Operculum is the hard scalelike cover of the gills of bony fishes. Cartilaginous fishes (such as sharks, skates and rays) all lack a gill cover.
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Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
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Marine Debris Art Contest: Deadline November 30th
Here are two questions we should all be asking ourselves: How does marine debris impact the ocean and Great Lakes? What are you doing to help prevent marine debris? This year the NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest is sponsor another amazing art contest for students in grades K-8 from all U.S. states and territories. Make sure that […]
How fresh is your seafood?
Oceana teamed up with artist Don Foley to produce this infographic illustrating how our delicious seafood gets from hook to the icy fish case in our local food store. Shockingly, Oceana states that “Eighty-four percent of seafood eaten in the U.S. is imported, and it follows an increasingly complex path from a fishing boat to […]
Squid’s “Passing Cloud” camouflage technique mimicked in artificial skin
Are we one step closer to an invisibility cloak? Researchers at the University of Bristol have demonstrated how to create artificial skin that can mimic the squid. The squid, as well as other cephalopods like the octopus and cuttlefish, can blend into their surroundings to hide from predators or sneak up on prey. The squid’s […]
Action Project Ideas: In the Kitchen (1 of 5)
One idea I had when I started this website almost ten years ago was that I wanted to make science simple and accessible. I hope I have created a place where questions on anything from barnacles to whales can be answered in a knowledgeable no-nonsense or overly jargon tone. My secondary goal has also been […]
We need to March for the Ocean! Earth is unbalanced and it’s the ocean’s fault
I am a volunteer for the Illinois Ocean Coalition. This is a new position for me – as my family and I recently relocated from the Washington, D.C. area to the Chicagoland area. One question I get a lot now is “You know there isn’t an ocean in Illinois, right?” As a biology and earth […]
Myth debunked: Delaware Bay not an annual pit stop for all shark species
A fan of Beach Chair Scientist on Facebook recently asked me to demystify a rumor she had heard. This is what she wanted to know: “I was told that over the course of a year, at least one of every species of shark can be found in the Delaware Bay. Do you know if this […]
‘Drumroll’ means spawning season for some fish species
Did you know the fish species, red drum and black drum (pictured right), are in the same family as spotted sea trout and Atlantic croaker? All of these fish have an ability to produce a drumming sound on their air bladders … Which, is how they got commons names such as “croaker” and “drum”. This […]
My favorite posts from 2013
This isn’t the typical list of the most popular Beach Chair Scientist posts throughout the year (you can find those on the right sidebar under “Top Posts & Pages from BCS” any day of the year). Those posts typically include questions typed into a search bar such as ‘Are manatees and elephants really related?‘, ‘Do […]
Christmas critter countdown: Snowflake eel
Eels have the ability to genuinely give me the creeps. It’s probably because of the scene from Princess Bride. But, actually it might have something to do with the fact that some have the ability to tie their bodies in knots and use this to gain leverage when tearing food. Find out some more uplifting […]
Don’t underestimate the utilities of algae
A reader recently asked where to find a field guide to seaweed of the northeast Atlantic and also wanted to know in particular “which species is edible, how to prepare it and what historical uses were of specific seaweeds”. I am going to do my best in answering and encourage you all to continually challenge […]
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- Robert Emahiser on Why you should never walk on dunes
- Lesa on 10 brief facts on bioluminescence
- Lisa on Limulus Love
- Beach Chair Scientist on 17 facts about the wee sea potatoes
- Bernard Rejterada on 17 facts about the wee sea potatoes
- Brian on What is the difference between a summer and winter flounder?
- Inbound marketing on 15 facts about the Portuguese man-of-war that’ll have you saying “Didya know…?”
- Donnie Huckabee on Wordless Wednesday | Shell art
- John on Why you should never walk on dunes
- ItzJaylaD on What I know about whale sharks
Top posts & pages from BCS …
- Hurricane vs. Cyclone vs. Typhoon
- A House for Hermit Crab
- How to handle a horseshoe crab
- Snot's your house
- Wednesday Wisdom: Various quotes (Alaska scenes)
- A naturalist's must-see destination: Fossil Hunting at Bayfront State Park in Chesapeake Beach, MD
- Belly biology creates lasting memories
- Five awful puns about courtship in the sea
- Horseshoe crabs confirmed as members of arachnid family
- Beyond the bag: Other plastics being banned
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