Smithsonian Ocean Portal
“A shells Story”
“Across the world’s oceans, buried in the sand, tucked within rocky crevices, or amassed in bustling beds, oysters, mussels, and clams are an integral part of coastal ecosystems. These shellfish are filter feeders that act as a cleanup crew, eating by gently pumping water over their gills and catching tiny floating snacks along the way.”
“Meet the gaint Isopods”
“Is it a bug, Is it a dinosaur? Maybe it’s even an alien? All good guesses when it comes to the peculiar-looking giant isopods, but they’re actually deep-sea crustaceans related to crabs, shrimp, and the terrestrial pill-bugs (the famed roly-poly).”
“Spartina: Architect of the Coast”
“As the sun rises over the marsh, the tide creeps through muddy channels, filling winding creeks bordered by tall green cordgrass. The grass stands waist-high near the banks and shorter in the upper marsh, waiting as the water reaches its roots, while fiddler crabs scramble among the stems and unseen birds call through the mist.”
“Meet the Booby Family”
“With their sometimes vibrantly colored feet and theatrical hunting style, boobies (genus Sula) are some of the most colorful and fascinating seabirds that soar over tropical and subtropical oceans around the world. They belong to the close-knit family Sulidae, which also includes the gannets (genus Morus).”
“Meet the gaint Isopods”
“Is it a bug, Is it a dinosaur? Maybe it’s even an alien? All good guesses when it comes to the peculiar-looking giant isopods, but they’re actually deep-sea crustaceans related to crabs, shrimp, and the terrestrial pill-bugs (the famed roly-poly).”
“Spartina: Architect of the Coast”
“As the sun rises over the marsh, the tide creeps through muddy channels, filling winding creeks bordered by tall green cordgrass. The grass stands waist-high near the banks and shorter in the upper marsh, waiting as the water reaches its roots, while fiddler crabs scramble among the stems and unseen birds call through the mist.”
Paul Holm 