Can You Name These A to Z Sea Animals? 🐠🐡🦀🐬🐢

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Name These A to Z Sea Animals? 🐠🐡🦀🐬🐢
Image: Douglas Klug / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

The oceans are not just home to what you'd consider a lot of different species of animals; they're home to a baffling number of species of animals. Over 228,000 species have been identified in the world's oceans, and it's believed that there may be up to 2 million more that have not been identified yet. That includes everything from the smallest microscopic plankton life-forms to blue whales, which are not just the largest animals in the ocean, but also the largest animals on earth and the largest animals that have ever existed in the entire planet's history. Clearly, if you're looking to find a great variety of life, the ocean is the place to go.

Lucky for you, you don't need to be a marine biologist to be able to identify all of the species that we've listed here, though. Some of these are as common as salmon and hammerhead sharks, while some may be of the more unusual leafy seadragon or vampire squid variety. If you think you're up to the task of identifying them all, then you best head out to open sea with this quiz and see how many of our A to Z creatures from the ocean you can name.

Greenland shark
Wiki Commons by Hemming1952
It's estimated this creature can live for up to 500 years. What is it?
Sawfish
Gudgeon fish
Greenland shark
Mako shark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bizarre Greenland shark is known for being extremely slow-moving and extremely old. Their lifespan is between 300 and 500 years, while their top swim speed is around 1.6 miles per hour, which has actually confused scientists who aren't sure how they can even hunt prey.

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Lobster
EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER / E+ / Getty Images
Which of these creatures is considered a luxury food item on menus?
Lobster
Mollusk
Crawfish
Violet sea snail
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While lobster is considered quite a luxurious food item today, that wasn't always the case. Once upon a time, lobster was considered a bottom-feeding sea bug and only suitable as food for peasants and the lower class.

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Yellowfin tuna
Rodrigo Friscione / Image Source / Getty Images
Do you know which of these is often called ahi?
Mackerel
Mahi mahi
Sea bass
Yellowfin tuna
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yellowfin tuna is much larger than many people realize, with specimens getting up to around 400 pounds in size. That sounds enormous, but it's still nowhere near as big as some tuna-like bluefin, which can reach nearly 1,000 pounds.

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Dolphin
Wiki Commons by NASA
Can you tell us the name of these creatures, often thought to be among the smartest animals in the world?
Porpoise
Nurse shark
Dolphin
Narwhal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are over three dozen species of dolphins in the world, from river dolphins to bottlenose dolphins. Even killer whales, which are obviously referred to as whales, are actually a kind of dolphin, genetically speaking.

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Giant clam
Henn Photography / Cultura / Getty Images
Do you know these mollusks that can weigh over 400 pounds?
Barnacles
Geoduck
Giant clam
Zebra mussels
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The largest giant clam ever found dates back to 1817. The clam was no longer alive, but it weighed 510 pounds and probably would have been 550 lbs when it was still alive. The shell was 4'6" across.

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Blue-ringed octopus
Chanon Kanjanavasoontara / Moment Open / Getty Images
Which of these animals is highly venomous?
Sea cucumber
Cuttlefish
Nautilus
Blue-ringed octopus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Blue-ringed octopuses are relatively small, but should never be underestimated as they're one of the most deadly animals in the sea. One octopus has enough venom to kill 26 adult humans in a matter of minutes.

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Moray eel
Wiki Commons by Mstroeck
Which of these is found in oceans but also sometimes in freshwater?
Moray eel
Olive sea snake
Blue krait
Oarfish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Moray eels are generally found in saltwater, but a few kinds can live in freshwater as well. They have what is known as a pharyngeal jaw, which is a second set of jaws, with teeth, in the back of their mouths.

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Hammerhead shark
wildestanimal / Moment / Getty Images
These animals form schools during the day but hunt alone at night. What are they?
Sawfish
Hammerhead shark
Cuttlefish
Mako shark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hammerhead sharks tend to spend most of their time in warm waters but will migrate to cool water in the summer. Compared to most other shark species, they have oddly small mouths. Despite that, they can also be aggressive towards humans.

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Blue whale
gremlin / E+ / Getty Images
Which of these is the largest animal that has ever lived?
Right whale
Sei whale
Narwhal
Blue whale
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Blue whales are larger than any animal in the world, living or extinct. They grow to the impossibly massive size of 98 feet in length and weigh around 190 tons. That's about the size of 95 Ford F-150 trucks.

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Stingray
EXTREME-PHOTOGRAPHER / E+ / Getty Images
Do you know this venomous fish that's related to sharks?
Stingray
Pufferfish
Conger eel
Sea krait
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Stingrays are usually not confrontational and rarely attack humans. Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, tragically died after being pierced by a stingray's barb, but it was a very rare accident and only the second death from one of these fish since 1945.

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Vampire squid
Wiki Commons by Carl Chun
Living at depths of about 3,000 feet, do you know this unusual creature?
Viper fish
Vampire squid
Angler fish
Lion's mane jellyfish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The vampire squid looks like a bit of a floating nightmare, but lucky for us, it lives at extreme depths and is only about 1 foot long. The scientific name for these animals is "Vampyroteuthis infernalis," which literally means "vampire squid from Hell."

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Yeti crab
Wiki Commons by Andrew Thurber
The proper name for which of these curious creatures is kiwaidae?
Rock lobster
Lionfish
Yeti crab
Giant prawn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The yeti crab, sometimes called a yeti lobster for its furry-looking appendages, is a relatively newly discovered species, having first been officially identified in 2005. They're deep-sea creatures that live near hydrothermal vents.

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Box jellyfish
Wiki Commons by Guido Gautsch
Which of these is sometimes called the world's most venomous creature?
Pufferfish
Box jellyfish
Cuttlefish
Nautilus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are actually several species of box jellyfish, and not all of them are equally venomous. That said, they get their deadly reputation from the fact that some people have died after envenomation in as little as two minutes. Shown here is Chironex fleckeri, one of the deadliest of the box jellyfish.

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Walrus
W. Perry Conway / Corbis / Getty Images
A bull male of which species can weigh up to 2 tons?
Walrus
Narwhal
Puffin
Manatee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Walruses are some of the largest non-whale mammals you'll find in the sea. Over the years, hunting has drastically reduced the walrus population in the world though they have been rebounding slightly in the last few years.

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Polar bear
Paul Souders / DigitalVision / Getty Images
It doesn't look it, but this creature is classified as a marine animal. What is it?
Wolverine
Kodiak bear
Kingfisher
Polar bear
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Found exclusively in the Arctic regions of the world, polar bears spend so much time in the water they're often classified as marine mammals like walruses and seals. Bears have been recorded swimming for as long as 10 days at a time at distances up to 220 miles.

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Pufferfish
Zen Rial / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know which of these is toxic to eat if it's not prepared correctly?
Sea bass
John Dory
Pufferfish
Mahi-mahi
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pufferfish are some of the most famous fish in the world, not just for their ability to puff up like a balloon to defend themselves, but also because of their toxin. The meat can be eaten, but if the toxin found in many of their organs and skin gets into the meat, eating it can be fatal.

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Mantis shrimp
Sirachai Arunrugstichai / Moment / Getty Images
The most complex eyes in the animal kingdom are found on which of these animals?
Spindle crab
Rock lobster
Crawfish
Mantis shrimp
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mantis shrimp are amazing little creatures. Not only can they attack with blinding speed and power, but they also have incredible eyesight that a human couldn't even begin to understand. We have three photoreceptors in our eyes while mantis shrimp have 12 to 16 and can see a range of wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared and beyond.

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Manatee
Gregory Sweeney / Moment / Getty Images
Sometimes this animal is called a sea cow. What is it?
Walrus
Manatee
Porpoise
Harbor seal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Manatees are slow-moving, herbivorous mammals. There's a popular belief that early stories of mermaids told by sailors hundreds of years ago were actually inspired by manatees swimming alongside the ships.

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Sea slug
Shawn M Miller / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know which of these creatures has organs like eyes on their head that can sense light and shadows?
Sea slug
Abalone
Plankton
Tube worm
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sea slugs come in all kinds of shapes and sizes and are actually gastropods, which makes them more properly snails without shells rather than slugs. They can come in a wide variety of colors as well, including bright blues, greens and reds.

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Salmon
Mike Korostelev / Moment / Getty Images
You can find which of these fish in fresh and salt water all around North America?
Salmon
Rock cod
Bluefin tuna
Rainbow trout
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You can find salmon in all sorts of rivers across North America and also in the Atlantic ocean, the Pacific Ocean and as far north as the Arctic as well. Most species spawn in freshwater before making their way back to the ocean.

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Flounder
Humberto Ramirez / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these is a flatfish?
Sardine
Mackerel
Trout
Flounder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Flounders are flat like pancakes, and as a result, they're most often found on the seafloor. Overfishing has taken a brutal toll on flounder populations. It's estimated the population is one-tenth of what it was at pre-industrial levels.

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Abalone
Feifei Cui-Paoluzzo / Moment / Getty Images
Some folks call which of these sea ears?
Geoduck
Zebra mussels
Abalone
Razor clam
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Abalone is a type of mollusk and a source of colorful mother of pearl. They're mostly harvested for food by humans, but shells have been found in archaeological sites as far back as 100,000 years ago.

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Flying fish
Wiki Commons by NOAA
There are about 64 different species of which of these?
Red snapper
Sea bass
Perch
Flying fish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Flying fish, like flying squirrels, don't fly so much as glide when they get in the air. That said, flying fish are pretty amazing at gliding. They've been clocked at 45 seconds worth of flight time and covering distances of up to 1,300 feet.

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Great white shark
Ken Kiefer 2 / Image Source / Getty Images
The movie "Jaws" made which of these infamous?
Tiger shark
Great white shark
Mako shark
Thresher shark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Great white sharks have suffered a lot of bad press because of the movie "Jaws." Though they have no natural predators besides the odd killer whale attack and they have attacked humans in the past, that accounts for less than 300 total attacks.

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Humpback whale
George Karbus Photography / Cultura / Getty Images
Do you know which of these featured prominently in "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?"
Sei whales
Beluga whales
Bottlenose dolphins
Humpback whales
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Humpback whales are one of the most social whales when it comes to humans and are often known to breach when humans are in boats near them, sometimes right under people in smaller boats. As such, they're a favorite of whale watchers.

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Giant isopod
Joao Paulo Burini / Moment / Getty Images
There's a version of which of these creepy critters that lives on land?
Blue lobster
Giant isopod
Yeti crab
Sea slug
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Isopods are what you might know as woodlice or roly polies. In the water, however, giant isopods grow to be a dramatic size. While an isopod in your garden might be 1 inch in length, giant ones from the sea can reach 19 inches or so.

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Krill
Wiki Commons by MAR-ECO
Lots of whales eat these tiny animals. What are they?
Sardines
Pistol shrimp
Krill
Plankton
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Krill are tiny crustaceans that, despite their small size, live in a stunning abundance in the sea. For instance, it's estimated that there are about 379,000,000 tonnes of Antarctic krill in the Antarctic Ocean alone.

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Leafy seadragon
GaetanoDGargiulo imagery / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know which of these is the marine emblem of the state of South Australia?
Unicornfish
Green krait
Roman's seahorse
Leafy seadragon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The leafy seadragon is a kind of seahorse and also just an exceptionally cool looking little creature. All of those bits hanging off of its body are purely for cover, none of them are fins that help it move in the water.

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Mahi-mahi
Stephen Frink / Image Source / Getty Images
Another name for which of these is the "common dolphinfish?"
Oarfish
Viperfish
Mahi-mahi
Snubfish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Extremely common in places like Hawaii, the mahi-mahi is a surface-dwelling fish that gets its name from the Hawaiian language. It means "very strong," and they're extremely popular among sport fishermen in the area.

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Nautilus
wildestanimal / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these looks like a cross between a snail and a squid?
Cuttlefish
Nautilus
Pygmy squid
Abalone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The very unusual Nautiluses have a unique and cool method of swimming around in the sea. They draw water into something called a hyponome and shoot it back out again, creating a form of biological jet propulsion.

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Beaked sea snake
Wiki Commons by Vikramonice
Which of these has some of the deadliest venom in the world?
Beaked sea snake
Conger eel
Tube worm
Water moccasin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The beaked sea snake is one of the deadliest if not the deadliest in the world. Upwards of 50% to 90% of all sea snake bites are from this species, and the majority of deaths are also caused by them as well.

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Plankton
Wiki Commons by Uwe Kils
Do you know which of these is actually a diverse group of organisms?
Tube worms
Barnacles
Zebra mussels
Plankton
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Plankton is a catch-all term for a wide range of tiny creatures, many of them microscopic that basically just float in place because they can't swim against the current. Plankton is the base of the food chain in the ocean.

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Oarfish
Wiki Commons by Wm. Leo Smith / Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images
It's sometimes thought that these fish inspired tales of sea serpents. What are they?
Tube worms
Oarfish
Sea kraits
Electric eels
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Oarfish can grow to an extraordinary length of 18 feet, making them the longest bony fish in the world. Despite how that makes it seem like they'd be a target of trophy anglers, they're rarely ever caught alive and they're not suitable for eating as their flesh is weirdly jelly-like.

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Ribbon seal
Wiki Commons by NOAA
You'll find which of these most often in the Arctic?
Walrus
Dugong
Manatee
Ribbon seal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

No other seal species is as visually striking as the ribbon seal with its stark black and white coloration. They spend nearly their entire lives at sea and surface on ice floes sometimes but rarely on actual land. Because they're so far from human habitation, they're one of the least studied species.

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Blue mussels
Wiki Commons by Rainer Zenz
Which of these is harvested all over the world?
Blue mussels
Geoduck
Razor clam
Green oysters
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Blue mussels are one of the most common mussels in the world and are actually known as common mussels as well. They're harvested in most of the world's oceans and are used in a wide variety of seafood dishes.

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Giant tube worm
Wiki Commons by NOAA
Do you know which of these creatures can thrive in hydrogen sulfide?
Conger eel
Olive sea snake
Nautilus
Giant tube worm
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Giant tube worms create large mineral tubes around their bodies as a form of protection and can grow to lengths of nearly 8 feet. They live deep down on the ocean floor near hydrothermal vents called black smokers.

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John Dory
Marc Casanovas / Moment Open / Getty Images
Which of these is sometimes called St. Pierre?
Red porgy
Yellow perch
Pike
John Dory
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Dory is a widely fishes species that shows up on menus from time to time. The unusual name seems like it should have an easy explanation, but it doesn't. The origin is a mystery with several competing theories about where it came from.

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Viperfish
Wiki Commons by Gervais et Boulart & OpenCage
What's the name of this deep-sea nightmare?
Barracuda
Devilfish
Viperfish
Murkfin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Viperfish are about 1 to 2 feet in length, which doesn't seem too extreme at first, but their terrifying jaws with massive, needle-like teeth make them quite intimidating. They're also coated in a thick slime that has yet to be identified.

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Narwhal
Wiki Commons by NOAA / John Woodcock / Getty Images
Some people call these the unicorns of the sea. What is it?
Sei whale
Walrus
Unicorn fish
Narwhal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Narwhals can be found in the very cold Arctic waters in places like Greenland and Canada. That horn on their heads is actually a tooth that grows from inside their mouths and pierces out through the skin.

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Sawfish
Jupiterimages / PHOTOS.com>> / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
Which of these is sometimes called a carpenter shark?
Sawfish
Nurse shark
Mako shark
Barracuda
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sawfish can grow to an impressive 25 feet in length, a large portion of that just being the saw on their faces. That saw is a protrusion from the skull made of cartilage. They use the saw to sweep through the ocean floor and stir up prey.

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