A hard covering that supports and protects the bodies of some animals. The word means 'outside skeleton.' Many animals that don't have backbones inside their bodies like we do have have exoskeletons instead.

An antenna, or hihi in Māori, is a thin feeler that sticks out of the head of an insect, crab, etc. It is used to sense things such as touch, air motion, vibration (sound), smell, or taste.

A sharp-toothed, reddish fish found around Australia and New Zealand. It is a popular recreational fish (lots of fisherman like to fish for snapper for fun), and commonly eaten for dinner in New Zealand (fish and chips anyone?)

The blue cod, or rawaru / pakirikiri in Māori, is a medium-sized fish that is commercially harvested (caught and sold for eating) in New Zealand. It is only found around New Zealands rocky coasts. Its colouring can be blue-green, blue-black, or a blotchy brown, with white around it's belly.

Animals that live in water and have a hard shell. E.g. Pipis, cockles, and mussels

Kina, or sea urchins, are a small sea creature the lives in shallow water. They have a round shell which is covered in sharp needle-like spines. Kina are eaten by crayfish, as well as humans, and they like to eat seaweed or kelp.

Pāua is the Māori name for a species of large sea snail. Pāua are a shellfish whose soft flesh can be eaten. The inside of their shell is beautifully rainbow-coloured, and often used to create jewellery. Pāua grow larger in the cool waters of the South Island than they do in the north. In New Zealand, we strictly limit how many pāua can be taken from the ocean by people (10 per day per person) or companies.

A dark blue, black, or brown shellfish that has two long oval shells. You will find them on the rocky shore, clumped together and attached to rocks. Mussels are ‘filter feeders’ that play an important role in the health of our oceans.

Crayfish, or kōura in Māori, are also called Spiny Rock Lobster. They are a creature with long antennae, no claws, and a hard 'exoskeleton' or shell which they need to cast off in order to grow bigger. In some areas it is customary for Māori to make sure that the kōura has all of it's limbs when taken. Why? If a kōura loses a leg or antenna when it is taken, other kōura might see that as a reason to leave the area!

A protective covering used to keep something safe from harm.