Top 10 Smallest Sea Creatures

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We’ve all heard the saying “good things come in small packages,” and that’s true in the ocean as well. Although the big boys often get most of the attention from divers, there’s lots to see underwater — and some things you can’t see — on the smaller end of the spectrum. Although you might not notice some of the creatures on our list, they are just as important to the ocean’s ecosystem as a healthy population of sharks. Starting with some of the tiniest living organisms in the sea and working our way up, here are our top picks for the 10 smallest sea creatures.

Number 10 Marine Viruses
They’re not the sexiest entrant on this list — that one is coming up shortly — but marine viruses nonetheless have a crucial role to play in the vast ocean. And they’re small — really, really small. Marine viruses exist just as viruses do on land, a fact we’ve become all too familiar with in these times of coronavirus. The tiniest marine viruses measure just 40 nanometers in diameter. One nanometer is one billionth of a meter, just for reference. The largest marine viruses can reach up to 400 nanometers and are still invisible to the human eye without an intense microscope. There are millions of virus types in the ocean, and they’re by far the most abundant lifeform underwater. In fact, scientists estimate that if you stretched them end-to-end, the virus mass in the ocean would span farther than the nearest 60 galaxies.

Number 9 Marine Bacteria
Again, just as on dry land, the ocean is home to millions of varieties of marine bacteria, the second smallest organisms in the sea. Larger than marine viruses, many of these bacteria are still tiny at around 1,000 nanometers long. Although they are much larger than marine viruses, they are still invisible to the naked human eye. Marine bacteria sport a variety of shapes, including rods, spirals and spheres, and were among the first life forms to appear on Earth billions of years ago. Further, they are present in pretty much all habitats, including acidic hot springs and radioactive waste.

Number 8 Algae
By now, we’ve reached an organism that divers and water-sports enthusiasts can usually see with the naked eye. Most of the planet’s smallest plants call the sea home, and many of them are single-celled green algae specimens. These are usually around five times bigger than marine bacteria, at about five micrometers (5,000 nanometers). Tiny algae often serve as prey for larger, yet still small, marine critters. Together with cyanobacteria, algae form ocean phytoplankton, as well as the bigger and far more visible multicellular macroalgae that we call seaweed.

Ocean algae, though ubiquitous and necessary for a properly functioning ocean ecosystem, can also be detrimental to marine surroundings, as in the case of the red algal blooms often seen in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. These blooms occur when algae proliferate so much that they discolor coastal waters, hence the name “red tide.” An algal bloom is caused by warm ocean surface temperatures, calm seas, rain, low salinity and high nutrient content, often as a result of wastewater run-off from the land.

Number 7 Sexy Shrimp
We promised you a sexier entrant on this list than bacteria and viruses, and here we are, with the sexy shrimp. These flirtatious fellas are a favorite among macro photographers. They can grow to around 1 and ¼ inch, or 32 mm, but are usually smaller, depending on their age. As their flamboyant nickname suggests, they “dance” in a way that could put most pop stars to shame, wiggling their abdomen back and forth in a suggestive manner. Although tiny, the sexy shrimp boasts a beautiful orange-colored body decorated with white polka dots. Macro lovers can spot these pretty little creatures across the Indo-West Pacific and in parts of the Atlantic Ocean. They live symbiotically with sea anemones and other marine invertebrates in shallow reefs.

Number 6 Juvenile Frogfish
What’s cuter than a frogfish? A juvenile frogfish, naturally. Frogfish get a lot of attention from divers, and rightfully so, thanks to their constantly annoyed expressions, variety of colors and patterns, and characteristically stocky bodies. Adult frogfish can vary in size from an inch or two, or 2.5 to 5 cm, up to almost 12 inches, or 30 centimeters. But it’s the babies that have a place on our tiny critter list. Depending on the type of frogfish, some juveniles can be smaller than an inch long, or just a few millimeters, smaller than the size of your pinkie fingernail. Frogfish live in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. You’ll find the greatest diversity of species in the Indo-Pacific, especially in Indonesia. It’s unlikely you’ll find them at all without a guide, however, so take one with eagle eyes on your next dive if you want to spot these adorable critters.