Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever existed. These magnificent marine mammals rule the oceans at up to 100 feet long and upwards of 200 tons. A blue whale's tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant—its heart as much as an automobile.
DID YOU KNOW?
Some species of sea anemone can live
50 years or more.
NAME: Dolphins
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN: unknown
SIZE: up to 32 feet
WEIGHT: Up to 6 tons
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN: unknown
IUCN RED LIST: Least concern
DID YOU KNOW?
Dolphins swim alongside ships—called
bow-riding—to conserve energy
scientists think.
NAME: Corals
TYPE: Invertebrates
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN: Polyp, 2 years to hundreds of years; colony, 5 years to several centuries
SIZE: Polyp: 0.25 to 12 inches
DID YOU KNOW?
Scientists can determine
prehistoric climate patterns
by studying coral fossils.
NAME: Octopuses
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Octopoda
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN: unknown
SIZE: 1/2 inches to 30 feet across
WEIGHT: up to 600 pounds
DID YOU KNOW?
Not all octopuses are solitary;
some live in big groups,
new research finds.
COMMON NAME: Sharks
TYPE: Fish
SIZE: 7 inches to 32.8 feet
WEIGHT: less than 1 ounce to 20.6 tons
DID YOU KNOW?
The largest fish in the world is
a whale shark. It can grow as long as
a school bus.
