#sandy seabed

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Today's fish of the day is the necklace carpetshark!

The necklace carpetshark, also known by the name varied carpetshark, and scientific name Parascyllium variolatum, is one of the best known carpet sharks in the genus Parascyllium. The scientific name draws from the latin word for spotted, referring to the white spots surrounding the body. Other than the Latin scientific name, this shark is known by many English names other than the two previously listed. In Australia, it is often referred to as: ring-neck catshark, or southern catshark. Despite sharing many features with catsharks, or ground sharks as they are sometimes referred, the Parascyllium genus nor the   Parascylliidae family it resides in is considered catsharks, and this is why these names are often not used in classification. 

Regardless of the naming structure, let's get into the location of this fish! Found around the coasts of Australia from 37 degrees South to 41 degrees South, around inshore waters. These sharks are known for their demersal lifestyle, living along the seabed. Living at a depth of 180 meters or higher the necklace carpetshark spends its nights over rocky coral reefs, kelp or seagrass beds, or sandy floors. During the day however, this shark shelters primarily in caves, although it can be found in camouflage along the seabed on rare occasions. This has led to these sharks being rarely seen by those not actively looking for them.

Necklace carpet sharks, like many of their relatives, possess a slender elongated body. With a maximum length of 91cm with most adults ranging 60cm-91, these sharks can be differentiated from their family members by the broad black markings that cover the gills, small spiracles, and smaller mouth than most. Their mouths possess 28 teeth along the top jaw, and 32 teeth along the lower. Their prey is primarily made up of shellfish along the seabed, which is caught as these sharks lunge at them from behind. These sharks are little predated on in adulthood, but on the rare occurrences, it is done by larger fish, sharks, or marine mammals in the area. Although, other than this eggs cases are often fed on by certain seasnails.

The reproduction of the necklace carpetshark is similar to that of its family. As an oviparous shark, eggs are laid outside of the mother, where they are then left to fend for their own to hatch, and then throughout its youth. Inside the mother, embryos feed on the yolk of its egg sack. Outside the mother, 2-3 eggs will be laid at a time with eggs being covered in 2-3 tendrils, which will anchor them to the sea bed, often during the summer months. After being laid, eggs will hatch within 12-39 days, with many of the juveniles being predated on per season. Eventually, once these sharks have gotten larger than 60cm, they are considered adults and develop sex characteristics, eventually going on to breed and lay their own offspring. Currently there are no known threats to the necklace carpet shark populations.

That's the necklace carpetshark! I hope everyone had a wonderful time reading about them!

[fluttershybaby1]

PERCY JACKSON X MERMAID YN

Part two part three

🌊🪷🐚🌊🪷🐚🌊🪷🐚🌊🪷🐚🌊🪷🐚🌊🪷🐚🌊🪷🐚🌊🪷🐚🌊🪷

Everyone knew he was the son of Poseidon. Percy Jackson—half mortal, half god, full-time magnet for trouble. He could speak with nearly every marine creature, mythical or not, and often acted as a reluctant hero to the underwater world. But today, it wasn’t some kraken in distress or a wayward hippocampus that caught his attention. Today, it was someone.

It started as a normal afternoon at the beach. Percy was soaking in the sun, letting the saltwater cradle him, when he noticed a shadow darting beneath the waves. At first, he ignored it. Maybe just a dolphin? Or a playful sea lion? But the shadow moved too fast, too deliberately. It circled him once, then again, weaving between the sunbeams like a ribbon.

"Hey, little fella," Percy called out, trying to reach it with his aquatic telepathy.

No answer.

"Hey?" he said aloud this time. Maybe it wasn’t a creature. Maybe it was a person. A prankster friend? A rogue demigod?

Unseen beneath the water’s surface, a pair of curious eyes watched him. They hovered just below the shimmering break, the outline of a feminine form barely visible—pale skin, long dark curls dancing like ink in the water. Percy blinked, unsure if he’d imagined it.

“Okay, this is getting weird,” he muttered. “Whoever you are, come out and show yourself. I know you’re there.”

No response. Just another flicker of motion.

“I’m not leaving until I figure out who’s playing tag with me,” he said, treading water, alert but still relaxed.

Then, without warning, a massive splash crashed over his head. Percy coughed and sputtered, blinded for a moment by saltwater.

“Hey! Not cool!” he shouted, spinning in circles—but there was no one there. Just a few ripples, vanishing fast.

A smirk tugged at his lips. “Alright. You want to play? Let’s play.”

He dove under the waves, slicing through the water with supernatural speed. He caught glimpses—a flash of a tail? Fingers?—but never enough to understand what—or who—it was.

Then it happened again. Another splash, again from behind. Percy turned swiftly—too late. Another splash, this time on the opposite side. The mystery swimmer was quick—too quick. But Percy heard it this time: a small giggle, bright and mischievous, like silver bubbles in the deep.

He laughed, shaking his head. “Oh, you think you’re funny.”

No answer.

Fine. He dove again, deeper this time, settling on the sandy seabed where the light turned emerald and everything went quiet. There, he waited. He could hold his breath a long time—longer than any human. He was willing to bet his mysterious companion couldn’t do the same.

The ocean around him felt like it was holding its breath too. Silent. Waiting. He closed his eyes, tuned into the pull of the currents, the subtle flickers of movement.

And then—there.

Soft as a sigh, something brushed past him. He opened his eyes and turned—but again, nothing. Just shadows and light.

But something was different. The water felt alive. Playful. Like the ocean itself was giggling.

Percy surfaced after what felt like ages, scanning the waves. “Alright,” he said to the open sea, smiling despite himself. “I’ll wait. I’m not going anywhere.”

From beneath the surface, hidden behind a curtain of kelp, the girl watched him. Not quite a nymph, not quite human. Something older. Wilder. She had been alone for so long, but something about this boy—this son of the sea—intrigued her.

Maybe next time, she would let him see her fully.

Maybe.

But for now, she dove back into the deep, her laughter echoing in the water.

And Percy? He stayed right there, floating in the sun, smiling like he’d just met a secret he didn’t want to solve too fast. Because some mysteries are better when they’re just beginning.

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Chondrichthyes - Orectolobiformes

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Orectolobiformes are an order of sharks sometimes known as “Carpet Sharks.” They include the families Brachaelurus (“blind sharks”), Ginglymostomatidae (“nurse sharks”), Hemiscylliidae (“bamboo sharks”), Orectolobidae (“wobbegongs”), Parascylliidae (“collared carpet sharks”), Rhincodontidae (“Whale Shark”), and Stegostomatidae (“Zebra Shark”).

Orectolobiformes have five gill slits, two spineless dorsal fins, and a small mouth that does not extend past the eyes. Many species have barbels: tactile whiskerlike sensory appendages near their mouths. Grooves known as nasoral grooves connect the nostrils to the mouth. A spiracle occurs beneath each eye which is used in respiration. Orectolobiformes are commonly called “carpet sharks” due to their flattened appearance and often ornate patterning, with many species spending most of their time resting on the ocean floor. However, this order also contains the Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) (image 2), the largest chondrichthyan, whose record holder had a length of 18.8 m (61.7 ft). The smallest of the order, at up to about 30 cm (12 in) long, is the Barbelthroat Carpet Shark, (Cirrhoscyllium expolitum). Orectolobiformes are a diverse order of sharks with differing sizes, appearances, diets, and habits. Most are nocturnal. Most carpet sharks feed on the seabed in shallow to medium-depth waters, detecting and picking up molluscs, crustaceans, and other small creatures. Wobbegongs (image 1) are ambush predators, camouflaging on the seafloor and swallowing prey that swims too close. Whale Sharks are filter feeders.

Reproduction methods among carpet sharks also vary. Some species lay eggs directly into the water column or enclose them in horny egg cases. Some will push their egg cases into crevices for protection. Other species are ovoviviparous and give live birth. Pups are born relatively advanced and independent.

Orectolobiformes first appeared in the Early Jurassic. The oldest known orectolobiform genera are Folipistrix and Annea.

Propaganda under the cut:

Nurse Sharks are nocturnal and largely solitary at night, but they spend the day resting in groups, often piled on top of each other for safety.

The largest confirmed individual Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) had a length of 18.8 m (61.7 ft), though 14 m (46 ft) is a more likely upper limit. Their lifespans are estimated to be between 80 and 130 years. Along with the Basking Shark and Megamouth Shark, they are the only other filter-feeding shark.

Blind Sharks have fully functioning eyes, but were named so because they would close them when caught by anglers

The Zebra Shark (Stegostoma tigrinum) was named for the black and white stripes of juveniles. As adults, their zebra stripes fade and are exchanged for cheetah print. Early taxonomists thought that juvenile zebra sharks were a different species due to how different their patterning looked!

In Madagascar, Whale Sharks are called Marokintana in Malagasy, meaning "many stars", after the appearance of the markings on the shark's back.

The Epaulette Shark:

As an adaptation to living in tidal pools and shallow coral reefs, the Epaulette Shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum) moves by seemingly walking, bending its body from side-to-side in a salamander-like gait, pushing off of the substrate with its paddle-shaped pectoral and pelvic fins. The shark is capable of swimming, but often prefers to walk along the sandy or coral bottom even when the water is deep enough to allow it to swim freely. This mode of locomotion even enables the shark to crawl out of the water to access isolated tidal pools as it hunts for worms, crustaceans, and small bony fish, and it can cope with oxygen depletion in these conditions for over three hours.

[vestaignis]

Macrotritopus defilippi, широко известный как длиннорукий осьминог-лилипут или атлантический длиннорукий осьминог, является небольшим видом осьминогов, морских головоногих моллюсков отряда Octopoda.

Macrotritopus defilippi - это небольшой осьминог с относительно длинными руками и мантией длиной до 90 мм (3,5 дюйма). Как и у большинства осьминогов, цвет кожи может варьироваться. Обычно он либо однотонный, либо в крапинку и полностью соответствует цвету окружающей местности, песчаных равнин, на которых он обитает. Там, где субстрат содержит гравий или песок, крапчатый рисунок часто крупнее, на коже могут быть небольшие сосочки (мясистые выпуклости), а на руках - светлые и темные полосы. Этот осьминог также может зарываться в субстрат, не оставляя никаких визуальных следов своего местонахождения.

Личинки Macrotritopus defilippi плавают с вытянутыми лапками и, если их потревожить, взлетают с помощью реактивного двигателя, иногда достигая морского дна и ища нору, в которой можно спрятаться. Ночью они могут вести пелагический образ жизни, а днем - бентический, но, по-видимому, с возрастом становятся менее ночными. Когда взрослая особь осьминога передвигается, то делает это таким образом, что его поведение при плавании очень напоминает поведение донных кам��ал, обитающих в тех же водах.

Macrotritopus defilippi был обнаружен в Атлантическом океане, включая Карибское море, Средиземное море, северную часть Индийского океана и побережье Сомали.

Macrotritopus defilippi, commonly known as the long-armed midget octopus or Atlantic long-armed octopus, is a small species of octopus, marine cephalopods of the order Octopoda.

Macrotritopus defilippi is a small octopus with relatively long arms and a mantle up to 90 mm (3.5 in) long. As with most octopuses, skin color can vary. It is usually either monophonic or speckled and fully corresponds to the color of the surrounding area, the sandy plains on which it lives. Where the substrate contains gravel or sand, the speckled pattern is often larger, there may be small papillae (fleshy bulges) on the skin, and light and dark stripes on the hands. This octopus can also burrow into the substrate without leaving any visual traces of its location.

Macrotritopus defilippi larvae swim with their legs outstretched and, if disturbed, take off using a jet engine, sometimes reaching the seabed and looking for a hole in which to hide. They can lead a pelagic lifestyle at night and a benthic lifestyle during the day, but apparently they become less nocturnal with age. When an adult octopus moves, it does so in such a way that its swimming behavior is very similar to that of bottom flounders living in the same waters.

Macrotritopus defilippi has been found in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the northern Indian Ocean and the coast of Somalia.

Источник://t.me/+E4YBiErj0A8wOGUy,//news.miami.edu/stories/2019/06/winners-announced-in-rosenstiel-school-underwater-photo-contest.html,//ru.pinterest.com/pin/632966922633183935/,/octonation.com/octopedia/atlantic-longarm-octopus/,//pofoto.club/17356-glubokovodnyj-osminog-57-foto.html, //en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Macrotritopus_defilippi.

[beni75]

Photos and texts: @thomaspeschak

1-. A curious gray whale exhales almost directly into my camera

2-. A curious juvenile gray whale vigorously exhales and speeds past my camera in Mexico's San Ignacio Lagoon

3-. A Humpback whales breaches in the North Pacific Ocean off Canada's Great Bear Rainforest

4-. A dusky shark charges through a baitball of sardines

5-. y 6-. A whale sharks swins in shallow water in La Paz Bay, Baja California Sur

7-. A reef manta ray feeds on a plankton patch by barrel rolling over and over again in the same spot, not unlike a puppy chasings its own tail

8-. A reef manta ray feeds along the drop off at D'Arros Island an St. Joseph Atoll. Seychelles

9-. African peguins

10-. A endemic Socotra cormorant comes in to land on a roosting rock deep within the Fjords of Oman's Musandam Peninsula (2012)

11-. African peguins shelter and nest in decaying building long abandoned b the guano industry on Namibia's Halifax Island

12-. At Aldabra atoll green sea turtles often rest for hours on the sandy seabed between coral outcrops

13-. Blacktip reef sharks inspect the hull of our boat on Aldabra's tidal flats. Seychelles

14-. Blacktip reef sharks patrol the drop off where D'Arros Island's coral reef descendes into deeper water

15-. Cape fur seals surf Altantic swell in the Table Mountain Marine Protected Area

16-. Cape Gannet colony on Bird island bathed by lightening and the beam of the lighthouse

17-. The hunt begins at dusk and continuous deep into the night

18-. A curious gray whale swins upside down beneath our boat in Mexico's San Ignacio Lagoon

19-. A venomous lionfish hunts baitfish in Mozambique's Ponta do Ouro marine reserve, by @thomaspeschak

20-. A salmon leaps high into the air to clear a raging waterfall

21-. A wild rocky point just out into the North Pacific Ocean

22-. A large potato grouper hunts amongst schools of baitfish that seasonally drape southern Mozambique's reefs

23-. Dolphins of Indo pacific

[ghoulish-activities]

Why would you make Chain ghoul inspired by anything but Chain Catshark?

Name is perfect, they've also nocturnal, shy and hide away in crevices. Spend days at the sandy bottom, mostly motionless doing the day, become active at night or when feeding. They aren't social, usually hunting alone and spending time resting alone at seabed.

During courtship, they swim in circles together and bite each other? It's mostly focused on reproduction, but considering that ghouls are usually seen as social pack animals that part could be adjusted. I just find it cute that Chain would bite and swim around as courting behaviour.

And yes, they're deep-sea species, not only that in fact, THEY'RE BIOLUMINESCENT

Look at this silly guy!

How would I apply this to the Chain ghoul, well, I think of water ghouls as semi-aquatic, so they most likely would have tanks in their rooms. Real life Chain catshark needs at least 1500 liters in their tanks. They make challenging pets, I would love implying by it that Chain is far from first water ghoul or that he was extremely neglected until recently. Depending on which one you prefer. So anyway I think Chain would mostly spend days at the sandy bottom and only really socialise with other ghouls in the night. If forced into well lit environment would need eye protection, as deep-sea fish tend to be, Chain catsharks are really light sensitive, allowing them to see in dim environment, but in well light environment exposure could make them functionally blinded by the light. He would probably be one of less social, but still needs some pack presence to stay sane. Probably would just enjoying quiet time relaxing with other water ghouls. So yeah he's just a bit of an introverted fella. I was researching sharks and I stumbled upon this one, so I started typing it so I hope you enjoyed my rambling :)

I just realised you could make the markings look like chains... they kinda are close to that...

(Chain catshark and chain dogfish are the same animal BTW if you want to read up on those guys, I probably just scraped the surface)

[autumnslance]

offering the other your coat

(Bet you all thought I was done with or had forgotten about these intimacy prompts...Now on Ao3)

He had quickly built a fire and given everyone time to dry off, except for Alisaie who kept diving back in to search until her brother made her stop, and Aeryn herself when she finally emerged, looking oddly dazed but unharmed after a quick check by both Alphinaud and Urianger. Now the chill mountain air of Il Mheg cooled further, hinting at nighttime past the endlessly oppressive Light above. Only a hint of a cold breeze could make it past the stagnancy. Were they in Coerthas, it would be a cutting wind, mayhap even a gale.

Thancred missed weather. Even the bad types.

“Here,” he said, shrugging off his coat and dropping it over Aeryn’s still-damp shoulders. There hadn’t been time to let her finish drying before they had to move on, especially if the Fuath were not done with their games. “Your Thavnairian blood can’t handle this cold,” he tried to tease.

It used to be so easy to joke between them. Five years was a long time.

She looked at him even as she pulled the coat closer. “What about you?”

“I’m fine,” he lied. He was mostly dried, and his chest armor and the shirt under it did help. He was a little chilled, but it was nothing like the shivering she was trying to hide. Even in Coerthas, she had not reacted so strongly. 

—

“Here,” he said, shrugging off his coat as they made their way back through the tunnels to the surface. He winced at how dirty and tattered it still was, even with a few hasty spells from their comrades. Maybe when they returned to Twine more could be done.

Aeryn didn’t protest when he dropped it over her slim shoulders, shivering again. Her face seemed ashen and her eyes glassy, since battling the Lightwarden. “Thanks, but what about you?”

“I’m fine,” he lied. “Could do with a little less weight at the moment, really,” he continued, giving a grin somewhere between jaunty and pained. Insisting on continuing to protect the others so soon after his battle with Ran’jit had not been the wisest course, and both Ryne and Y’shtola’s looks indicated he was going to hear quite a lot about that in sharp detail, but it had also been necessary.

As was this, as Aeryn didn’t stop shivering, but did relax slightly, holding his coat close, and granting him a soft smile. She would be all right.

—

He wrapped her slim form in his coat and lifted her into his arms. Aeryn trembled as the Light wracked her. Under the sweat and blood of battle, she seemed strangely pale. Strands of white marred the midnight of her hair.

“Thancred—” Ryne began as they trudged out of Vauthry’s palace to the mountain path.

“I’m fine,” he lied. They were all battered, bruised, and weary after fighting their way through the hordes of sin eaters and against the Lightwarden himself. They were all still better off than whatever Aeryn was going through.

Urianger wouldn’t look at any of them, and that would have to be a discussion once they were safe and their wounds tended. But for now, Thancred kept his coat close around Aeryn and willed her to hold on as they descended.

—

The seabed was damp and cold, the darkness murky and difficult to see more than a few yalms distance. They had left the Ondo and made it through the initial set of twisting caverns, and now had to cross an open space—some deep ravine, filled with corals and limp fronds of strange plants and so much more swampy, sandy ground—to another cave that would lead to the depths and the lights their fishy friends had spoken of.

Could they swim, things might be much easier, but not all of them shared the Kojin blessing, and Bismark’s breath now held malms and tonzes of water at bay.

There was no starting a fire, so the Scions huddled close as they rested briefly before continuing. “Here,” Thancred said, draping his coat around Aeryn before they collapsed onto the damp ground.

“What about you?” she murmured, speech slightly slurred.

“I’m fine,” he lied. “With you on one side, Ryne on the other, and the twins at my back.” He put his arm around Ryne as she snuggled in, watching Aeryn.

Aeryn made an indistinct noise he wasn’t certain was agreement or protest, but she kept the coat. He put his other arm around her, trying to will her shivering from the Light’s ravages away, while ignoring the quiet, tearful shaking from the twins pressed against his back and between his fellow archons.

—

Morning dawned cool and clear over the Crystarium. Thancred slid out of the bed and padded to the washroom, yawning. The scent of coffee brewing wafted across the apartment, and he debated how soon and how circumspect he should leave.

His clothes and gear were all easily found, aside from his coat. That was on the balcony—Aeryn had donned that instead of a house robe, sipping her own overly sweet and pale with cream coffee as she watched the sunrise.

Thancred picked up the mug of plain black brew waiting for him and joined her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“Need this back?” she asked, teasing with the slightest touch of anxiety, expecting him to slip out immediately, as he might have before the First.

“I’m fine,” he replied, and she smiled and leaned against him as he meant it.

[dinoberrypress]

The Community’s Coral Castle, Castle Ephemera

Finally, we visit the home of the fourth court you'll meet in Little Wolves; The Mermaids.

Located at the deepest part of the Soothloch is Castle Ephemera, its tallest spires poking past the water’s surface.

The castle is surrounded by coral gardens, swaying sea grasses, and sandy leaf sheep grazing grounds. A maze of rooms, cracks, and natural corridors, many denizens live here communally.

Any creatures who can't breathe underwater may be granted a blessing that allows them to walk across the seabed as if the loch's water is air.

All they need to do is ask the loch for permission and pledge to have no ill intent. If the promise is broken, the blessing is revoked.

Mermaid Queens are elected by the court as needed, their choices often swayed by glimpses into the future. They stay in power until premonitions of a new Queen begin to flow from the veil. Often, such visions are followed by the current Queen’s demise or retirement.

Detail from The Four Queens art, illustrated by Grendel Menz @grendel-menz

If you’d like to find out more, follow our campaign on BackerKit and help us make this magical realm a reality.

[just-here-for-shark-stuff]

Daily Shark Fact - 4/30/2025

Today's shark is the Japanese sawshark!

The basics: one of the better-known species of sawsharks, the Japanese sawshark (Pristiophorus japonicus) is still poorly understood. They may vertically migrate up and down the water column, but are primarily deep-water sharks found on the sandy bottoms of the continental shelf. Like all sawsharks, they have ampullae of Lorenzini (which detect electromagnetic changes in their environment) placed along theri saw-shaped rostrum, which they can move over the seabed to locate prey, kind of like a metal detector!

Conservation status: least concern. Information on population size and bycatch frequency is unknown, and Japanese sawsharks rarely come into contact with humans.

Today's fun fact: do you know how to tell sawsharks and sawfish apart? Sawfish are actually rays, related to sharks, and they look a lot like sawsharks but it's just an example of convergent evolution. Sawsharks are deep-water sharks and are rarely seen, while sawfish are shallow coastal rays and are very commonly found in public aquariums. Sawsharks, unlike sawfish, also have a pair of long barbels on their saw, their saw is a bit pointy, and the "teeth" on their saw alternate between being large and small (unlike the equally-sized teeth on a sawfish's rounded saw). Another easy way to tell: like all rays, sawfish have their gills on their underside, and sawsharks have gills on their sides.

[whencyclopedia]

Riace Bronzes

The Riace Bronzes, also known as the Riace Warriors, are a pair of bronze statues most likely sculpted in Greece in the mid-5th century BCE and rescued from the Ionian Sea near Riace Marina, Italy in 1972 CE. Slightly larger than life-size, the nude male figures represent two warriors, one older than the other, and they are considered masterpieces of Classical Greek sculpture. Restored and protected from future corrosion, they stand magnificent in their own environmentally-controlled room within the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria in southern Italy.

Discovery & Restoration

The two bronzes were miraculously discovered in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Riace Marina in southern Italy on 16 August 1972 CE. The discoverer was Stefano Mariottini, who spotted them while diving a mere 200 metres (656 ft) from the shore. Lying at a depth of just 8 metres (26 ft), Mariottini noticed an arm sticking up from the sandy seabed and, digging down to investigate, he saw that not only did it belong to a large statue but there was a second figure buried close by. Within five days, the authorities were notified and a police diving team supervised by archaeologists raised the two figures using air-inflated balloons. Further investigation of the site in 1972 and 1981 CE revealed 28 lead rings - possibly used as part of a ship's sail - and a fragment of a ship's keel containing two bronze linchpins. These artefacts likely belong to the Roman period or later. Also discovered was a fragment of the handles of one of the figure's shield. It may be that the statues sunk while the wreckage from the light ship in which they would have been transported was dispersed by the sea. Alternatively, the statues may have been jettisoned overboard to make the vessel more seaworthy during a storm.

Before going on public display, the figures underwent a laborious process of restoration in Florence, which took five years. Sand and debris were removed from their interiors and their surfaces relieved of encrustations built up over the centuries on the seafloor. The figures were restored again from 1992-5 CE and 2009-11 CE. The statues, now standing on anti-seismic marble plinths in a climatically-controlled room of their own, are on permanent display at the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, Italy, where they have become the poster boys of southern Italy, silent ambassadors for the region's cultural heritage and identity.

Continue reading...

[mackeypainting]

This is based on a true story, I'll flush out the details later. This is on a drive through the grand canyon on the way to Oregon from Texas. I met an wise elder Indian man who told me to be careful helping my brother. I should've listened, but done more, not less. I should have been more careful by caring more, but instead my hesitations cost us too much.

___________________________

Sandy Roads [workshopping the name still]

The melting glow hung red, yellow, orange. I was driving on the fringe. No gas, and no gas - total empty fuel storage. Vultures skirting, dead souls to forage. Air danced verticaly, long and loud enough to hear it. Forget cooking an egg on the dash, light an American spirit. I braved endless oceans of ancient seabed and found a drunken chief in the desert, this is what he said :

"An inclination of the soul

Is to help a heart mend full

But it is my bitter belief

That helping others, just causes grief.

So stationed here is where I'm found

Regret in bottles live on the ground

Hate filled mind, heart of shame

Makes my face numb, like novacaine.

Do yourself this favor, friend.

Forgive your loved ones, it may soon end."

Off I went with crystal spheres full of pain welling. I felt his self blame, but I won't purchase the anger he's selling. Demons mime to you from the hands of loved ones - friend, and foe. The great manipulation game, and the cloak of love you know. They will try to reap what you sew. I'm on this long road, it's hard - lonely, if thats your outlook. But nothing better than crickets, a dog, and a good book.

© 2025 Austin Aaron Mackey. All rights reserved. This work may be shared or used for non-profit or educational purposes only, provided full credit is given to the author. It may not be altered, sold, or used in any commercial capacity. Do not reproduce without proper attribution. The original work remains the sole property of the author.

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Today's fish of the day is the collared carpet shark!

The collared carpet shark, also known by scientific name Parascyllium collar is the best known shark in genus Parascyllium.The name is derived from para an old greek word meaning dog shark or small shark, and collare, a latin word for iron band or neck chain. These sharks are in the carpet shark family, which are known for their often bottom dwelling ways, spiracles (a kind of respiratory opening) behind the eyes. The family of Parascylliidae, which genus Parascyllium makes up one half of, is defined by their small size and barbels (a whisker-like appendage) behind the chin.Collared carpet sharks in particular are found around the Southwestern Pacific, specifically focuses on the continental shelf of Eastern Australia. Found from a range of 26°S through 38°S, and 149°E to 154°E, these sharks live in temperate to subtropical zones. Their habitat is best known as reef like zones, which their bodies are adapted towards, but can comfortably spend time in sandy bottomed areas as well.

Collared carpet sharks are long and elongated, which helps them in the rocky crevices they live around. Along with fins and a tail that are proficient from balancing and navigating the uneven seabed. These fish are covered in spots, which blend them into both rocky and sandy areas. With a nocturnal lifestyle, the collared carpet shark is known for sneaking up on prey, and lunging at them. They have a diet made of fish and invertebrates, with specially shaped mouths and teeth that are made for hunting prey that hides in and around rocky fissures. 

These sharks are relatively unknown when it comes to reproduction and lifecycle, with an unknown life span and maturity age. Collared carpet sharks live solitary lives, and we know little to nothing about any mating season, preference, or time span. Similar to many other carpet sharks, the collared carpet shark is oviparous, meaning that the shark is fertilized and the egg is laid before hatching. These eggs are attached to seaweed, or other vegetation before being abandoned by the parents, leaving young to fend for themselves once they hatch. This is all currently known information about the shark, and they are threatened by fishing bycatch, water pollution, and coral bleaching caused by rising temperatures and stress.

That's the collared carpet shark everybody! I hope you enjoyed learning about them, and have a wonderful day!

[qingyingpocketlirary]

Snapshot 35

When the weather station had warned of a rough storm coming in from the sea, and the dangers of sea goers getting lost due to the storm, no one said no to babysitting the cats from Sandy’s boat for a night or two, while he was out, helping check for incoming ships and guiding them into the port. As one of the strongest local water Demons, Sandy was permitted to go out in such horrid weather with several others on a ship Megapolis collectively called ‘The Lucky Bell’, each crew member acting as a lifeguard and a rescuer should the worst come to pass, bringing the survivors in from their wracks and tending them on their boats until the storm passed and they could bring them back into shore.

MK, Pigsy and Tang took in four of the older cats, all of whom they were familiar with, Mei took three kittens, two expecting mama cats and an old tom who enjoyed just loafing on Mei when she visited the Boat. Red Son took two shorthaired toms and the oldest cat, while Chi Yue took the still weaning foster kitten and her adopted mother and Bai He, bless her young and still healing self, took Mo as it was not safe for the small blue cat to go in the smaller boat with Sandy.

Still Sandy wasn’t going out completely alone. 

Huntsman was going out with The Lucky Bell this time, at the request of the ship’s other crew members, having witnessed how fast and how quickly the Spider Demon could get a struggling swimmer out of the water around the Dock and watched him help Bai He and the other children playing in the shallows as extra hydrotherapy with Sandy. They admitted they were also down one crew member due to them having suffered an accident in their day job leaving them unable to join, so having someone else who could help get swimmers and drifting bodies out of the waters before the undercurrent and tide dragged them off would be a comfort.

The day started calmly, the sky clear and blue, the water calm and everything seemed normal when they waved Sandy off.

Within the hour, the sky grew dull as clouds drifted in, bringing a bitter wind that turned the gentle waves into crashing surges that drove even the bravest souls away from the port and docks. The news put out a warning, asking people to please stay indoors. No one argued when Syntax hacked the feeds of the weather station, specifically the one that tracked the Lucky Bell’s course and shared the feed with them.

Seventeen hours of waiting, watching and hearing snippets of conversations over the old frequency radio Pigsy and Tang had set up just in case Sandy needed a rescue of his own in the early days, the call came in that the storm was moving on, and when the seas were calmed, the Lucky Bell would return to port.

Two ships wrecked, both middle sized boats, the Fair Lady with twenty to her name on route with imports meant for the food market and the Dancing Lords with twenty five crew members, carrying a shipment of replacement cabling, wires and system parts for the Weather station and several other larger buildings that helped keep Megapolis running. The anchors of the two ships had been torn from the seabed by the force of the storm, and the captains had tried to stir their ships clear of the worse dangers.

The Lucky Bell had done its job, the Water Demons making light work of the raging tide and currents, pulling the lifeboats from the water, going back into the wrecks for the missing members, trapped in the ruins or who’d been thrown from the lifeboats by the great waves. Four rescues with minor injuries, two with broken limbs, and one critical.

The Lucky Bell arrived late in the evening to no fanfare or fuss, the nearest hospital took the critical case for immediate treatment while the rest were checked over on scene, and after a long evening of paperwork, Sandy and Huntsman were able to call them all and assure them all they were safe and would be home for a late dinner. Again, no one questioned it and the plan was made to meet up as Pigsy’s to get dinner and then take the cat’s back to the boat after Sandy texts to say the two were up again.

“No tea before bed?” Sandy asked as Huntsman curled himself into the comfort of the pillows and blankets that filled Sandy’s hammock, making a content chitter. 

“Tired. Sleep first. Tea later.”

“Alright.” Sandy nodded, drinking his own cup down and set Huntsman’s cup aside for later before he also climbed into the hammock, pretending not to be amused by the way Huntsman went limp with a deep purr as he was lifted up and settled instead on Sandy’s chest so as not to be crushed by the bigger male as they slept.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Silktea fluff.

Enjoy!!!!

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Chondrichthyes - Squatiniformes

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Squatiniformes is an order of sharks with genera dating back to the Late Jurassic, however, today only one genus remains: Squatina, the “Angel Sharks.”

Angel Sharks differ from other sharks in having flattened bodies and broad pectoral fins that give them a resemblance to rays. They have eyes and spiracles on their dorsal surface and 5 gill slits on each side of their head. There are two small dorsal fins, no anal fin, and the lower lobe of the caudal fin is longer than the upper lobe. Angel Sharks are bottom-dwelling ambush predators, using their flattened anatomy and substrate-like patterning as camouflage. They bury themselves in loose sediment lying in wait for prey, which includes fish, crustaceans and various types of mollusks, to pass overhead. Their extensible jaws can rapidly snap upwards to capture prey which are then bit into with long, needle-like teeth.

Angel Sharks are ovoviviparous, producing litters of up to 25 pups. They occur worldwide in temperate and tropical seas, living on sandy seabeds. Most species inhabit shallow temperate or tropical seas, but a few species inhabit deeper water.

Propaganda under the cut:

Angel Sharks may remain camouflaged for weeks until a desirable prey crosses paths with them. However, under cover of night, they may sometimes take a more active approach and cruise along the ocean floor to seek out prey if hungry enough.

Unusually for sharks, female Sand Devils (Squatina dumeril) mature at a smaller size than males.

The rare Small-crested Angelshark (Squatina mapama) was only recently described in December 2021. It is only known from its type specimen.

The nominate Angelshark (Squatina squatina) is also called the “monkfish”. However, this is also the common name of various species of Lophiid anglerfish, or “goosefish” (one photo of which happens to have recently been passed around erroneously labeled as a wobbegong). Just another reason why common names don’t mean anything, and why I always include the scientific name when introducing a species!

Since Angel Sharks live fairly close to shore, they are relatively common as bycatch. Unfortunately many angel shark species are now endangered or critically endangered, and some are even directly fished for meat and shagreen, a type of leather used in wood finishing.

Be honest, if you were a fish or perhaps a squid going for a swim over this lovely patch of innocent-looking marine sediment, how screwed would you be?

(source)

[fairyringsandwings]

Drabble gift for @anonymousmink, inspired by her beautiful mermaid AU! I'm sharing the story here too, so I ain't playing favs with the twitter girlies 😂

Tags: mermaid au, a little dark at the end, near drowning, rated T.

Across The Ocean

A storm is coming, Pirate.

Qimir smiles at the sound of her voice. Like a message in a bottle it has been carried to him through ocean currents, winds and tides.

Maybe this time you'll heed caution and stay on land, where you're supposed to be.

Are you worried? Qimir asks.

For you? No. The mess your ship will leave on the seabed? Yes. 

Then put an end to this and let me find you, Osha. 

She gives him no reply, but he can feel her irritation through their connection, how it prickles at her scales. She severs the connection with a huff. 

Where once the world had been silent as they communicated, now Qimir is flooded with sensations. The roar of the wind as it slaps against black sails. The waves, much rougher than before, breaking against the ship and rocking it with increasing wildness. The worried chatter of his crew as they scramble about the deck, securing everything not bolted down. 

Qimir hangs off the edge of the ship, one arm wrapped around the rigging. He opens his eyes, taking note of the ominous clouds darkening the horizon.

Osha had not lied, she never the did when it came to this. It is a salve on his aching soul, for it assures him that despite all her rejections, she does not want him dead. She flees from him, only because she knows that should they meet again - no, when they meet again - his silver tongue will lure her to his side, as surely as her voice had led sailors to their watery doom. 

But not me, Qimir thinks confidently. You could never bring yourself to do that to me, could you, Osha? 

Oh, she had certainly tried.

He remembers the day that he had corned his little mermaid in a lagoon at Olega. How in her desperation to escape she had sung a song so achingly sweet all of Qimir's reason and logic had fled his mind, pulling him into a dream that vanquished all the loneliness, the anger, and the hurt that festered in his heart. It had been utter bliss. A euphoric feeling that consumed him body and mind. 

His feet had moved of their own accord. His actions not his own. He had plunged from his ship, his lungs filling with salty water that burned, burned, burned.

Then it had stopped. Arms had slipped under his and pulled him from the ocean's deathly clutches. He remembers spewing water as he lay on his side on the sandy beach. He remembers coming to his senses, horrified when he realised what had happened... what had almost happened-

But then she was there. 

Osha. His Osha. Her webbed-fingers light on his forehead, pushing aside wet strands of hair. Her beautiful face stricken, guilt forming tears in her eyes. She had laid on the beach with him, her tail painted the color of emeralds and seaweeds, lying half-submerged in the low waters of the tide. Glistening pearls had been draped across her upper body, catching the sunlight. Woven into her long locs were colorful seaflowers, pieces of coral and sea-carved jewels.

In that moment, with water droplets clinging to her skin like diamonds, and the sun gleaming gold around her like a halo, she had been as ethereal as a Sea Goddess. Whether she would be his wreckoning or salvation, he was yet to learn.

"You need to stop chasing me, Pirate. Next time... I won't show mercy," Osha promises. 

"Liar," Qimir whispers, his chest heaving with every painful breath.

Osha shakes her head. Before he can regain his strength, she slips back into the waters, vanishing below the waves.

It has been months, nearly a year since he last saw her in the flesh. And now this storm will ensure he will have to endure another night bereft of her presence. He and his crew will need to make landfall, robbing him of even the simple company of the ocean, the closest thing he has to being with her.

There has been many storms these past few months. He wonders if it is Osha's doing, if she has sought a boon from an auld sea deity to make his quest as difficult as possible. Grimmer still, what if it is the ocean herself, trying to keep them apart? Wanting nothing more than to tear his ship asunder and toss his body into its depth, food for its children of the deep.

That might not be the worse fate, Qimir thinks with dark amusement.

Osha could find his skeleton then, and make a pretty trinket to wear around her neck. At least then they could be together. His bones comforted by the beating of her hearts.

[lorrekeeper]

Night Life on the Slope

Roughly 300km away from the shore, the shallow, sunlit seas surrounding the continents begin to taper down into deeper waters, trailing down to depths of 3,000m. This is the Continental Slope, a transitionary region where the open ocean meets the coastal shallows. Here, currents flow over the seabed, bringing plankton and sediments along with them. Here, the soft, sandy substrate is too loose and fine for more abundant reef-building sponges; however, there are other organisms which thrive in these environments.

Scattered along the bottom are the protruding heads of Scrimbolos. While they look like clams, it is only its head which protrudes above the surface; the rest of the organism lies within a burrow, which it uses both as shelter and as a means of locomotion. Hidden from sight, these wormlike Taco Slugs form huge colonies, filtering passing plankton from the current with their extendable tongues. Safe they may be from surface predators, however, opportunistic Farm-Hat Taco Slugs occasionally try to dig them out.

But it isn't only Scrimbolos that lay claim to these depths; slowly skittering among them are juvenile Goggle Grubs. These phototrophic creatures normally spend the daytime hours gathering in surface waters, where their algal symbionts can soak up the sun's rays. During the night, however, the more mobile young Grubs migrate down into deeper waters, to sift through softer sediments packed with marine snow and detritus. But where the daytime creatures go, their predators are not far behind; lurking in the darkness at the edge of our view, a Noot Sloop patrols along the slope, searching for any vulnerable creatures hiding in the gloom. These deepwater Sloops usually bear darker coloration than their shallow-water counterparts, likely as a means to blend in better with the surrounding water.