. Born on August 21, 1961, Stephen Hillenburg was an American marine biologist who wrote the picture-book The Intertidal Zone that educated students about animals found in tide pools. He left his teaching job and learnt animation, which led to him working at Nickelodeon as an animator. While there, he developed a show that brought together his two interests. What show did Stephen create that has educated kids about the different species of marine animals since 1999?
Spongebob Squarepants
. Unlike bony fish, these fish do not have swim bladder, and so they have to swim all the time, even when they are sleeping; otherwise, they will sink to the ocean floor. This is one of the reasons why unfortunately a huge number of these endangered fish are lost because they get caught in nets. What fish are these that have extremely streamlined bodies to help them move stealthily?
Sharks
. These animals are known as molluscs. They are ‘filter feeders’ and it has been shown that a well-stocked bed of these can filter and clean a marine system in just weeks. What is unique about these animals is that they can change gender from male to female and back again depending on which is best for mating at that time. They become valuable when they get irritated by objects that get stuck inside them. What animal is this?
Oyster
. This freshwater fish can live out of water for several years. It secretes a mucus cocoon and burrows itself under the unbaked earth. It takes in air through a built-in breathing tube that leads to the surface. It has both gills and an organ that is usually not found in fish. It is the oldest species of jawed bony fishes that are still extant. The name of the fish comes from the fact that they have this special organ. What is the name of these fish that can live up to 65 years?
Lungfish
. This animal makes an appearance in several children’s stories and even a song by the Beatles, but what you may not know is that it has three hearts that pump blue blood. Most of them are thought to have some venom, which comes from bacteria living in them. They are extremely intelligent and are capable of learning from experience and have also been observed using tools. Which animal is this that can blend seamlessly into its background?
Octopus
. The sea cow and the dugong are highly endangered marine herbivorous mammals. They belong to a certain order of animals named because of an apparent resemblance to a group of beings in Greek mythology. These were dangerous creatures that lured sailors with their voices to shipwreck on their island. We use the same word today to also mean an audible alarm (like their voices). What is the name of the order?
Sirenia (After the Greek ‘Sirens’)
. The Exocet is a French anti-ship missile launched from underwater, and takes a low trajectory, skimming the surface, before striking its target. It is named after ‘Exocoetidae’, a family of marine fish, that have long fins that enable them to do something that fish normally cannot do. They evolved to do this to escape predators such as dolphins and tuna. What are these fish known as?
Flying Fish
. This popular animal has acute eyesight in and out of water and can hear frequencies 10 times the upper limit of humans. However, it has no sense of smell and relies on sonar for hunting. An interesting trait these animals have is an ability to shut off half the brain while sleeping, ensuring that at all times one half of the brain is working. They also have two stomachs — one to store food and the other for digestion. What delightful animal is this?
Dolphins
. The largest fish in the world can grow up to a whopping 45 feet and weigh 30 tonnes. Unlike other members of its species, this family is actually very gentle and feeds on nothing more than plankton. Its misleading name is just a description of its size and not its actual biological description. Found in Gujarat and Lakshadweep, it is unfortunately in the endangered list due to the impact of overfishing and vessel strikes. What majestic fish is this?
Whale Shark
. The anableps from the freshwaters of South America eat both terrestrial insects and small fish. These fish have specially evolved eyes that are positioned on top of their heads; they have two pupils divided by a layer of tissue. The thickness of the lens changes from top to bottom to account for the difference in refractive indices between air and water. The upper half is adapted for vision in air and the lower half for vision in water. Owing to this amazing feature, what is the common name of this fish?
Four-eyed fish
A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
