#white-spotted pufferfish

[levanlanse]

♪ It's time for Fish Fact Friday ♪ (Valentines edition!)

The white-spotted pufferfish (not to be confused with the white-spotted puffer) is a species of pufferfish known for its intricate courtship displays!

Males construct complex nests in the sand to attract females to mate, often spending a week or more to create a single nest measuring ~2m (6.5ft) in diameter. This process takes significant effort, given that male puffers only grow to ~10cm (~4in) long!

These circular nests are sculpted using their bodies, and are decorated/stabilised using bits of seashells and coral. If a female approves of the courtship display, she will mate with the male and lay her eggs in the centre of the nest!

The nest is not just decorative, however - the grooves in the sand channel fresh water towards the eggs, keeping them healthy while they develop!

[katrasining]

Sharks are perhaps the biggest threat to a puffer fish

[critter-creature-or-beast]

Submitted for classification by @onehundredgar

[minkebel]

In ichthyology class this week, we were learning about different fish mating and reproduction methods. We were watching a video about that one species of pufferfish where the male uses his body as a shovel to plow out a giant circle 20 times his own size, making a very beautiful symmetrical pattern with a flattish spot in the middle, then decorates it with shells and sand dollars and other things he finds in order to attract a female

My friend who sits next to me leans over and whispers “if he wanted to he would” and I laughed so loud that the professor gave us the side eye

[onehundredgar]

We spent so long and I took so many photos, I lost half of my battery from the camera app alone! Luckily, there was a portable charger station, and after a little over an hour I was ready to take even more pictures.

Some highlights:

Had to tell off a fellow aquarium-goer for using their flashlight when taking a picture of the very shy octopus.

It was my first time seeing a leafy sea dragon, and with such amazing colours too!

I really underestimated how overwhelming the swarm of milkfish would be; I stood there for ages, just staring at the chaos. They’re shinier than I’d assumed!

Groupers are very funny fish. We paced in front of the big viewing wall for a while just laughing at them.

Taking pictures of penguins is a real pain! They move so fast underwater, pretty much all my pictures came out blurry.

In theory I knew walruses were big, but it didn’t really hit until their feeding time… kudos to the aquarium workers, because I would’ve been very scared.

Very playful seals! They look like blimps (my friend) or hydrogen bombs (me). One barrelled right at us upside-down, and swerved away only at the last second.

Nurse shark dogpiles are adorable! Other sharks also snuck into the cuddle session.

I witnessed a brutal fight between the zebra angelfish.

They weren’t kidding; that arapaima is giga! I swear that fish was longer than I am tall. It has a mesmerising grey-to-red gradient!

Oddly enough, I didn’t see any gar. 

The trip went above and beyond my hopes and expectations! I’m very grateful to my friends for patiently waiting for me to take photos of everything that moved. In return, I went on some really terrible rollercoasters with them after; not my thing.

Bonus:

P.S. I don't think the alt-text I edited into the original post can be accessed in this reblog. Click on the link to see the edited original post for alt-text: Link.

I realise I’ve never posted the pictures from my visit to the aquarium with my friends! When I tell you guys I had a religious experience!!!

There’s a 10-image limit on Tumblr mobile, so I’ll reblog this post with the rest of the pictures!

[dizzy-n-busy]

Did yall know that pufferfish (more specifically white spotted pufferfish) make elaborate designs in the sand for their partners to court them? And that they bite their cheek to full initiate mating once accepted?

Crazy

N e ways, I hc Damien as a white spotted pufferfish for mermay (I mermay’d all of D.A.M.N + Caelum below)

The next one (below here) is jus bc I did get enough space to draw Dams and Hux’s full thing

Btw they both look bad, spare me ffs/lh

[draagu]

return of the silly goobers! this post might get silent updates as i make tiny changes

surv! bit of a basic white color but with some patterns on em! got their little survivor symbol hood thing, so still dapper as ever

not shown here really but they still have the explosive mark on the back of their head

nighty! nothing significantly different with them, also still dapper as ever

no changes here! monk is still silly, the marks on their arms are results of a mess up when they were first learning crafts

and of course, got their goggles from gourm

hunter! still got their short tail, but now they have little earrings representing sig. colors are a bit updated tooo

spear and riv have made their mark on their bandages too

arti! only major change is some colors, their bandana has a little patch now since it was broken and then mended by gourm

gourmand got mostly color updates, a lot more warm now, and update i did in fact silently update this

rivvy, my favorite I lov them, they have even MORE frills now and little scaley spots, absolute fish I lov them. they have some pink freckles too! the fins do have a gradient, but! thats not required for any art

pufferfish colored pearls on their tail of course

spear got some earrings too that represent suns, also some multicolor freckles as well. starting to realize the amount of designs I have that have freckles oops

also pufferfish jewelry of course

no changes here! saint is still floomfy, their paw pads are still orange and blue too

enot no longer has white on their ears! and some differently colored lashes. still got their iconic heart tail though

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: ocean sunfish

Everybody knows ocean sunfish, right? Those giant, slow, silly-looking, parasite-ridden morons that eat jellyfish and can't defend themselves from predators really are the worst fish right?

(GIF: Lex Luthor screaming "WRONG!" from the movie Superman Returns)

First of all there's no such thing as a "best" or "worst" animal and judging animals by human standards of what is cool or successful is silly because our standards are not even universal among humans, let along other species. Secondly, the closest thing we have to a way to judge a species is how successful it is in its niche and sunfish are doing pretty good, thank you very much. Today I'll be talking about sunfish and how they are not bad fish at all.

(Image: a Mola mola located near the surface of the ocean, with the tip of its dorsal fin and part of its head breaching the surface. It is a round fish with no tail, only a wrinkly region of its body. Its dorsal and anal fins are long and slender The eyes and mouth are proportionately small. It is a pale white with light grey spots. A SCUBA diver is visible in the background. End ID)

Ocean sunfish, or molas, are members of the family Molidae, which is divided into five known species across three genuses. Im mostly going to be talking about members of the genus Mola, but I'll mention the other two as well. Molas are known for their size and odd appearances, looking like someone chopped a fish in half and the front half went swimming off on its own. They are members of the order Tetraodontiformes, making them cousins to pufferfish, triggerfish, boxfish, and others. While many members of that order are known to be highly poisonous, molas are not. They also lack several other common traits. Despite being bony fish, most of the mola skeleton is made of cartilage and they do not have swim bladders, forcing them to actively swim to maintain their position in the water column. Instead of a tail and caudal fin, sunfish have a structure called the clavus. The clavus is formed mostly from connective tissue and is used as a rudder. Because the clavus is mostly made of connective tissue, damage to it is not particularly harmful to the fish. There have been molas found alive and well that have had portions of their clavus eaten by predators. Because of their shortened stature, molas have the fewest vertebrae of all fish. The dorsal and anal fins are elongated and are used to provide propulsion by flapping back and fourth similarly to how birds wings move, albeit slower. Minute alterations in the angle each fin moves through the water help with steering, while more sharp turns are aided with jets of water ejected through the mouth and gills. Like their other Tetraodintid relatives, mola teeth are fused together into a beak-like structure that prevents them from closing their mouths. They also have some more regular pharyngeal teeth in the backs of their mouths. Some reports say that the fish can make noises by grinding the pharyngeal teeth together. Mola skin is thick and rough, described as being similar to sandpaper in texture. Like most fish, the skin is covered in a layer of protective mucus.

(Image: a mola sunbathing. It is positioned with one side of its body facing the surface. Its body is just under the water's surface. End ID)

The three species in the genus Mola are Mola mola, the ocean sunfish and most well-known of the molas, Mola alexandrini, the giant, southern, or bumphead mola, and Mola tecta, the hoodwinker sunfish. Mola mola has an average weight of 247 to 1000 kg (545 to 2205 lbs), mouth to clavus length of 1.8 m (5.9 ft) and dorsal to anal fin length of 2.5 m (8.2 ft), though some individuals can get much large. The largest individual on record had a length of 3.3 m (10.8 ft), height of 3.2 m (10.5 ft) and weighed 2300 kg (5100 lbs). M. alexandrini is the largest of the species. The largest known southern sunfish measured in at 2744 kg (6049 lbs) and 3.25 m (10.66 ft) from mouth to clavus, making it the largest known bony fish in the world. They can be distinguished from M. mola by the presence of bumps on the forehead and chin, a more rounded clavus, and differently-shaped scales. M. tecta is known as the hoodwinker sunfish because it was long mistaken for one of the other two species and was only identified as a separate species in 2015 after the body of one washed up in Christchurch, Aotearoa/New Zealand and was examined by scientists. Because it has only recently been discovered, little is known about this species. They appear to have the same range of sizes and weights of the other two species and can be distinguished by a slimmer body shape and a smooth clavus. All three species are found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide, though M. alexandrini and M. tecta are more commonly found in the southern hemisphere.

(Image: a Mola alexandrini underwater. It is distinguishable from Mola mola by the two bumps above and below its facial region, making it look lumpy. It is surrounded by striped cleaner fish. A SCUBA diver is in the background. End ID)

(Image: a Mola tecta seen from the side. It is smoother than the other two species. More of its body is grey with white spots. End ID)

Molas are open-ocean dwellers that live life in the slow lane. For a long time, it was believed they were moved around by ocean currents they could not swim against, making them plankton. We now know they not only can swim against the current, they are capable of bursts of speed fast enough to breach the water's surface and briefly go airborne. Sunfish are named for their habit of basking at the surface of the water. It was formerly believed they spent most of their time at the surface, but thanks to tagging, we know they make frequent dives into the deep ocean. They likely bask at the surface to warm up between dives. You may not expect something as slow as a sunfish to be a predator, but they are. Much of their diet consists of gelatinous animals including jellyfish, siphonophores, ctenophores, and salps, though they will also eat small fish, fish larvae, squids, crustaceans, and even seagrass. Because they can't chew, sunfish move prey into and out of their mouth by rapidly switching between sucking water in and spitting it out in order to shred the prey into pieces small enough to swallow. Special mucus lining the digestive system may protect the molas from the stinging tentacles of their prey. Molas and other jellyfish-eaters like the leatherback sea turtle play an important role in the ecosystem by keeping jellyfish populations down. Jellyfish are not particularly nutritious, so the sunfish need to eat a lot of them to survive, something they seem to be pretty good at. Being slow and having a very low-energy lifestyle helps the fish survive on a less-nutritious diet, making them very energy efficient. One thing molas get a lot of flack for online is having lots of parasites (with up to 40 known species). This doesn't really make sense. Every species has parasites. An animal in the wild that doesn't have parasites is vanishingly rare. Having parasites doesn't make an animal suck, it makes them ordinary. Because of their parasite load, molas are frequent visitors to cleaner fish, who will eat their parasites. Molas will also let seabirds land on them and eat their parasites while they rest on the surface. The molas attract birds by splashing at the surface. Adult molas have few natural predators, but are hunted by sharks, sea lions, and orcas. Interestingly, sea lions have been known to kill molas apparently for sport, ripping off the fins and then leaving the mola to die.

(Image: a mola seen from the front. Multiple smaller fish are picking parasites off of its skin. End ID)

Molas are broadcast spawners who release their gametes into the water alongside each other. A female mola can release 300 million eggs at a time, more than any other vertebrate. Newly hatched sunfish are 2.5 millimeters long and are often cited as having the largest discrepancy in size between juvenile and adult of any vertebrate. An adult mola can be 60 millions times the weight of a larva. The larvae look very different than adult, lacking their dorsal and anal fins but having pufferfish-like spines. Juveniles school together for protection and become solitary as they age. The diet of the fish varies as they age, with younger fish feeding more on squid, worms, crustaceans, and fish but becoming more reliant on jellyfish and other gelatinous prey as they age. We don't know the growth rate of molas, but a juvenile in the Monterey Bay Aquarium grew from 26 to 339 kg (57 to 880 lbs) in 15 months, suggesting they grow rapidly. The maximum age of molas is unknown, though individuals in captivity have lives for up to 10 years.

(Image: a mola larva. It is a brown ball with large, black eyes and no visible fins. It is covered in transparent, conical spines. End ID)

The two non-Mola sunfish are Ranzania laevis, the slender sunfish and Masturus lanceolatus, the sharptail sunfish. Both are alone in the genuses, but other species are suspected. I also found references to other species in Masturus, but could find literally no information about them other than that Masturus oxyuropterus is listed in some records. The sharptail sunfish looks very similar to Mola mola and reaches similar sizes, but its clavus has an extension that looks like a short tail. They were initially believed to be deformed molas before being recognized as a separate species. Unlike molas, sharptail sunfish are rarely seen at the surface, preferring to stay in deeper water. The slender sunfish is the smallest of the family, reaching up to a meter long. While we don't know much about them, we know their diet includes a lot of fast-moving squid, indicating they can move faster than their much larger relatives.

(Image: a sharptail sunfish lying on a blue tarp. It looks similar to a Mola mola , but with black clavus and fins. At the back of the clavus is a triangular extension. End ID)

(Image: a person holding a slender sunfish. The fish is small enough to be held and has a longer and skinnier body than other sunfish. Its body is a shiny silver with blue lines. End ID)

Mola mola is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN while the other species are classed as either data deficient or least concern. Molas are vulnerable to strikes by boats and bycatch. Another danger to them is plastic bags, which can easily be ingested after being mistaken for a jellyfish. The bags can suffocate the fish or block their digestive tracts. Despite their size, molas are docile and not dangerous to humans. I found one example of a mola harming a human and it happened when the fish jumped out of the water and landed on a boat. Allegedly, some fish have learned to recognize and approach SCUBA divers. Molas are difficult to keep in captivity due to their size, the amount of space the need, and special feeding needs, so only a few aquariums have them. Molas are captured for food, with the biggest markets being in Taiwan and Japan, where they are often called mambos.

(Image: a SCUBA diver attempting to hand feed a small mola. End ID)

[ocean-sunfish-worshipper]

Even in death, the great Sunfish inspires. I have witnessed it in the flesh. I have been blessed today. Immortalised alongside their relative, the pufferfish! The spiny fish next to the seahorse is a porcupine fish, the pufferfish below is a white-spotted puffer.

What legacy! All hail the ocean sunfish 🙏🙏🙏

[puppetmaster13u]

It's the last day of Mermay...

So have my most common headcanons on who would be which (or take inspiration from such) for if they were merfolk <3 Yes, this is DCxDP but can be used for either separately if you want.

Bruce- Ray

Alfred- Remora

Kate- Angel Shark

Dick - Guppy

Cass- Cuttlefish

Jason- Thresher Shark

Tim- Bichir

Steph- Spanish Shawl Sea Slug

Duke- Anglerfish

Harper- Cichlid

Cullen- Rasbora

Damian- Stingray

Carrie- Dusky Batfish

Jarro- Starfish

Terry- Devilfish

Matt- Koi

Barbara- Jellyfish

Gordon- Squirrelfish

Ghostmaker- Moray Eel

Harvey- Tiger Shark

Selina- Catfish

Harley- Clownfish

Poison Ivy- Leafy Seadragon

Riddler- Corydoras

Joker- Piranha

Bane- Pufferfish

Mr. Freeze- Leopard Seal

Scarecrow- Anglerfish

Waylon- Saltwater Crocodile

Solomon Grundy- Coelacanth 

Penguin- Longfin Icedevil

Ras Al Ghul- Sturgeon

Talia- Pike

Dusan- Pike 

Deathstroke- Tiger Barb

Clark- Sea Lion

Connor- Fur Seal

Jon- Fur Seal

Kara- Sea Lion

Martha Kent- Ribbon Seal

Jonathan Kent- Manatee

Lex Luthor- Cardinalfish

Barry Allen- Marlin

Wally West- Swordfish

Bart- Marlin

Iris- Trout

Thawne- Wahoo

Captain Cold- Beluga Whale

Heatwave- Guppy

Captain Boomerang- Discus Fish

Mirror Master- Mahi Mahi

Green Arrow- Goby

Arsenal- Arapaima

Artemis- Grouper

Black Canary- Orca

Diana- Lionfish

Cassie- Lionfish

Cheetah- Spotted Snapper

Vandal Savage- Dunkleosteus 

Marvel- Whale Shark 

Billy- Wrasse

Mary- Wrasse

Freddy- Killifish

Eugene- Loach

Pedro- Danio

Darla- Goby

Black Adam- Gar Fish

Dr. Sivana- Dolphin

Mister Mind- Bristle Worm

Martian Manhunter- Octopus

M’gann- Octopus

Aquaman- Hammerhead Shark

Kaldur- Blue Tang

Oceanmaster- Ray

Plasticman- Oarfish

Booster Gold- Goldfish

Blue Beetle- Blue Shrimp

John Stewart- Sailfish

Hal Jordan- Neon Tetra

Red Tornado- Mantis Shrimp

Zatanna- Swordtail

Constantine- Fighting Fish

Doctor Fate- Wrasse

Deadman- Glass Fish

Klarion- Platy

Cyborg- Mola

Raven- Squid

Beast Boy- Triggerfish

Starfire- Koi Fish

Beast Boy- Fluffy Sculpin

Lobo- Wolf Fish

Deadshot- Ruby Barb

Killer Frost- White Koi

King Shark- Great White Shark

Doctor Light- Dolphin

Catman- Tigerfish

Angel Breaker- Redtail Black Shark

Trigon- Giant Squid 

Martha Wayne- Mako Shark

Thomas Wayne- Devil Ray

Lucious Fox- King Mackeral 

Jack Drake- Freshwater Angelfish

Janet Drake- Comet Goldfish

================================================

Danny- Betta Fish (Or Giant Phantom Jelly)

Dan- Lancetfish

Ellie- Betta Fish

Jazz- Oarfish

Sam- Lamprey

Tucker- Devil's Hole Pupfish

Valerie- Cherry Shrimp

Vlad Masters- Vampire Squid

Maddie Fenton- Lion's Mane Jelly

Jack Fenton- Whale

Ida Manson- Gulper Eel

Mr. Lancer- Hatchetfish

Spike- Gourami

Wes Weston- Carp

Kyle Weston- Perch

Paulina- Dragonfish

Star- Cichlid

Dash Baxter- Short Beaked Dolphin

Kwan- Goldfish

Box Ghost- Boxfish

Lunch Lady- Killifish

Skulker- Sea Turtle

Ghostwriter- Lyretail

Sidney Poindexter- Shubunkin

Jonny 13- Corydora

Kitty- Loach

Ember- Basslet

Desiree- Seahorse

Spectra- Eel

Walker- Frogfish

Nocturn- Lanternfish

Overgrowth- Sea Pig

Fright Knight- Swordtail

Pariah Dark- Skate

Princess Dora- Dragon Goby

Pandora- Leaf Scorpionfish

Frostbite- Crabeater Seal

Clockwork- Colossal Squid (or Congor Eel)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you want pics of any of the fish/creatures I am happy to put them out, I just can't put that many links on one post lol. (Also apologies if I missed anyone)

[sleepyfan-blog]

I VERY DESPERATELY NEED/Want Baby Primarch Mers. So Badly. PLEASE!

Ok! I"ll go down the list

1 - Lion - So, the temptation to make him part lionfish is incredible here. There's also the fact that IRL Lionfish are a huge problem in certain parts of the world because they are an invasive species in those areas, as well as incredibly deadly because of their poisonous spines. And considering how deadly Lion and his sons can be... Yeah, I think he's part lionfish. Specifically he has a deep green tail with silver stripes. His spines are black and gold and hold incredibly potent poisons.

2- ??? [REDACTED BY THE ORDER OF THE EMPEROR]]

3- Fulgrim - He is part Coral Beauty Angelfish, and has a beautiful purple tail that fades into a vibrant yellow color. Coral beauties (at least according to the quick google search I did about them) are an incredibly hardy salt water fish, and known for their vibrant colorations.

4 - Perturabo - is part Cabezon - which are known for being Stubborn Bastard Fish who Refuse To Move until they get their next meal, willing to wait days and even weeks before they get their next meal. Which is often other fish, which I feel fits Peter turbo pretty well. He has a pleated tail and fins that are a mottled steel and black color, with the occasional yellow stripe.

5 - Jaghatai - is part Sailfish - which are allegedly one of the fastest fish in the world IRL. He has a bright white tail with red stripes. His fins are also white with red stripes.

6 - Leman - is part Piranha. Not only are Piranhas highly predatory, they also are species of fish that school together. Like how Space Wolves almost always stick together in packs. Also, he still has fangs in this AU. His tail and fins are a lovely slate grey color with an iridescent shine to them.

7 - Rogal - part greenland shark! Cold adapted predator of the sea. Doesn't look like much but is an apex predator in the seas it lives in. He has gorgeous golden fins and tails with black spots.

8 - Konrad - part goblin shark. I didn't pick it just because of the name, but because it is a deep water shark (lives in darkness, just like a certain edgy primarch) that is rarely seen by humans. And. Well. Most humans who saw Konrad didn't exactly live to tell about it, did they? He has a deep blue tail and fins that are surprisingly slender. But powerful and he has a hell of a bite and many, many pointy teeth.

9 - Sanguinius - He has a beautiful silver tail and fin-like wings, as his mer-half is flying fish! Although I was super tempted to make him part-lamprey because of the blood-sucking aspect of him.

10 -  Ferrus - as per the suggestions of @angronsjewelbeetle @c-u-c-koo-4-40k and @i-am-a-dragon34 Ferrus is now part Dunkleostous, with dark grey fins and tail on his dorsal side and a silvery ventral side.

11 - ?? [REDACTED BY THE ORDER OF THE EMPEROR]

12 - Angron - part betta fish. He has striking red and gold fins and tail and will square the fuck up if the mood strikes.

13 - Roboute - there is a big temptation to go for the Ultramarlin pun, but I won't give in. What I am going with is part Ribbon Eel, as they have this really lovely blue body with bright yellow dorsal and ventral stripes that go all the way down their bodies. That and G-Man having a long tail to thwap his brothers with makes me giggle.

14 - Mortarion - part pufferfish. Prickly, defensive and poisonous. Can and will puff up. Has grey fins and tail with dark green spots. Spiny.

15 - Magnus: I am torn between making him part carp - because of the Japanese (I think?) myth about a carp jumping up a waterfall in order to become a dragon - which hints at Magnus' incredibly powerful warp abilities or an Abtu, which is a mythical ancient Egyptian fish, because Space Egypt. Thoughts? Opinions?

16 - Horus: Is part dolphin. Known for being very charismatic and charming, but can and will bully other kinds of sea life. Baby-Horus has a deep green tail with gold markings.

17 - Lorgar - I love the Parrot Fish pun suggestion by @c-u-c-koo-4-40k so that is what I am going with. His fins and tail are a deep red color with a silver shimmer to them.

18 - Vulcan - another excellent suggestion by @c-u-c-koo-4-40k for making one of the primarchs part barracuda! I have decided on Vulcan, rather than Magnus. Vulcan’s dorsal fins and tail are a deep green color, the ventral side is black. Along the middle where the two colors meet, he had gold spots.

19 - Corvus: Part of me wants to make Corvus either some kind of shark, or angler fish bc of his whole "sworn vengeance and eternally hunting after Lorgar post-heresy" thing but. Big E is also a being who loves himself some aesthetics and I don't think a part-angler fish boy would fit that. Perhaps part black-tipped shark bc of their stealthiness. Thoughts?

20 - Alpharius and Omegon: are color-pallet changed blue-ring octopi. Instead of a yellow body with bright blue rings, they have vibrant teal tentacles with bright silver ring-patterns across their tentacles and up the fishy parts of their bodies.

@egrets-not-regrets @the-pure-angel

[the-actual-ocean]

Ocean announcement:

The white-spotted pufferfish, also known as the Torquigener albomaculosus, is located in the waters around the Ryukyu Islands in Japan, and are known for their quite strange mating rituals in which they draw patterns (typically more symmetrical, round shapes) into the ocean sand. These are usually quite large, and are created with the intent to attract a female puffer fish to reproduce. However, the puffer fish's "puffer-attraction" is not based on (or not shown to be extremely relevant) size or complexity of the shape, for interest in a male. Rather, it is the maintaining of these patterns and circles that give the "bow chika bow bow" to the female. This is definitely the reason why Sans Undertale has been drawn in the sand behind our base for the last 3 weeks.

[styllwaters]

For the HTTYD thingy— Chimeragon or Typhoomerang? 👀👀👀

Another big winged guy!! Since Typhoomerangs look so similar to Timberjacks I decided that they both get the pterosaur treatment. My hc is that they are closely related! (They also share some lineage with Monstrous Nightmares).

These guys always struck me as unhinged vultures, definitely terrifying to encounter. They are highly territorial, solitary dragons with the ability to coat themselves in flames by excreting kerosene solutions from their skin in a similar manner to Nightmares. The stripe patterns that you see are the ignition areas, which are slightly sticky. A Typhoomerang hunting in their forest territory generates quite a bit of ash, and this frequently gets stuck to the tips of their wings and head - giving the impression that they have grey markings.

Like many stoker class dragons they use their fiery displays in courtship rituals, with males burning elaborate scorch marks into the ground to attract mates. This practice is not unlike the white-spotted pufferfish courtship display, which creates radially symmetrical patterns in the sand.

Original design below:

[phazepheonix]

Dos my of the mers have mating calls? Ik they have courting behavior (gifts for Sapnap), but are there other ways they attract mates?

The whale and dolphin mers can send out signals just like their non mer counterparts, the white spotted pufferfish mers also take on their non mer courtship ritual which is creating intricate sand sculptures.

[not-so-allegiant-general]

I just learned that white-spotted pufferfishes have this mating ritual in which they are creating geometric shapes and circles in sand and place there seashells to impress a female. And it's a tone of work and it's symmetrical.

And since i can make everything into a Star wars thing JUST IMAGINE...

Mermen Kylo doing this elaborative circles in the sand, spending weeks on placing shells and shiny stuff all around bc there is new mermen around and although he is not the best in symmetry and geometric shapes he desperately wants to meet this guy.

And mermen Hux from a different part of sea (first time here) have no clue what this strange guy with spikes is doing but it's actually quite pretty and charming, and he likes shells, so he watches him every day in hope that one day Kylo will eventually talk to him instead doing things with sand.

Let's be honest who would resist circles in sand....

[chernobylcatfish09]

Alright time for me to ramble about my bday trip, I’ll show a couple of pics from it that aren’t shit, also Cw/tw: arachnophobia (spider mention) ophidiophobia (snake mentions)

So my bday is Jan 3rd, and me, my parents, and 2 fave cousins I often drag around for trips (they like going I’m 90% sure), and stayed in a hotel for like 2 nights I’d say, and so when we get there the first day we rest (it was like 6 when we got there a lot of driving)

Now for the good bit; the 🐟Aquarium🐟, Which it’s called the Dallas world Aquarium, and like the day before, I was made aware there were BIRDS up in there. BIRDS!! Btw the outfit I was wearing was like a bmo hoodie, Jean shorts with like rhinestone stars, also a sparkly ass belt that also has stars, and like a bmo necklace and bracelet.

So we go into the entrance, which is a bunch of plants, and then it’s birds first, as well as some types of monkeys, I think marmosets, also GATORS/CROCS, there was a big ol fat one that was white, there were poison dart frogs, I think other types of frogs too, a specific type of animal I have to try to remember, catfish (I think), ducks, and that’s just the first area there was a lot of walking around to be done.

It won’t be a linear where each animal resides were, my memory sucks absolute cheeks unfortunately, but I’ll get to the water part

There were spores stingrays, manatees, I have an extremely good photo of one imo, sea horses, different tropical fish, a great pacific octopus, shrimps, more stingrays, and starfish. AND SPOTTED GARDEN EELS THEY WERE SO CUTE I GOT SOME PHOTOS OF THOSE ASWELL. So into the next area-ish, there was a rabbit in the same enclosure as Burrowing owls, like fully alive and they were just looking at it, there was also axolotls, adorable, and this weird axolotl-esque statue I don’t even know why.

ONE OF MY FAVE PARTS NEXT RAHH: THE SHARK TUNNEL there was a saw shark (maybe a sawfish I’m unsure) and it was hanging out on top of the tunnel, and I’d have seen the underside, it looks like a face, similar to a ray, if not I’ll show a picture, there were a couple other sharks hanging around and swimming, also a legit ray was there as well, and onto the next area.

Next area right off the bat, was a pufferfish/blowfish who was very fast and on like every photo it’s blurry bc it kept swimming extremely fast. There was also a lobster near it; which I got a photo of the back end. There were some lizards and snake, and a Gila monster I think, and then more owls. There were more frogs, another croc-gator, and then more birds higher up, turtles, even more rays, then an ocelot I think. Then there as a harpy eagle that I managed to snag a photo of (my mom kept trying but couldn’t, it would fly back into where it was hiding when she came around lol)

Then there were these round birds, some flamingos, I think pelicans, and then it circled back to the entrance, where there are warm climate penguins.

Then I went into the gift shop, scored my first Fahlo bracelet (the manatee on), a big octopus plush, and a 3d print octopus with segmented tentacles that make a nice noise when shaken (his name is Maurice)

Photo dump booyah

It only allows 10 on the mobile app that legit sucks (it means I have to make a part2 of photos)