Tag Archives: Freediving

Fast Facts: Polycitor Giganteus

Is a massive gelatinous colony with a firm translucent ‘skeleton’ and smooth surface; Has a muscular body divided into a short thorax and an especially long abdomen; Is a giant jelly Ascidian; Ascidians (sea squirts) are filter feeders that function by pumping seawater and filtering out suspended food particles from the water column; Ascidians areContinue reading “Fast Facts: Polycitor Giganteus”

Fast Facts: Mado

Is a schooling species that is particularly common on coastal reefs, under jetties in harbors and large estuaries; Has a silver body with dark brown to black stripes and yellow fins; Has large eyes, a small mouth and a forked tail; Is one of the most common species in Sydney; and Is omnivorous. Reference: australian.museum

Fast Facts: Threebar Porcupinefish

Has a rounded body that is covered with spines. The spines on the back are blade-like and fixed in position, but those on the belly and head can be raised; Has a very broad head, with eyes positioned laterally; The teeth are fused to form a single plate in both jaws; Is green to blue-greyContinue reading “Fast Facts: Threebar Porcupinefish”

Fast Facts: Sea Tulips

Grows from rocks; Comes in a variety of colours such as orange, purple, yellow or pink; It’s colours are formed from an encrusting sponge, which covers its surface; Found in coastal waters to a depth of 80 m; Is unable to move around, therefore, it waits for the currents to bring food to it; LikeContinue reading “Fast Facts: Sea Tulips”

Fast Facts: Biscuit Sea Star

Is bright orange to red; Is named as such because it’s about the size of a large biscuit; The upper surface is covered with many interlocking small plates and six to eight larger plates along the edge of each of their short arms; Lives on intertidal rocky shores and in coastal waters to a depthContinue reading “Fast Facts: Biscuit Sea Star”

Fast Facts: Echinoderms

Echinoderms include sea stars, sea urchins, feather stars, brittle stars and sea cucumbers; All are found in a diverse range of marine habitats from intertidal surf beaches to the deepest oceans; Sydney is home to approx. 120 species of echinoderms; Some echinoderms have excellent powers of regeneration; Sea stars often regrow arms bitten off byContinue reading “Fast Facts: Echinoderms”