Best Southern Ocean
The Antarctic blue whale is a subspecies of blue whale and the largest animal known to have ever existed, reaching lengths of up to 30 meters and weighing up to 180 tonnes. It inhabits the Southern Ocean, primarily feeding on krill. Its population was severely depleted by industrial whaling during t...
Cochayuyo, scientifically named Durvillaea antarctica, is a large species of brown kelp found along the coasts of Chile, New Zealand, and subantarctic islands. It grows in harsh, cold-water intertidal zones and features a massive, leathery holdfast that allows it to withstand strong ocean waves. The...
The Antarctic fur seal is a species of otariid seal found in the Southern Ocean, primarily breeding on subantarctic islands. It’s notable for its successful population rebound following intense exploitation during the 19th century. Scientists and conservationists study this resilient marine mammal t...
The Cathedral Caves are a pair of large sea caves situated on the rugged coastline of the Catlins in the South Island of New Zealand. Carved into limestone cliffs by the Southern Ocean, the caves are notable for their towering ceilings and interconnected passages. Visitors can only access the site o...
The Maori octopus, Macroctopus maorum, is a large benthic octopus found in coastal waters around New Zealand and southern Australia. It has long, muscular arms and occupies rocky reefs, soft sediments, and other seafloor habitats, where it preys on crustaceans, mollusks, and fish. The species is not...
The southern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii) is a cetacean species found in the deep, cold waters of the Southern Hemisphere. It is recognized for its striking black and white coloration and its complete lack of a dorsal fin. This species reaches lengths of up to 3 meters and feeds on fis...
Onykia ingens, commonly known as the smooth hooker squid, is a large onychoteuthid squid native to the Southern Ocean and subantarctic waters. It is characterized by its muscular mantle, which can exceed one meter in length, and the presence of hooks on its tentacular clubs rather than suckers. This...
Remarkable Cave is a geological formation located on the Tasman Peninsula in Tasmania, Australia. The cave features a distinct, naturally formed rock archway at its inland end, which frames a view of the Southern Ocean. Water enters the cave through a long, tunnel-like entrance carved into the sands...
Pourtalesia miranda is a deep-sea holasteroid described by Alexander Agassiz in 1869 and recorded from depths near 2,000 metres in the eastern Pacific.
Teuthowenia pellucida, commonly referred to as the googly-eyed glass squid, is a deep-sea cephalopod found in the Southern Ocean and subantarctic waters. It belongs to the family Cranchiidae and is characterized by its nearly transparent body, which provides effective camouflage in the open ocean. T...
The sevenstar flying squid is an ommastrephid squid species native to the Southern Ocean, particularly around subantarctic and Antarctic waters. It is scientifically recognized as Martialia hyadesi and is noted for possessing seven distinctive photophores on its ventral side. This species plays a si...
Moroteuthis knipovitchi is a species of large squid belonging to the family Onychoteuthidae, commonly found in the pelagic waters of the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions. It is characterized by its muscular mantle, reaching lengths of up to 60 centimeters, and its possession of sharp, recurved ho...
Promachoteuthis sloani is a rare and poorly understood species of deep-sea squid belonging to the family Promachoteuthidae. It is known from a very limited number of specimens collected from the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the South Atlantic Ocean. Due to the scarcity of observed individua...
Abatus shackletoni is a brooding heart urchin from the Schizasteridae family, named in honor of the renowned Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton.
The Gould's squid, also known as the arrow squid, is a species found in the waters of southern Australia and New Zealand. It is a significant target for commercial fisheries, which catch it using trawling and jigging methods. This squid is migratory, moving in response to ocean conditions.
The Subantarctic fur seal is a marine mammal found breeding on islands throughout the southern Indian and Atlantic Oceans, including Gough Island and the Prince Edward Islands. The species exhibits significant sexual dimorphism, with adult males developing a distinctive pale-colored crest on their h...
The Antarctic skate is a deep-water cartilaginous fish native to the Southern Ocean, inhabiting the frigid marine environments surrounding Antarctica and sub-Antarctic islands. As a member of the Rajidae family, it is a benthic species that lives on the ocean floor, surviving in near-freezing water...
A large octopus native to southern African waters off South Africa and Namibia, related to the giant Pacific octopus (E. dofleini) and among the largest octopuses in that region.
Ctenocidaris spinosa is a species of deep-sea cidaroid sea urchin noted for its prominent spines, primarily native to the cold waters of Antarctica.
Todarodes filippovae, commonly known as the southern flying squid, is a species of ommastrephid squid native to the Southern Ocean and subantarctic regions of the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. It is a moderately large squid that plays a significant ecological role as a key prey item for various marine...
The Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) is a species of rorqual baleen whale that inhabits the cold waters of the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. It was formally recognized as a distinct species, separate from the common minke whale, in the latter half of the 20th century based o...
Pseudechinus magellanicus is a southern sea urchin named by Philippi in 1857, recorded from southern Latin America into Antarctic waters.
Abatus nimrodi is a species of irregular sea urchin discovered in the Southern Ocean, notable for being named after the historic Antarctic expedition.
Pyropia columbina is a species of red marine alga native to the southern coasts of South America, particularly Chile. It belongs to a genus of foliose seaweeds that includes the nori-producing species widely cultivated for food in East Asia. This cold-water species grows in the intertidal zone and i...
The Campbell Island Tundra comprises the treeless, subantarctic ecosystem of Campbell Island, located south of New Zealand. The island is a designated nature reserve and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its exceptional biodiversity. It provides a critical habitat for endemic speci...
Histioteuthis meleagroteuthis is a species of squid in the family Histioteuthidae, commonly referred to as jewel squids, found in deep Pacific and Atlantic waters. The species name references the spotted plumage of guinea fowls (genus Meleagris), reflecting the elaborate pattern of photophores cover...
Echinocardium australe is a species of heart urchin native to the coastal waters of Australia, where it buries itself deeply in the marine sediment.
Tripylus excavatus is a heart urchin species known for its distinctive excavated fascioles and deep-burrowing lifestyle in marine sediments.
The pygmy right whale is a rare and poorly understood species of baleen whale, notable for being the smallest of all living baleen whales. Reaching maximum lengths of only about 6.5 meters, it is the sole extant member of the family Neobalaenidae. This species is found exclusively in the temperate a...
The southern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii) is a slender oceanic dolphin of cool temperate and subantarctic waters in the Southern Hemisphere. It lacks a dorsal fin, a feature that distinguishes it from nearly every other dolphin in its range, and has a sharply contrasting black upper bo...
