| Here you find all the creatures living in our seas. If you wish to know what their homes look like, look at habitats. If you are keen to know how they get their names, look at 'About classification'. Read about soil because saving our seas begins with saving our soils! This section is still very incomplete. |
| The factors that influence marine life. A catalogue of NZ's marine
habitats. (24 pages)
Sample habitats are: the intertidal rocky shore with rock pool, the near-shore environment of Goat Island, the remote Kermadec Islands, the cool-tropical isolated Niue Island, |
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| The Seals, Dolphins and Whales of New Zealand | ||
| The flying sea birds and penguins of New zealand | ||
| The common, endemic and interesting fish species. In the Niue section you can find an extensive fish classification relating to tropical fish. | ||
| The common crustaceans of New Zealand | ||
| Octopus, Squid, Bivalves, Snails and more | ||
| The common echinoderms of New Zealand: starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers | ||
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lower animals
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The common lower animals of New Zealand, excepting Crustacea, Echinoderms and Mollusca | |
| The seaweeds of New Zealand and details of common species. | ||
| The world of plankton, both plant and animal. Common species of New Zealand. The Plankton Balance hypothesis. Studies of recent plankton blooms and their effects. (94 pages) | ||
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immigrants
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Those marine species who have found permanent resident and those who visit NZ occasionally | |
| The most important but also the most maligned substance on Earth on which over 10 million species depend, and six billion humans. While we are losing it rapidly, we are also losing our coastal biodiversity, fishery and our beaches. Can this be prevented? What is soil? How can it be used sustainably? Saving our seas starts with saving our soils! (120 pages) | ||
| The Red Data Book of extinct, endangered and vulnerable species. (8 pages) | ||
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About classification
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Organisms that look alike are grouped together and then into ever bigger groups until every organism has its place in the plant or animal kingdoms. It is done in a systematical way, explained here. | |
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internet links
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Fiordland
Under Water: Paddy Ryan's account of sea life in Milford and Doubtful
Sounds.
Fish life around New Zealand: Gray Ranger's web site about NZ marine animals he encountered. |