:: Open Ocean Animals - A Selection of the Best
Far from land the sunlit layer of the open ocean is crystal blue and home to many remarkable species: the blue shark, ocean sunfish, sailfish, mahi mahi, yellowfin tuna, goose barnacles, violet snails, and the Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish.

The photos below are a select few from our Open Ocean Animals gallery - to view the complete collection please visit the Open Ocean Animals Gallery

	Blue Shark, Blue Whaler, Blue Pointer (Prionace glauca) A Blue Shark, also known as the Blue Whaler or Blue Pointer, cruising in the dappled sunlight of the open ocean in the South Pacific. enlarge image
	Broad squid, southern reef squid, calama (Sepioteuthis australis) The broad squid, Sepioteuthis australis, is found in waters around southern Australia and northern New Zealand. It has many alternative names: southern reef squid, calamari squid and southern calamari. enlarge image
	Trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex) A very dense school of trevally in the clear blue oceanic waters of the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. This tight configuaration is known as a baitball or meatball, and is a defensive response intended to confuse predators - although it sometimes has the opposite effect of providing a concentrated feast for multiple predators. enlarge image
	Blue Shark, Blue Whaler, Blue Pointer (Prionace glauca) A Blue Shark, also known as the Blue Whaler or Blue Pointer, cruising in the vastness of the open ocean in the South Pacific. Note the accompanying Pilotfish, which feed on scraps from the shark's messy feeding behaviour - a hazardous symbiosis. The pilotfish also feed on parasites of the shark, providing a useful service. enlarge image
	Ocean sunfish, giant sunfish (Mola mola) A giant sunfish at the ocean surface on a calm day, swimming slowly, with its dorsal fin breaking the surface. Sunfish are one of the 'tallest' fish in the world. Measuring up to 4 metres from top to bottom and 3 metres in length, and sometimes weighing over two tonnes, these massive fish feed mainly on jellyfish and other soft-bodied prey. enlarge image
	Jack mackerel, yellowtail (Trachurus novaezelandiae) Schooling jack mackerel viewed through clear water towards the sea surface. enlarge image
	Ocean sunfish, giant sunfish (Mola mola) A giant sunfish just below the ocean surface, with a free-diving woman snorkeller in attendance. Sunfish are one of the 'tallest' fish in the world. Measuring up to 4 metres from top to bottom and 3 metres in length, and sometimes weighing over two tonnes, these massive fish feed mainly on jellyfish and other soft-bodied prey. enlarge image
	Jack mackerel, yellowtail, Koheru (Trachurus novaezelandiae, Decapterus koh) Looking up through clear water towards the sea surface, schooling fish partly obscure the silhouette of a boat near the Aldermen Islands, New Zealand. The schooling fish are mostly Jack Mackerel and Koheru. enlarge image