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ZOWIE! The abilities of ocean animals are AMAZING! The Santa Barbara Channel is home to animals with real-life super powers. Electric shocks! Slime on command! GPS in the brain! Seeing colors beyond the rainbow! The animals in the ocean outside our windows use their specialized body parts and capabilities to survive in the wild. This rich diversity of life makes the ocean a source of exploration, discovery, and wonder. This variety also sustains life through food webs and balance in related ecosystems. Each amazing animal plays a vital role in keeping the ocean healthy and vibrant.

 

Two-Spot Octopus  Alias: Morphius   SUPER SHAPE-SHIFTER! The octopus can alter its whole body to fit through passageways and crevices the size of its eyeball.	Bat Star Alias: Regenerator POOF! Sea stars have an amazing ability to regrow their rays if they lose one.	Mantis Shrimp Alias: Smasher KA-POW! Mantis Shrimp throw punches with speeds up to 50 MPH and with the force of a bullet.
Spanish Shawl Alias: Absorbius ZAP! The Spanish Shawl is a nudibranch that eats hydroids. It absorbs the other animal's stinging cells to use on its bright orange spines to protect itself.	Warty Sea Cucumber Alias: Elongator STREEETCH! Sea Cucumbers have a complex set of muscles in their bodies that allow them to grow to amazing lengths.	California Mussel Alias: Mighty Mussel HOLY TOLEDO! Mussels are strong enough to withstand even the toughest waves!
Monkeyface Prickleback Alias: Monkey Face GULP! This eel-like fish can breathe air and survive out water up to 35 hours.	Green Turtle Alias: Navigator VROOM! Turtles use Earth’s magnetic field to navigate around the ocean’s highway system.	Red Rock Crab Alias: Crusher SUPER STRENGTH! An average human male can grip something with a force of 112 pounds per square inch or PSI. A red rock crab can pinch with 177 PSI.
Opaleye Alias: O2 BREATHE DEEP! Juvenile Opaleye are able to breathe air for short periods of time if they find themselves out of water.	Pacific Hagfish Alias: Slimer EWWW! Pacific Hagsfish can turn a bucket of water into oozy slime in just a few minutes.	Electric Ray Alias: Electro THWAPP, CRA-A-A-CK, ZZZOWIE! The shocking powers of electric rays can cause numbness and even paralysis.