The planet’s oceans hold an incredibly varied wealth of marine life. The oceans hold so much life that many species still await discovery. Since marine life is so diverse, it makes sense that many creatures can be considered fascinating, unbelievable, and a little weird. Check out these five bizarre marine life facts.
Jellyfish Are 95% Water
One of the ocean’s weirdest marine life facts is that jellyfish comprise at least 95 percent water. In addition, most species of jellyfish have no circulatory system, no respiratory system and no brain. Jellyfish have a rudimentary digestive system and a simple nervous system. They obtain oxygen directly from the water from their skin.
Seahorses Have No Stomach
Seahorses are another weird marine creature and an interesting fact about them is that they have no stomach. They also lack any kind of teeth. When a seahorse eats, the food is passed very quickly through the simple digestive system. Because of this, seahorses must eat a great deal, nearly around the clock, in order to obtain the nutrients they need.
Clownfish Can Change Gender
Did you know that some marine life species are capable of changing gender? Clownfish are one of the most famous gender-swapping fish. One female clownfish was schooled with several male clownfish, and when the female died, the dominant male changed genders to take her place. Clownfish aren’t the only marine creatures that swap genders. Moray eels, oysters, and wrasses, among others, are also known to change gender when necessary.
Dolphins Rest Half of Their Brain at One Time
Dolphins are some of the most fascinating marine creatures, and one fact about them is that only half of their brain sleeps at a time. While half of the brain is asleep, the other half reminds the dolphin to surface for air. One eye always stays open, and the alert half of the brain watches for danger.
Sea Turtles “Cry” Salt
One fascinating fact about marine sea turtles is that their kidneys cannot properly metabolize all the salt they swallow, so they have special glands that excrete the salt. These glands are located in the orbital cavity, which also contains the eye, so sea turtles often look like they’re crying.
