Marine life spotting

Sea sponge belongs to a primitive phylum of invertebrates called ‘Porifera’. Porifera literally means ‘pore-bearing’ organisms. Fun-fact: The animal was the inspiration for the protagonist in the popular animated series Spongebob Squarepants (1999).

(Sarang Naik)

Often mistaken for plants, these animals are found both in deep waters and intertidal zones. Anemones are classified under the phylum Cnidaria, prominently jellyfish and coral.

(Sejal Mehta)

Known as tunicates or sea-squirts, these marine vertebrates are known to form mat-like structures and expel a jet of water when disturbed. They seem to thrive in well-sheltered sites and grow on stable substrates including rock, algae and artificial surfaces.

(Gaurav Patil)

These gorgeous organisms are part of the phylum Cnidaria and are found on many shores in Mumbai. 

(Abhishek Jamalabad)

The Undulated moray is an eel species, commonly found in tidepools on Indian shores. 

(Nikhil Sathe)

They are called ‘fiddler’ because the male crab has one extremely enlarged claw that they wave about to signal fellow fiddler crabs; the very act resembles a a person playing a fiddle.

(Shaunak Modi)