When sea creatures put on a great show

The Giant Tubeworm | Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons Our planet’s ocean is a magnificent biome of which we have lots more to discover. The creatures living in oceans exhibit some quirky, bizarre ways, with many holding what appear to be parties. Here are stories of some life forms found around the shores of India.Tube WormsIn rocky pools during low tide, you may come across the most exquisite tube worms with brilliantly coloured filaments in shades of red, orange and pink. They give an impression of festive miniature Christmas trees. Imagine small fish and other marine creatures decorating these Christmas tree worms and having a party underwater.Decorated wormsOther worms too believe in being fashionably dressed for the party. Some kinds glue shells, pieces of mica, coloured pebbles … whatever they fancy… to their bodies. This helps them stay safe from potential predators. Sometimes, however, they end up using scraps of plastic and other waste found in the oceans. Dugongs | Photo Credit: iStockphoto/GettyImages DugongsIn ancient times, sailors often mistook dugongs for mermaids. Do you know why? This is because these mammals rise vertically out of the water with the females cradling their babies to their chest. The sea algae stuck to their heads also gave the impression of long hair. When sailors came across gatherings of 20 or more dugongs on moonlit nights, it seemed as though mermaids were having a party.SeahorseThe courtship dance of seahorses can be most mesmerising. The male and female partners stare at each other, as if sizing the other up. Then the male seahorse vibrates his transparent dorsal fin at a stupendous speed and swims towards his ladylove, keeping his body in a vertical position. The female looks down coyly, her right eye focusing on him while the left eye looks in another direction, like a chameleon. They interlock their tails. The male raises and lowers his head several times, producing loud clicking sounds. He begins to tremble rapidly. The female follows suit. Next, they embrace each other lovingly for a long time. While in her partner’s clutch, the female passes on all of her 200 eggs into his pouch. Having done this, she washes her hands — or rather fins — off all parental duty. The task of protecting the eggs until they hatch is left entirely to the male. Published - October 02, 2026 09:30 am IST