Spider Conch

Found in China, the spider conch (pictured) is a mollusk, one of the most common groups of species in the new Census of Marine Life inventory.

Mollusks such as squid, octopus, snails, and slugs make up 17 percent of the named species found. Only crustaceans, such as crabs and lobsters, were more plentiful, at 19 percent, the report says.

Well-known marine vertebrates such as whales and sea lions make up less than 2 percent of the survey, scientists noted.

Photograph courtesy Shaoqing Wang