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In an article just published in the open-access science journal PloS One, the first appearance of lionfish off the Brazilian coast has been reported.

The invasion of the northwestern Atlantic by the Indo-Pacific lionfish has developed extraordinarily fast, and is expected to cause one of the most negative ecological impacts among all marine invasions. Despite the anticipation that lionfish would eventually extend their range throughout most of the eastern coast of South America, it had not been recorded in Brazil until now.

According to study leader Dr Yuuki Watanabe of the National Institute of Polar Research, Japan, "The physiological mechanism of keeping heat in the body is well understood. But, more a fundamental question is, why this unique evolution occurred in the first place. In other words, what kind of advantages does the fish gain from being warm-bodied?"

The new study, published in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America), reports "chemical and sensory analysis" of the historic liquid. It was led by Prof Philippe Jeandet, from the University of Reims in Champagne-Ardenne, France.

During a survey in 2009, the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) located some twenty wrecks in the area. A recent search revealed an additional 15 wrecks, taking the total to at least 35.

Most of the wrecks stem from the post-WW2 scuttling, but there were also some that we could not associate with this campaign, said chief scientist at Norway's Defence Research Institute, Petter Lågstad.

Some of the wrecks were obviously unrelated to the scuttling because of their size and age.

Are you in or around Plymouth (England) this coming Friday, 24th April 2015? Renowned photographer Dr Alex Mustard is opening the Underwater Photographer Of The Year (2015) Finalist Exhibition at the National Marine Aquarium. Alex is also going to be speaking on tales and techniques of this skilled practice. Doors open @ 18.00, tickets are free, but you must pre-register! Email mark.parry@national-aquarium.co.uk to secure your place.

Researchers from Jerusalem’s Hebrew University have filmed crawling octopuses to learn how the animals utilized their flexible arms when they move. Until now, scientists have struggled to understand how their elaborate crawling movements are coordinated. The answer proved remarkably simple: they just choose which arm to use to push themselves along without a trace of rhythm.

PENRO chief Charlies Fabre has issued a warning to visiting scuba divers after at least two photos had been posted on Facebook by an environmentalist who frequented Apo Island showing a diver using a poker and touching corals. It turned out that this was a somewhat common practice among some scuba divers.

Fabre said he would ask the Protected Area Superintendent Efren Rombawa, who is also the chief of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office on Apo Island, to look into the matter.

NOAA, working with private industry partners and the U.S. Navy, has confirmed the location and condition of the USS Independence (CVL-22), the lead ship of its class of light aircraft carriers that were critical during the American naval offensive in the Pacific during World War II.

Resting in 2,600 feet of water off California's Farallon Islands, the carrier is "amazingly intact," said NOAA scientists, with its hull and flight deck clearly visible, with what appears to be a plane in the carrier's hangar bay.

Scientists used a float to follow a patch of seawater off Iceland. They observed the progression of the bloom by taking measurements from multiple platforms. Autonomous gliders outfitted with sensors were used to gather data such as temperature, salinity and information about the chemistry and biology of the bloom—oxygen, nitrate, chlorophyll and the optical signatures of the particulate matter.

At the onset of the bloom and over the next month, four teardrop-shaped sea gliders will gather 774 profiles to depths of up to 1,000 meters (3,281 feet).