Emma's Earth Explorations

  Here's a riddle for you: What do 3 apples, 2 oranges, 1/2 a lemon, and a drizzle of honey get you? *1 *2 Now, answer this: what do apples and oranges have to do with Lemon Sharks (besides the fruit names)? Yeah, there aren't any footnotes for this; you're gonna have to actually read this post for the answer.  The Lemon Shark :  Canis lupus arctos Characteristics :  Lemon Sharks range from lengths of 8-10 feet and weights of 400-550 pounds. They're distinguishable by their olive yellow skin and lighter yellow underbelly which gives this shark its name. Two triangular dorsal fins, one by the pectoral fins and one by the anal fin, also serve as identifiers. Additionally, Lemon Sharks have flatter heads and shorter snouts compared to other shark species. Habitat :  Lemon Sharks are often found in shallow coastal waters near the Pacific and Atlantic coasts no deeper than 260 feet in depth.  Diet : Carnivores; more info below Conservation : Near Threatened The ...

  HAPPY FEET!!! The King Penguin :   Aptenodytes patagonicus Description :  As the world's second-largest penguin, the King Penguin weighs around 30-45 pounds and ranges around 30-40 inches. Distinguishable by their upper-chest yellow-orange feathers, the King Penguin also has bright yellow patches on the sides of their heads that stand out against their standard black and white bodies. Males are typically larger than females, and chicks weigh around 300 grams at birth. King Penguin chicks have a fluffy brown coat that has actually led scientists in the past to incorrectly identify them as a separate species, Woolly penguins. Habitat :  Although Penguins are thought to be primarily found in the Antarctic region, the King Penguin can be considered as an Atlantic creature as it resides in the South Atlantic regions of the Falkland, South Georgia, and other temperate islands. These areas, north of Antarctica but located in the Atlantic waters, are known as Subantarctic ...

  What happened, indeed? And yes, I did just upload the first result of 'alarming spike' I saw. Again, yes, I say 'upload' because freaking blogger won't let me just copy-paste images anymore. There has been a spike in my blog's stats. Don't get me wrong, at first, I was pretty glad that people were visiting and reading my blog, and it all felt like natural growth, linear becoming exponential. But that modest, acceptable  spike in views started increasing suspiciously, and now, I'm  suspicious. Can we please go back to a normal increase in views instead of whatever is happening to my stats? I'm talking to you, random bots. Stop messing with my blog.  The thing is, these views occur at random yet evenly distributed times, making it all seem like this is normal. See below for a visual aid example.  I don't know what a random spike test is, and I don't know what's happening here anymore, but bots seem to be the usual suspects around here. I...

Also known as my latest acquisition in Abyssrium (which is better than any meditation app I've used), the Spinner Dolphin is one of the few creatures that shoots through sea foam and surf to grace us with its presence...and what a presence it  is. The Spinner Dolphin :   Stenella longirostris Description : These dolphins are a smaller species of dolphin, although males are usually larger than females. Sizes in general range from 4.5 - 7 feet in length and 100 - 180 pounds in weight. Different subspecies have different colorations, but most have a grey gradation of dark grey backs, lighter grey sides, and white undersides. All Spinner Dolphins have a gray band that runs from eye to flipper, and all possess the same slender, streamlined body shape which flows into a long beak and dorsal fin.  Habitat : Spinner Dolphins are distributed around the world in tropical and temperate waters. Based on the main regions they're found in, Spinner Dolphins have been categorized into fo...

  'Hippocampus' is derived from 'hippo' meaning 'horse' and 'kampus' meaning sea monster. Well then. I dread to ponder how the Greeks considered creatures like the Kraken and Scylla.  The Lined Seahorse :   Hippocampus erectus Description : Also known as the Northern Seahorse or Spotted Seahorse, the Lined Seahorse comes in a variety of colors including yellow, orange, red, black, gray, brown, and green. Because they cover such a spectrum of colors, the Lined Seahorse may be difficult to identify sometimes. A defining trait is the white lines that outline the area around the Lined Seahorse's neck and the white dots spotting the seahorse's tail. These seahorses are also characterized by its armor-like body which contains 50 plates that cover its body in place of scales.   Habitat :  Primarily found in the area outlined by North and South America's Atlantic coast and the eastern Mexican Gulf, the Lined Seahorse is the only seahorse found in the...

  *0  Also known as the Sea Cow, Manatees have multiple nicknames from multiple cultures, none of which include Mermaid. Wait, hold on- *1 The Manatee :  Trichechus  We all know that Christopher Columbus is known for putting North America on the map. (The American education system hasn't failed us yet, right??  *2 ) However, this incredible accomplishment overshadows something perhaps even more astounding. On January 9, 1943, Columbus sighted and recorded his observation of three mermaids swimming in the Atlantic Ocean.  Plot twist: these "mermaids" were actually the first recorded observations of Manatees. Back then, these creatures were practically unheard of. Today, the awe and mystique of a Manatee sighting has faded into what are actually quite common sightings on the Atlantic coasts. Over 6000 Manatees live near Florida's coastline; these are categorized as West Indian (or American) Manatees. There are three species in total which are categorized...

  A mini sunset floating in an abyss devoid of light The Lion's Mane Jellyfish :   Cyanea capillata Description :  The Lion's Mane Jellyfish has a growing reputation as one of the largest animals in the world. With an average diameter of about seven meters, the Lion's Mane Jellyfish has eight clusters containing 150 tentacles each that reach lengths of 120 feet long! These hair-like tentacles allow the Lion's Mane Jellyfish to rival the size of Blue Whales, the largest creature to ever exist. Lion's Mane Jellyfish centers are colored a deep rose-red that fades into yellow around the edges, and its tentacles are usually red. However, these jellyfish come in a variety of colors, which seems to depend on size and age. Younger jellyfish are generally light tan, yellow, or pink with colorless tentacles. As they grow, these tentacles darken to a red-brown along with the rest of the body.  Habitat : Found mostly in the Arctic, Northern Pacific, and Northern Atlantic oc...

A New Year brings fortune, happiness, and luck. What better species is there to start off 2023 than the turtle?  The Atlantic Green Turtle :   Chelonia mydas Description :  One of the most identifiable turtles in the world, the Atlantic Green Turtle has an un-ridged smooth shell that varies from light brown to olive green with dark brown mottling and hexagonal markings resembling plates. Sizes range from 35-48 inches in length and 300-350 pounds in weight; the Atlantic Green Turtle is the largest hard-shelled sea turtle in the world. Its four flippers each have one claw, and every Green Turtle has a tail, although males typically have longer and thicker tails. There is no notable size difference between males and females.  Habitat :  The Atlantic Green Turtle is most often found in the shallow coastal waters of coral reefs, bays, and inlets near the western and eastern US coasts. However, their distribution ranges from all over the world, and Atlantic Green Turt...

  Like an angel flying though the blue The Spotted Eagle Ray :   Aetobatus narinari Description :  As one of the ocean's largest eagle rays, the Spotted Eagle Ray lives up to its namesake with its spotted 11 feet long, 500-pound body. White markings dot the Spotted Eagle Ray's dark blue & black diamond-shaped body and match the white ray's white underbelly. Like other stingray species, the Spotted Eagle Ray has several venomous spines, or stingers, located behind the pelvic fins near the tails. However, unlike other stingray species, the Spotted Eagle Ray has a long tail that almost matches its body length!  Habitat :  Spotted Eagle Rays are typically found in warm, shallow, and open waters, such as coastal waters. Clinging to regions near coral reefs and coastlines as these temperate waters are rich in benthic dwellers, a main part of this Eagle Ray's diet, these rays can be found from the western Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean ...

  ' Below this unassuming surface is a trove of untold mysteries and rich history If the Arctic Ocean oozes magic and enchantment, then the Atlantic epitomizes mystery, its power not necessarily crowning its kingdom but hiding underneath the surface.  There are no glass shards glittering on the Atlantic. Only quiet blue-gray and teardrop white mingle together to fabricate a crushed charmeuse of shifting shadows and waves that lie upon an arcane world.  The Atlantic doesn't seem to stand out; it's not the largest or coldest ocean. And there doesn't seem to be anything out there; at least, not at the surface. Whereas the Arctic and Pacific are dotted with icebergs, fjords, islands, or volcanoes, the Atlantic is home to a stretch of blue that connects the Western and Eastern Hemispheres together.  As the second-largest ocean in the world, the Atlantic Ocean covers 25% of the Earth's surface. But w hat's the story under the Atlantic's own innocent surface? This...

There's plenty of myths surrounding whales; these ancient and arcane creatures are only ever rarely - and briefly - seen. And so, like the humans we are, we fill in the gaps with our own creativity. That's not to say the resources on the web are inaccurate or false (thank you, OwlCation, Wikipedia, A-Z Animals, and my elementary school teachers for my relentless fact-checking skills). But it's interesting that we know so little about whales because they've existed for tens of millions of years. What we do know is generally based off of what we observe up here at the surface;  at depths of  hundreds and thousands  of meters  below our reach, the lives that whales lead are a mystery. Of course, that's part of why I included this series.  Move over lion king, whales are now  the modern-day gods of the animal kingdom. This post includes five myths on whales along with five facts that tell the real story under the surface.  1. Whales spout out seawater from...