Lisbon Oceanarium animals: complete guide

The axolotl is a fascinating salamander with external gills that loves water. One cool thing about them is that they can grow back entire body parts if they lose them.

Fun fact: Even though they're amphibians, people often call them Mexican walking fish.

You can spot a common fire salamander by its black body covered in bright yellow spots. These little guys produce a toxic substance called samandarin to keep themselves safe.

Fun fact: Back in the day, folks thought salamanders were born from fire, and that's how they got their name Common Fire Salamander.

The crocodile newt is similar to the Mandarin newt, but it's more adaptable and can live on land or water, depending on the temperature.

Fun fact: When male crocodile newts want to impress the females, they perform a dance where they bend, push, and curve their tails. It's a sight to see!

One of the most common salamanders in North America.  Their color ranges from tan to dark brown with occasional dark spots mainly found on its sides.

Fun fact: During the eight-week incubation period, the females are super protective of their eggs, staying around to ensure their safety.

This bright green frog with big eyes is known for its ability to change color depending on its surroundings.

Fun fact: Male European tree frogs attract females with a unique call. There are two types of calls produced by frogs: release calling and mating calling. Male frogs are the only ones capable of producing mating calls in order to attract female frogs that are ready to reproduce.

The gray tree frog is a master of disguise. It inhabits various kinds of wooded and forested habitats and blends in perfectly.

Fun fact: It's called versicolor for a reason - this frog can change colors from green to grey, and even from almost black to white. It's like a little chameleon of the frog world!

The Atlantic puffin is a fascinating seabird that spends the majority of its life at sea, only returning to land during the summer months to breed. Their diet consists of small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks, which they skillfully catch during dives that can reach depths of up to 60 meters.

Fun fact: Atlantic puffins can fly up to 80 kilometers per hour and can travel over 7,000 kilometers in just eight months.

Common murres are stunning seabirds that spend the majority of their time at sea, only returning to cliffs during the summer to breed. Each pair of common murres lays only a single egg.

Fun fact: Common murres can stay underwater for more than two minutes at a time and can dive to depths of up to 60 meters.

Inca terns are seabirds that inhabit coastal islands and cliffs. They nest in burrows, fissures, caves, and old holes. These birds feed in large flocks and tend to stay close to the coast.

Fun fact: Inca terns have two curved white feathers near their beaks, which look like a mustache! Juveniles of this species have dark beaks and feet, which gradually turn a beautiful red as they mature.

Like razorbill auks, Magellanic penguins form lifelong bonds and share the responsibilities of incubating their eggs.

Fun fact: Male Magellanic penguins without mates during the breeding season produce a loud, mournful call that sounds like a donkey's call, in an attempt to attract a female to pair with. These calls are also used during territorial disputes.

Anchor coral is easily recognizable by its tentacles with rounded, C-shaped points, making it look like an anemone when its polyps are extended during the day.

Fun fact: The anchor coral’s polyps can completely conceal the coral's skeleton, giving it a unique appearance among coral species.

The bat star is a common sight in central California waters, often found under rocks, in crevices, and within kelp forests. Feeding on dead plants and animals, the bat star has membranes between its arms that resemble bat wings.

Fun fact: While most bat stars have five arms, some can have up to nine.

Brain root coral forms massive colonies, often exceeding four meters in size. While exhibiting semi-aggressive behavior towards other corals, brain root coral cooperates with its own species, creating colorful and textured groupings.

Fun fact: An intriguing trait of the brain root coral is its ability to transfer nutrients to at-risk polyps that it recognizes as clonemates, demonstrating a remarkable level of cooperation.

The bubble tip anemone displays two distinct forms depending on depth. Younger specimens prefer shallower, sunlit waters where their tentacles have bulbous tips, while larger adults reside in deeper, darker waters.

Fun fact: They maintain a symbiotic relationship with clownfish, providing shelter to the fish while receiving protection and nourishment in return.

With a wide, flat head and a massive mouth filled with sharp teeth, anglerfish are masters at camouflaging themselves on the ocean floor.

Fun fact:  Anglerfish have a unique lure on top of their heads that they use to attract prey. They lay their eggs in long, gelatinous sheets that can reach up to nine meters in length.

The Atlantic cod, an important species in the Atlantic Ocean, is known for forming large schools in deep, cold waters and swimming at dawn and dusk to look for food.

Fun fact: Atlantic cod can grow up to two meters in length, weigh up to  96 kilograms, and live for up to 25 years. Their coloration varies from brown to green with distinct spots.

The ballan wrasse is a coastal species of fish that can be found up to 20 meters deep around rocks, reefs, and seaweed. Juveniles of this species tend to prefer intertidal zones. A unique characteristic of the ballan wrasse is that all individuals are born female, with some transforming into males between the ages of four and 14.

Fun fact: Male ballan wrasse are responsible for building nests and guarding the eggs until they hatch.

The black perch is a species of fish that lives in rocky areas near kelp forests, usually in shallow depths of up to six meters. These fish feed on crustaceans in small groups. The black perch is usually dark reddish-brown with vertical stripes.

Fun fact: The black perch is viviparous, meaning it gives birth to live young. This reproductive method is relatively rare among fish species.

The blacktip reef shark is a swift and agile swimmer that lives in the shallow waters of coral reefs.

Fun fact: In Hawaii, the blacktip reef shark holds special significance as an 'aumakua' or guardian spirit for some families. These families usually feed and protect these sharks.

The bluering angelfish is easily recognizable by the unique blue ring on its head. These beautiful fishes can be found in tropical coastal rocky coral reefs, where they swim in pairs during the day and seek shelter in caves at night.

Fun fact: Juvenile bluering angelfish start with a black body and vertical blue and white stripes, which transform into dark orange or brown with horizontal lines as they mature.

The bull ray can be found either alone or in groups in tropical and warm coastal waters. The bull ray is known for its unique behavior of leaping above the water to remove parasites. The bull ray has a snout shaped like a duckbill, which helps in its search for mollusks and crustaceans near the bottom

Fun fact: Bull rays have an interesting way of giving birth to their young. The pups are born with their fins wrapped around them like rolled up sausages! This helps protect their mother from their stingers.

Juvenile great barracudas are incredible predators capable of reaching speeds up to 40 kilometers per hour, making them one of the fastest predators in the ocean.

Fun fact:  The flesh of great barracudas can cause ciguatera poisoning due to accumulated toxins from their prey,