Your pictures on the theme of 'life in the water'

We asked our readers to send in their pictures on the theme of "life in the water". Here are some of the pictures sent to us from around the world.

Paul Granahan: "Photographed in the Red Sea, off the coast of Egypt, where this lionfish is a relatively common sight. It sports poisonous spines as part of its defences."

Ian Salisbury: "For some animals, life in the water begins at a very early age. Hippo babies are usually born in shallow water, or even on land, but quickly learn how to stay submerged in order to suckle their mother, coming up for air every few minutes."

Lisa Ziehrock: "It was pure freedom in the water, as one of the small yellow fishes. It was also very stunning when we saw a huge whale shark calmly passing by; I felt tiny in front of the largest known fish in the world."

Frank Samet: "I took this photo of a rather wistful-looking seal at the Hunstanton Sea Life centre - which cares for rescued seals - earlier this year."

Jim Hargrove: "I took this photograph of a Pacific Sea Nettle jellyfish while visiting the Jellies Invasion exhibition at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, USA."

Amanda Lake: "My partner getting a taste of life in the water at Abercynon Weir earlier this year."

Richard Hughes: "A beautiful swan guiding six gorgeous cygnets in their early days on the lake in Rushmere country park during lockdown this year. This herd of cygnets seemed to takes ages to hatch and it took some perseverance to finally 'snap' them.

Dan Shipp: "Not 200 yards from our backdoor on Vanua Levu in Fiji, a Clark's anemonefish has chosen a particularly colourful anemone to inhabit, at a depth of about nine metres. Barring mishaps, she will stay here for life, protected by the venomous tentacles of the anemone. In return for this protection, she offers the anemone protection from Butterfly fish and other species that are partial to an anemone dinner."

Simon Wilkin: "A surfer tames a huge winter wave on Ogmore Beach, Glamorgan."

Jenny Downing: "A teeny, green frog takes a breather on the petals of a water lily."

Siobhán Russell photographed the Myrtleville Swimmers in Crosshaven, Co. Cork, Ireland

Dylan Parry Evans: "One of nature's wonders - Penmon's magical bioluminescent plankton, glowing electric blue as it's ruffled by the crashing waves."

Xiao-wei Sima: "The Canada geese make beautiful scenery in this maple leaf country."

Doris Enders : "These Slider turtles came to the surface to see if they could get some food."

The next theme is "urban living" and the deadline for entries is 27 October 2020.

Send pictures to [e-mail] or follow the link below to "Upload your pictures here".

Further details and terms can be found by following the link to "We set the theme, you take the picture", at the bottom of the page.

All photographs subject to copyright.