Marine Life of Mumbai lists the vibrant sea sponge, sea squirt, fiddler crab, Moray eel... that one might lucky to spot in the next few weeks on Mumbai’s shoreline
Marine Life of Mumbai (MLOM) (www.marinelifeofmumbai.in), more than a year-old non-profit, volunteer initiative of enthusiatic citizens, researchers and scientists across India, unite for a once-a-month meet-up or walk. They host discussions on marine ecosystems and destructive practices, admire photographs and videos, and listen to inspiring stories of the ocean. Till date, they’ve had a bioacoustic researcher, an octopus expert and on November 30, they teamed up with Lacadives to discuss diving for beginners at Trilogy, Lower Parel in Mumbai. Alongside, they’ve partnered with the Mangrove Cell of Maharashtra and WWF-India for Coastwise 2018-19, for a series of activities such as photography and marine art workshops, shore walks and mangrove trails that generate awareness about the oceans.
Look closely, and you might spot these six captivating ocean creatures listed by MLOM on Mumbai’s coastline this winter.
1. Sea Sponge
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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)
2. Anemone
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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)
3. Star Ascidians
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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)
4. Zoanthids
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These gorgeous organisms are part of the phylum Cnidaria and are found on many shores in Mumbai.
(Abhishek Jamalabad)
5. Moray Eel
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The Undulated moray is an eel species, commonly found in tidepools on Indian shores.
(Nikhil Sathe)
6. Fiddler Crab
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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)
