#100daysofpatternfromthesea

Day 1/100

Peruvian anchoveta (Engraulis ringens)

1. Described as the most heavily fish in world history

2. They can live for up to 3 years, reaching 20 cm 

3. Previously it was not considered as food, now found in supermarkets and served in restaurants. Still, only 1 percent of anchovy catches are used for direct human consumption and 99 percent continue to be reduced to fishmeal and oil

Day 2/100

South American pilchard (Sardinops sagax)

1. This is a coastal species that forms large schools 

2. They feed mainly on planktonic crustaceans

3. This species is classed as an important commercial fish, heavily fished then sold fresh, frozen or canned also used for fish meal and fish oil

Day 3/100

The Large spotted Herring (Herklotsichthys koningsbergeri)

1. This fish forms schools in coastal waters and enters inlets and lower reaches of rivers

2. This is a data poor species and there is currently no available information relating to its population status, basic biology, or life history

3. Native to Australia it’s uses and trade information is lacking

Day 4/100

The queen scallop (Aequipecten opercularis) 

1. At about 7 cm in size, this is one of the smaller scallop species which are commercially exploited

2. The shell of this species is quite colourful, but it is also thin and brittle

3. The shell often gets overgrown with encrusting sponge that is thought to protect the scallop from predation by starfishes while the sponges are protected from predation by the sea slug

Day 5/100

Allis shad (Alosa alosa)

1. Populations have been reduced primarily by overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction

2. They can usually only reproduce once in their lifetimes

3. They can grow up to 70cm in length

Day 6/100

European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus)

1. Growing up to 45cm in length

2. Smelt is a small fish that generally live close to the shore and can swim far inland

3. Bizarrely, this fish has a strange cucumber-like smell when freshly caught

Day 7/100

The blue runner (Caranx crysos)

1. This species can be found living in a few different habitat types, however they primarily live in inshore regions close to the surf zone or beach

2. They are heavily preyed upon by both commercial and recreational fisheries

3. They feed on smaller fishes so is itself an important prey species for larger predators

Day 8/100

The thicklip grey mullet (Chelon labrosus)

1. Mullet are a slow growing, long living and late maturing fish, which means they are vulnerable to being overfished

2. They live to around 25 years old

3. Grey Mullet are catadromous (which means that they migrate from freshwater to seawater to spawn

Day 9/100

Green-lipped Mussel (Perna canaliculus)

1. The green colour comes from a covering called the periostracum, in the wild this often peels away and the white shell beneath shows through

2. These bivalves filter the water that passes into their shells and absorb the phytoplankton

3. Sometimes pea crabs live inside the mussel’s shell and steal plankton from its gills

Day 10/100

The European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus)

1. It is a migratory, schooling, largely coastal species but sometimes travels as far as 100 km (62 mi) out to sea

2. This species is thought to live for up for five years

3. There is much confusion over the name of this species and it is often mistaken for other similar species. This species is of high commercial value. The adults may be sold as pilchards and the juveniles, as sardines. The terms "sardine" and "pilchard” are not precise, and what is meant depends on a region

Day 11/100

Limpet, Ornate (Cellana ornata)

1. They can tolerate losing 60% of their body water and temperatures of 40 degrees celsius

2. Often found grazing on algae on rocks

3. Native to New Zealand

Day 12/100

Chambered Nautilus (Nautilus pompilius)

1. The chambered nautilus lives in deep waters and is one of very few species of shelled invertebrates that live this way instead of being in contact with the seafloor or reef surface

2. This species has as many as 90 appendages but does not have suckers on its tentacles, it obtains food by wrapping several tentacles around its prey and pulling the prey toward its mouth 

3.Like in most shelled animals, this species can retract completely into its shell when threatened

Day 13/100

The Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii)

1. Due to overfishing the total North American Pacific herring fishery collapsed in 1993, and is now slowly recovering

2. This species of fish can grow to 45 cm but a typical adult size is closer to 33 centimeters

3. It is a hugely important fish to the ecology of the Pacific coast with many fish, sea mammals, and birds relying on it and its eggs for food

Day 14/100

The California mussel (Mytilus californianus)

1. Given the right circumstances, they can grow up to 20cm in length and live for more than 20 years

2. Mussels secrete protein fibers called byssal threads from a gland in the foot that they use to attach themselves to hard surfaces and to each other

3. Communities of these mussels can grow into very large groups that may consist of about one million individuals. Newly-settled mussels often attach on top of older mussels in crowded mussel beds

Day 15/100

Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus)

1. This is one of the most abundant fish species in the world,  found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean

2. They congregating in large schools that consist of thousands to hundreds of thousands or even millions of individuals

3. They have excellent hearing, and a school can react very quickly to evade predators

Day 16/100

The blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo)

1. It has small sharp teeth and larger, flatter teeth set into the sides of the jaws

2. This species is a protandric hermaphrodite, which means it is first a male and then it becomes female

3. Due to its particular biology, it may be especially sensitive to overfishing and declines from fishing are the main threat to this species

Day 17/100

The Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)

1. A highly commercial species, nearly 1 million tonnes of are caught each year globally, the bulk of which is sold fresh, frozen, smoked, or canned

2. It is an active, fast-moving fish that must keep in constant motion to bring in enough oxygen to survive

3. They can reach sizes of up to 60 cm and live to 17 years

Day 18/100 

Ilish (Tenualosa ilisha)

1. It is the national fish of Bangladesh and about 450,000 people are directly involved in the catching of the fish as a large part of their livelihood; around four to five million people are indirectly involved with the trade

2. Due to the demand and popularity of this species, overfishing is rampant

3. The changes brought about by global warming have led to a gradual depletion of the ilish's breeding grounds, reducing populations of the fish even further

Day 19/100

The European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus)

1. They are widely eaten, some people eat them raw

2. They grow up to 20cm and school in large numbers 

3. It is a short-lived fish, generally living less than three years

Day 20/100

Velvet swimming crab (Necora puber)

1. Their body is covered in short hairs that give a velvet appearance and are soft to the touch

2. Their rear-most legs are flattened like paddles, helping them speedy swim underwater to catch prey

3. They are also known as the Devil Crab, from their red eyes and aggressive behaviour

Day 21/100

The Pontic shad (Alosa immaculata)

1. This species is of high commercial value

2. They migrate up rivers to spawn however dams are restricting the migrations

3. Pollution may also be responsible for their decline

Day 22/100

The giraffe seahorse (Hippocampus camelopardalis)

1. It can grow to lengths of 10 cm

2. Population and habitat monitoring are needed in order to properly assess the conservation status of this species.

3. Major threats to this species could be habitat loss, through coastal development and pollution, and overexploitation through bycatch. Other threats include human use by drying out the seahorse for traditional medicine or as a curio

Day 23/100

The round sardinella (Sardinella aurita)

1. It is found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea

2. This is a species with high commercial importance

3. The fish prefer shallower waters and can grow up to 28cm

Day 24/100

Japanese Anchovy (Engraulis japonicus)

1. They live up to 2–3 years

2. Similar to European anchovy they occurs in large schools near the surface with the juveniles found drifting in seaweed 

3. Since the development of commercial fisheries that target this species, they have seriously declined in recent years due to overfishing

Day 25/100

Quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria)

1. Confusingly, the Ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) is a different species

2. In fish markets, there are specialist names for different sizes of this species of clam. The smallest legally harvestable clams are called countnecks or peanuts, next size up are littlenecks, then topnecks. Above that are the cherrystones, and the largest are called quahogs or chowder clams

3. New England tribes made valuable beads called wampum from the shells, especially those colored purple; the species name mercenaria is related to the Latin word for commerce

Day 26/100

Lesser sand eel (Ammodytes tobianus)

1. This fish can be distinguished from the greater sand eel by its smaller size , typically less than 20 cm 

2. It is commonly found swimming in huge shoals that rapidly burrows in sand if alarmed

3. Excessive fishing of sand eels on an industrial scale in the North Sea has been linked to a decline in the breeding success of many seabirds

Day 27/100

Pacific Chub Mackerel (Scomber japonicus)

1. They form large schools staying near the bottom during the day and going up to the open water at night

2. It is a smaller fish than the better-known Atlantic mackerel, growing to a length around 36 cm

3. Known to fishermen as the hardhead, the chub mackerel is regularly fished and then canned or served fresh for human consumption, as pet food or bait.

Day 28/100

The European sprat (Sprattus sprattus)

1. Sprat is often used as a generic term for any kind of small fish, however, the European sprat is actually a specific species

2. Sprat form into large shoals and can be found in water ranging from a few metres deep all the way down to around one hundred metres

3. They are popular as a food fish and are also heavily utlised for non-human consumption purposes, such as being processed into fishmeal

Day 29/100

John Dory (Zeus faber)

1. There are several theories about the origin of the common name but little evidence about its actual meaning

2. This species is typically solitary but comes together in groups to reproduce

3. It has a high laterally compressed body so thin it can hardly be seen from the front and it  has a large dark spot on both sides which it uses to confuse prey, which can then be sucked into its mout

Day 30/100

Blue jellyfish (Cyanea lamarckii)

1. Growing to 30cm but are typically half this size with a painful sting

2. They have a translucent body with purple blue rings inside with lots of tentacles to easily capturing prey 

3. They are attracted inshore by blooms of plankton 

Day 31/100

The Black Sea sprat (Clupeonella cultriventris)

1. This small fish is part of the herring family typically 10 cm

2. It has a lifespan of up to 5 years

3. It can be found in quick moving, enormous shoals around coastal shallows

Day 32/100

By-the-wind-sailor (Velella velella)

1. A close relative, but not a jellyfish they can grow to 10cm with short tentacles that give a mild but harmless sting.

2. These beautiful creatures are blue in colour, shaped like an oval with a small thin semicircular fin which acts like a sail to catch the wind and glides them across the surface of the water

3. Evolution has split the population in two, giving Velella either a right angled sail or a left angled sail. This propels them downwind either 45 degrees to the left of the wind or 45 degrees to the right of the wind. On a strong given wind direction, only half the population will end up beached

Day 33/100

Asian green mussel (Perna viridis)

1. It is an economically important mussel, harvested for food 

2. Younger mussels are bright green and that becomes darker as it age

3. It is fast growing and is notorious for clogging water pipes used by industrial complexes and fouling marine equipment

Day 34/100

Californian Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)

1. They swim in schools of thousands to avoid predators

2. When they appear to be yawning, they’re actually opening their mouths wide to filter feed on tiny plant and animal plankton from the water

3. They are used as processed into fishmeal, bait for tuna and occasionally canned

Day 35/100

Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus)

1. They live up to 2–3 years

2. They move in large schools near the surface, mainly in coastal waters but as far out as over 1,000 km from the shore

3. They are of economy importance, the dried tiny anchovy is called Iriko, mainly used for fish broth or for Japanese food such as Miso soup

Day 36/100

Blue button (Porpita porpita)

1. Although it is superficially similar to a jellyfish, each apparent individual is actually a colony of hydrozoan polyps, this hydroid colony, can range from bright blue turquoise to yellow and resembles tentacles like those of the jellyfish

2. It can grow up to 30mm and is a passive drifter, which means that it relies on water currents and wind to carry it through the ocean

3. It has a sting but not a powerful one, it may cause slight irritation to human skin

Day 37/100

The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

1. This particular type of oyster has an important environmental value. They suck in up to 50 gallons of water in one day and filter out the plankton and detritus to swallow, then spit the water back out, so cleaning the water around them

2. Eastern oysters are and have been very popular commercially, today, there are less than 1% of the population when the first 17th-century colonists arrived

3. The cavity within an oyster’s shell is always filled with water. This allows oysters to survive for a long time without having to open their shells to feed

Day 38/100

Lion's Mane (Cyanea capillata)

1. Average diameter of 50cm it can grow to 2m with tentacles as long as 30m, with very dangerous severe sting, often causing anaphylactic shock.

2. It capable of stinging even when they're dead or the tentacles are no longer attached to the jellyfish

3. It is bioluminescent so glows in the dark, the largest and one of the oldest species of jellyfish in the world with a thin mass of tentacles resembling a lions mane

DAY 39/100

American shad (Alosa sapidissima) 

1. They are schooling fish spending most of their life in the ocean, swimming up freshwater rivers to spawn. Many of the rivers where shad were once common now suffer from pollution and are heavily dammed

2. The American shad has been described as the fish that fed the American nation's founders

3. They serve notable symbolic roles in regional politics and culture there’s even an annual Shad Festival

Day 40/100

Spotted Seahorse (Hippocampus kuda)

1. Listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list, it is also threatened by damage to its habitats from coastal development and destructive fishing practices

2. It is caught and traded for traditional medicines, aquaria and curios throughout its range with over 2 million individuals traded per annum

3. They can reach a length of 17–30cm but are not strong swimmers, seahorses greatly prefer to inhabit the calmer shallow waters

Day 41/100

Brownlip abalone (Haliotis roei)

1. The size of the shell varies between 50mm and 120mm. 

2. The shell consists of strong unequal spiral cords crossed by radiating folds

3. The color of the shells inner surface is silvery, very iridescent, with pink, green and steel-blue reflections

Day 42/100

The scaled sardine (Harengula jaguana)

1. This species form very large schools in coastal waters, found over sandy and muddy bottoms in estuaries

2. They are fast-growing, up to 18cm and have a very short lifespan, living less than 3 years

3. Listed at least concern in the IUCN redlist, possibly as it’s flesh is reported to have an unpleasant odor and it is considered to be toxic, considered to be unsuitable for human consumption

Day 43/100

Boar fish (Capros aper)

1. They can grow to 30 cm, but generally about 20cm, with males being smaller than females

2. Their small scales are rough to touch and feed on or around the seabed and often form into shoals

3. They have been ignored as a commercial fish and those large enough to be caught in trawls are usually discarded as bycatch or used to bait crab and lobster pots

Day 44/100

Flame Jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum)

1. Growing to 70cm in diameter with a sting generally not noticeable to humans, although some people can have reactions to them.

2. It is a popular seafood, eaten raw, in southeastern Asia often bred in ponds before being released into the sea to grow to a mature size suitable for the fishery

3. Underneath the bell it has highly branched flame like oral arms, fused at the base and with numerous secondary mouth openings

Day 45/100

Common lobster (Homarus gammarus)

1. The claws are not symmetrical but differ slightly as one is a crushing claw to hold prey and the other a cutting claw.

2. They can grow to over 60cm but due to the commercial pressure on the common lobster very few grow to their maximum size, being caught well before they are fully grown

3. They generally hide away in cracks and crevices in rocks during the day, and emerge to feed at night when they scour the seabed and will eat pretty much anything they can find

Day 46/100

The common cockle (Cerastoderma edule)

1. It plays a major role as a source of food for crustaceans, fish, and wading birds

2. It is an important species for the fishing industry, cooked and eaten in several countries sometimes eaten pickled, or raw

3. It typically reaches 3.5 cm but sometimes it reaches 6 cm

Day 47/100

Slender Rainbow Sardine (Dussumieria elopsoides)

1. It grows to a length of 20cm

2. It is of minor commercial importance to the fisheries industry, marketed fresh, dried, or salted

3. This species is a schooling species that is found in inshore waters of the continental shelf

Day 48/100

Common Limpet (Patella vulgata)

1. It has a tongue that is the world's strongest biological structure, constantly scraping algae off tough rocks without wearing away

2. Using its muscular foot, the common limpet is able to form such a tight bond to its home rocks that it is very difficult to pry off

3. They move around over rocks when the tide is in then always return to their own favourite spot when the tide goes out

Day 49/50 

Bogue (Boops boops)

1. Its common name in most languages refers to its large bug eyes

2. It can grow to 36 cm but is more commonly 20cm

3. The species is host to a wide variety of parasites, it is commercially fished but used as fishmeal and oil and commonly as bait in tuna fisheries

Day 50/100

Chilean blue mussel (Mytilus platensis)

1. This species is be being intensively aquafarmed, grown on ropes

2. They are eaten canned, fresh or grilled 

3. Mussels are filter feeders meaning that they filter plankton and other small organisms that float in the water

Day 51/100

False Pilchard (Harengula clupeola)

1. They reach a maximum length of 21cm and are virtually weightless

2. This species form very large schools

3. They are currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are caught commercially, however considered unsuitable for human consumption, instead used to make fish meal and for live bait.

Day 52/100

Small brittle star (Amphipholis squamata)

1. They can reach up to 60cm in length

2. They crawl across the sea floor using their flexible arms. This species is a deposit feeder collecting particles within its tube feet, and a suspension feeder via trapping detritus in mucus 

3. They are known to be bioluminescent, producing light in the green wavelengths, although a few blue-emitting species have also been discovered. Presumably, this light is used to deter predators

Day 53/100

Alosa fallax (Twaite Shad)

1. It is most commonly recorded at a size between 20-40 cm but has been reported to reach 60 cm

2. Poor water quality and barriers to suitable spawning areas are significant threats

3. They were previously exploited for food by commercial fisheries

Day 54/100

Anchoveta (Cetengraulis mysticetus)

1. They are fished commercially at a level of 200,000 tons per year, used as a tuna bait fish and in the production of fish meal and fish oil

2. They reach a maximum length of 22cm

3. It is currently considered by the IUCNredlist to be of least concern, being common with a wide distribution, however they are a poorly studied species and little is known about their behavioral patterns

Day 55/100

Scad (Trachurus trachurus)

1. The alternative name of horse mackerel comes from the untrue belief that other small species of fish would ride on the back of scad as they swam through the sea

2. Scad is a commercial fish, vastly important around Africa where it forms part of the staple diet for millions of people

3. This species attains a maximum length of 60cm although they are normally around 25cm

Day 56/100

Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta)

1.This species is important in commercial and artisanal fisheries throughout its range

2. It is marketed fresh, frozen, canned, dried salted and smoked

3. It is known by various names and can grow to 35cm

Day 57/100

A comb jelly (Beroe cucumis)

1. It swims with eight longitudinal combs that give it the characteristic shimmering appearance, these combs consist of plates of transverse rows of hairs that beat in waves downwards, which produces the shimmering effect

2. It may reach up to 15 cm in length and is completely transparent in colour

3. Instead of sticky tentacles or large oral lobes, the large mouth is used to engulf prey whole

Day 58/100

The Spiny Seahorse (Hippocampus Guttulatus)

So good news…

‘The largest number of protected spiny seahorses have been seen in the seagrass meadows off Dorset since 2008, the Seahorse Trust has said. During a single dive at Studland Bay, carried out since lockdown began, 16 seahorses, including pregnant males and two babies, were discovered. No seahorses had been seen in dives since 2018. Trust founder Neil Garrick-Maidment attributed the increase to a reduction in people, boat traffic and anchors.’(BBC news)

1. IUCN realist listed as data deficient 

2. Individuals retained in bycatch are sometimes sold as curiosities, good-luck charms and for use in traditional medicines

3. Further research on this species' biology, ecology, habitat, abundance and distribution is needed. Long-term monitoring is required for this species across its geographic range

Day 59/100

The common dab (Limanda limanda)

1. It has both its eyes normally on the right-hand side of its body

2. The declining numbers of other fish such as cod and haddock has seen dab become an increasingly important commercial species

3. It can reach 40cm in length though most grow no longer than 20 cm

Day 60/100

Striped Herring (Lile stolifera)

1. They reach a maximum length of 15cm and are virtually weightless

2. They are poorly studied and very little is known about their behavioral patterns

3. Currently considered to be of least concern with stable, widely distributed populations however they are caught commercially processed into fish oil and fish meal

Day 61/100

Squirrelfish (Holocentrus adscensionis)

1. They are nocturnal, hiding in small caves within rock structures to avoid predation during daylight hours

2. They have the ability to produce sound via their swim bladder, which is believed to be used for intra-species communications

3. A popular fish in public aquariums because of their availability and bright colours

Day 62/100

Amberstripe Scad (Decapterus muroadsi)

1. They reach a maximum length of 5cm

Although this species is used as bait in some

2. commercial fisheries, there have not been any population declines as a result. There are no other known major threats to this species

3. They are a poorly studied species and very little is known about their behavior patterns

Day 63/100

Sardinella lemuru (Bali sardinella)

1. Listed on the IUCN red list at near threatened 

2. This species is one of the most important commercially targeted species in parts of its range with indications of overfishing

3. It is eaten fresh or processed, found as canned, boiled-salted, or fish flakes

Day 64/100

Bar Jack (Carangoides ruber)

1. This is a schooling fish usually found in clear shallow waters, often over coral reefs

2. They are preyed upon by larger fish including dolphin, marlin, sailfish and various seabirds

3. They are commercial fished and popular with recreational anglers. Due to this heavy fishing pressure their populations have declined in some regions

Day 65/100

Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)

1. They inhabits a variety of habitats collecting in large schools of up to 500 individuals 

2. They are fished commercially ,but are known to contain ciguatoxin. 

3. They are known to approach divers and are found around man-made structures including bridges, buoys, harbors, pilings, and wrecks

Day 66/100

The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)🦪🦪🦪

1. The shell can grow up 18 cm long

2. Although it is possible for food oysters to produce pearls, they should not be confused with actual pearl oysters, which are from a different family of bivalves

3. Oysters feed by extracting algae and other food particles from the water 

Day 67/100

The dorab wolf-herring (Chirocentrus dorab)

1. They are a commercial species sold fresh, dried, salted or frozen

2. They are a large voracious predator with many dagger-like teeth in their jaws

3. Attracted to lights at night they may suddenly leap from the water towards unwary boaters and anglers

Day 68/100

Albacore (Thunnus alalunga)

1. There is substantial uncertainty on current stock status, since different models and assumptions provide a wide range of estimates

2. Albacore accumulates methylmercury in body tissue over time. Methylmercury is removed from the human body naturally, but it may take over a year for the levels to drop significantly

3. They never really rest; their need for oxygen means they must always be on the move

Day 69/100

European flounder (Platichthys flesus)

1. Flounder are a commonly eaten fish, also used by commercial fishermen as bait for lobster and crab pots

2. The fish move into deeper water for the winter

3. They usually grow to about 30cm in length

Day 70/100

Sardinella maderensis (Madeiran sardinella)

1. Over the course of the last ten years the average size of these fish has decreased down from 35 cm to 32 cm 

2. These Sardinella can handle very low salinities when they travel into estuaries and lagoons and spend most of their lives near the surface of the water, forming large schools in coastal waters

3. The population is overexploited and is declining, the IUCN  has rated its conservation status as vulnerable

Day 71/100

Armed Grunt (Conodon serrifer)

1. They are a very rare poorly studied species with very little being known about their behavior patterns

2. This fish is dangerous to handle, being well protected by numerous spines

3. It can grow up to 25cm and due to its coloration and marking the Armed Grunt is a fairly easy fish to identify and cannot be confused with any other species.

Day 72/100

Chilipepper (Sebastes goodei)

1. They reach a maximum length of 59cm with females being larger than males

2. They have a lifespan of up to 35 years

3. They are an important commercial catch and are caught regularly by recreational fishermen, levels are now on the decline

Day 73/100

American shad (Alosa sapidissima)

1. Shad serve notable symbolic roles in regional politics and culture

2. Their populations have declined in recent decades, due to pollution, historic overfishing

3. The shad spends most of its life in the Atlantic Ocean, but swims up freshwater rivers to spawn unfortunately most of the rivers across the historic range of shad are now heavily dammed adding to population concerns

Day 74/100

The bay mussel or foolish mussel (Mytilus trossulus)

1. It has an elongated shell that reaches about 10 cm in length, the outside of the shell is almost smooth and ranges in colour from bluish black to brown

2. It is very similar to the blue mussel but unlike many other mussel species, it has three small teeth adjacent to the hinge

3. The animal is a continuous filter feeder when immersed in water

Day 75/100

Barberfish (Johnrandallia nigrirostris)

1. They grow to 20cm and are found in small to very large schools within reefs at depths up to 40m

2. The Barberfish is sold commercially for the aquarium trade

3. They have a small mouth that is equipped with long and slender teeth used as grazers and pickers to consume small organisms

Day 76/100

Redband Parrotfish(Sparisoma aurofrenatum)

1. They reach a maximum of 28cm in length

2. They are hermaphrodites and live in harems with a dominant male 

3. They are found in and around coral reef and seagrass environments and are not territorial, living in harmony with other species

Day 77/100

Darkspot Mojarra (Eucinostomus entomelas)

1. This is a schooling species that reach a maximum length of 24cm

2. Their head and body are covered with rough scales

3. They are poorly studied and very limited information is available about their behavioral patterns

Day 78/100

Jack Mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus)

1. They fished commercially as well as for sport, canned in the same manner as salmon

2. Often venturing up to 600 miles offshore and to known depths of 400 m

3. They are commonly 55cm in length and travel in large numbers

Day 79/100

Bigscale Anchovy (Anchovia macrolepidota)

1. They reach a maximum length of 25cm and are virtually weightless

2. They are filter feeders consuming phytoplankton and zooplankton

3. They are of limited interest to the fishing industry, mostly used as bait

Day 80/100

Great seahorse (Hippocampus kelloggi)

1. As the occurrence of this seahorse spans such a wide area, there is little data regarding the size of the population, but it has been observed less in recent years, leading scientists to believe that the population is declining

2. Like many other species of seahorse, the great seahorse is used both medicinally and for aquariums

3. The IUCN red list currently lists this species as vulnerable

Day 81/100

Blackbarred Grunt (Genyatremus dovii)

1. They reach a maximum length of 40cm

2. Very little is known about their behavioral habits

3. Their body is covered with large rough scales

Day 82/100

California Halfbeak (Hyporhamphus rosae)

1. A schooling species that is found along the coast, they can reach a maximum length of 22cm

2. They are a poorly studied species and very little is known about their behavioral patterns, currently considered to be Data Deficient

3. Their long term viability is threatened by coastal development and pollution

Day 83/100

Cortez Chub (Kyphosus elegans)

1. A schooling fish that is found on rocky reefs they can reach a maximum length of 53 cm

2. Their body is covered with rough small thick scales

3. They are omnivores feeding on benthic algae, plankton, and small invertebrates

Day 84/100

The goldstripe sardinella (Sardinella gibbosa)

1. It is of high commercial importance to the fisheries industry throughout its range

2. Major threats to this species are unknown, illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing is thought to negatively impact this species

3. They grow up to 17cm in length and form large schools

Day 85/100

Whitetail Damselfish (Stegastes leucorus)

1. Adults have a subtle white band on their caudal fin after which they are named, their iris of their eyes is blue

2. They reach a maximum of 17cm in length and are very aggressive with their feeding habits and when defending their territory

3. They are currently considered to be vulnerable 

as 90% uncommon in coastal waters

Day 86/100

Bullseye Puffer (Sphoeroides annulatus)

1. It is considered to be highly poisonous, even fatal, if eaten, due to the potential presence of the potent neurotoxins believed to protect them from predation by larger fish

2. They reach a maximum length of 48 cm

3. They have strong powerful teeth, their head and body are covered with small spines and their skin is scaleless

Day 87/100

California Acorn Barnacle (Megabalanus californicus)

1. It grows to a height and width of 5cm

2. It is found growing on rocks and other hard substrates from the low tide mark down to about 100m

3. They settle near others of their species on rocks, on new man made structures such as cables, buoys and the hulls of boats, and also on the shells of other creatures

Day 88/100

Lowfin Chub (Kyphosus vaigiensis)

1. They reach a maximum of 45cm

2. They are caught by commercial fishermen and recreational anglers

3. Currently considered to be of least concern with stable, widely distributed populations which have have recently gained renewed scientific interest

Day 89/100

Striped Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta)

1. This is a highly commercial species, marketed fresh, frozen, canned, dried salted and smoked and there are no species-specific conservation measures

2. They can grow to 35cm in length but are generally 25cm

3. Adults feed on macroplankton, mainly larval shrimps by swimming with the mouth wide open

Day 90/100

Common periwinkle (Littorina littorea)

1. When exposed to either extreme cold or heat, a periwinkle will withdraw into its shell and start rolling, which may allow it to fall into the water

2. The shells of dead periwinkles are often inhabited by hermit crabs

3. They can grow to a maximum height of 52 mm

Day 91/100

Atlantic Bonito (Sarda sarda)

1. It is a strong swimmer growing up to 75cm with a habit of jumping from the water

2. They are found in fairly large schools 

3. They are caught commercially, as food sold fresh, dried, salted, smoked, canned, and frozen but are considered inferior to tuna

Day 92/100

Black Skipjack (Euthynnus lineatus)

1. They normally travel in small schools and at times form multi-species schools

2. They reach a maximum length of 92cm

3. They are not targeted by either commercial fishermen or recreational anglers but they are an incidental catch. The meat is dark and they are viewed by locals as inedible, for their size they put up a horrific fight

Day 93/100

Fortune Jack (Seriola peruana)

1. They reach a maximum length of 92cm

2. Little is known about their behavioral patterns

3. They are caught infrequently and so currently considered to be of least concern with stable, widely distributed populations

Day 94/100

Threadfin Shad (Dorosoma petenense)

1. They collect on the water surface at dawn and at dusk to feed on detritus, phytoplankton, and zooplankton

2. They have a lifespan between 2 and 3 years and grow to 33cm in length

3. Fossils of this fish have been found dating from 5,000,000 years ago

Day 95/100

Marbled cone (Conus marmoreus) 

1. It is a species of predatory sea 

2. It feeds mostly on marine molluscs including other cone snails

3. This snail is venomous, like all cone snails. A few microliters of its toxin is powerful enough to kill 10 people. You may not even feel the sting as the attack is instantaneous and the venom injected into your body has analgesic, pain-killing properties87

Day 96/100

Treefish (Sebastes serriceps)

1. It is found in diverse benthic habitats including kelp forests, rock structures, and in and around oil platforms

2. They are normally highly territorial solitary individuals but can be found in small aggregates on rare occasions

3. They have a lifespan of up to 25 years but are poorly studied, little is known about their behavioral patterns

Day 97/100

Bullet Mackerel (Auxis rochei)

1. They reach a maximum length of 55cm

2. They have a lifespan of 5 years and are poorly studied and very little is known about their behavioral patterns

3. They are considered an important commercial catch in certain parts of the world, marketed fresh, frozen, dried, salted, smoked and canned

Day 98/100

Atlantic Thread Herring (Opisthonema oglinum)

1. They reach a maximum length of 48cm and school in large numbers 

2. They have a lifespan of up to 8 years 

3. Commercially they are used to make fish meal and fish oil, they also sold canned and processed for pet food and human consumption

Day 99/100

Gulf Sierra (Scomberomorus concolor)

1. They can reach a maximum length of 87 cm with a lifespan of up to 8 years

2. Historically they were targeted and caught in great quantities by commercial fisheries and such practices continue today without any effective form of regulation in place

3. They are considered to be vulnerable and subject to possible extinction with an 80% reduction in their population documented over the last 40 years