast array of venomous stingers. Though most use their poison in self-defence and to hunt, they will also strike at perceived threats
Photo Story
The Secret Life of Squids
As exclusive inhabitants of the marine realm, squids have evolved incredible diversity dating back to the Jurassic period. Their unique lifestyles and reproductive strategies make them a success in deep and shallow waters
Photo Story
Cleaning Symbiosis: Underwater Hygiene with the Ocean’s Favourite Cleaning Experts
Cleaner wrasses and cleaner shrimps feed on parasites for a living. This, in turn, helps animals that want parasites removed from their bodies, and results in a healthier ecosystem
Photo Story
Some Inspiration from Sand-bubbler Crabs and Bill Waterson
Cartoons and illustrations on wildlife, environment and conservation
Green Humour
Stranger than Fiction: The Inscrutable Mind of the Genius Octopus
An octopus is a crafty shape shifter. In the blink of an eye, it can change colour, texture, pattern, and shape to blend in with its surroundings
Video
Octopus: Facts, Diet, Anatomy, Habitat
A fact file on the highly intelligent eight-legged mollusc
Infographic
Mate and Die: Mysteries of Octopus Sex
Not only do these cephalopods breed only once in their lifetime, they die soon after. With an optic gland activating the breeding mode in females, and the male placing a rock between the pair while mating, this sea creature displays some unusual behaviours while procreating
Photo Story
Sea Cucumbers: Silent Superheroes of the Seas
These sea creatures are mini ecosystems unto themselves and play a crucial role in keeping oceans alive and healthy
Species
The Genius Octopus: Programmed to Deceive
These evolutionarily advanced marine invertebrates can solve puzzles, memorise tricks, use tools, and even recognise and fool humans
Species
Smart and Saucy: The Story of Wild Squids
Squids have evolved complex sensory systems. They are fast, stealthy predators of the seas, but also prey for marine mammals, seabirds, turtles, and a host of fish
Species
Sea Cucumbers: Countering the Illegal Trade
Lakshadweep unveils the world’s first sea cucumber reserve, drawing attention to this overexploited marine invertebrate
Conservation
Meet the New Fashion Designer in Town: The Decorator Worm
Cartoons and illustrations on wildlife, environment, and conservation
Green Humour
Project Camouflage: Styles and Survival Strategies of Decorator Crabs
Decorator crabs assemble elaborate adornments to masquerade as different life forms and escape being attacked by predators
Species
The Fabulous, Functional World of Sea Slugs
Flamboyant in appearance and stealthy in their ways, sea slugs protect themselves in unique ways, including repurposing the defence weapons of their prey for their own protection
Species
Life of Corals: Witnessing an Ecosystem in Collapse
As oceans warm up the symbiotic relationship between corals and microscopic algae breaks down. Corals get bleached, making them susceptible to disease and eventually leading to the death of reef ecosystems
Conservation
Did You Know? Starfish and How They Regenerate
The star of the ocean — which can regrow lost body parts, including organs — is best observed from a distance
Wild Vault
Life of Corals: The Origin Story
The brilliant corals we see at the bottom of the ocean are animals, the most extraordinarily wild architects on earth, and they use stinging cells to capture their prey
Habitat
Tiny Tentacles in the Mighty Kaveri
Hovering like surreal little spaceships, diaphanous freshwater jellyfish are the secretive, benign inhabitants of the sacred river of southern India
Photo Story
Coral Gardens: Artworks Under Indian Seas
Reefs with their multihued coral and vibrant fish can be as dazzling and magical
as a throbbing rainforest
Photo Story