Aquarium of Pacific Project by Thania Samayoa

Magellanic Penguins

thanias2753 — 2014-11-17 16:12:07 UTC

A temperate species from South America.

Penguins have thick, heavy bones, allowing them to dive and swim underwater. Their wings are more like flippers that are adapted to help penguins "fly" through the water.

During the molting period penguins are particularly vulnerable to predators on land. Depending on the region, penguins are hunted by foxes, leopards, and other small mammals. Their favorite foods are fish, squid, and krill.

Zebra Shark

thanias2753 — 2014-11-19 17:46:57 UTC

The appearance of the adults has earned these sharks the common name of leopard shark in Australia

Juvenile zebra sharks inhabit deeper waters than adults seeking depths of 50 m (165 ft) to hide from predators.

Their preferred prey is snails and bivalves but they also eat crabs, shrimps, and small bony fishes. There are five gill slits. The caudal fin is almost as long as the body. It has a deep terminal notch but the lower lobe is only slightly notched.

Clown fish

thanias2753 — 2014-11-19 18:20:04 UTC

The clown anemonefish is also called the clownfish, true clownfish, and orange clownfish.

It has a symbiotic relationship with selected sea anemones that provide its habitat.

Clown anemonefish live on coastal seaward reefs and in shallow and sheltered lagoons at depths of 1-12 m.

They are territorial, aggressively defending their host and an area around it. Aggression consists of tail beating, chasing, and biting at the intruder’s head, abdomen, and fins.

West Coast Sea Nettle

thanias2753 — 2014-11-19 18:32:31 UTC

West coast sea nettles are in the class Scyphozoa, that of the jellies called true jellies.

The west coast sea nettle commonly found in coastal waters of California and Oregon.

Jellyfish play a very important role in the ocean ecosystem. They prey on planktonic organisms like crustaceans, copepods, and fish larvae.

When sea nettles ‘swim’ the shape of their bell changes markedly from the shape of an umbrella to flat as the bell contracts and expands due to action by its coronal (circular) and radial muscles

Greater Blue-ringed Octopus

catherineb2594 — 2014-11-19 19:00:23 UTC

Blue-ringed-octopuses hunt during the day. They eat small crabs, hermit crabs, shrimp, and occasionally small fishes: however, they are primarily crab-eaters. Ambush predators, they usually pounce on their hard-shelled prey trap it with their arms and use their sharp parrot-like beak to pierce a hole in the prey’s shell or exoskeleton.

Blue-ringed octopuses are not aggressive. They usually remain in crevices among rocks, inside shells, and even in discarded bottles and cans. They emerge only to hunt food or look for a mate.

Hawaiian Monk Seal

catherineb2594 — 2014-11-19 19:06:18 UTC

Hawaiian monk seals are considered a "living fossil" because of their distinct evolutionary lineage.

Monk seals breed and haul-out on sand, corals, and volcanic rock; they are often seen resting on beaches during the day. Their favorite are fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans.
Adults are generally nocturnal hunters while juveniles spend more time hunting species that hide in the sand or under rocks during the day. Monk seals generally hunt for food outside of the immediate shoreline areas in waters 60-300 feet (18-90 m) deep.