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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More than One Week
Tomorrow is the final day for National Environmental Education Week! It is a special week in schools because all of those children with an aptitude for understanding concepts with examples about nature have finally been able to comprehend all those complex topics they might otherwise have found overwhelming simply because the examples used in class […]
I found a great whale watcher
I miss my time aboard the Atlantic Star where we would head out to sea in the early morning and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins would be at the surface near the bow of the boat as if leading the way for a great trip. Ah, those were the days. As a substitute I did discover Ms. […]
3 truths on the fables about ‘dolphin-safe’ labels
It all started recently as my 2 year-old showed those tendencies towards becoming a picky eater. I embarked on a supermarket safari for proteins and soon enough I found myself in the canned tuna aisle. Have you been there lately? It’s a little overwhelming with all of the labels. I usually just go for the […]
July is Plastic Free Month: A dozen quick & easy ways to ditch the single use
Every year I get so frustrated with myself for not making the commitment to the challenge for Plastic Free July. This year is different since I have no tests or classes (I write this as I sit in a training for AP Environmental Science!). My craziness is going to be lots of travel and that […]
The Daily Ocean
I’d like to take the time out to applaud one of the best ocean blogs out there, The Daily Ocean. I cannot tell you the countless hours I have spent drooling over Ms. Bayles world-wind expedition of collecting trash (beginning in Santa Barbara, CA). It is so exciting (I’m really not kidding)! Not only is […]
My new land-to-sea connection
Even if you don’t live by the ocean you should care about it and issues associated with its health. Yes, the ocean ecosystem is unhealthy. Industry, industry, and more industry popped up in the last century and brought with it increased emissions into the atmosphere causing climate change. The ocean is the largest ecosystem on […]
Mass stranding of whales in Italy
http://www.istitutotethys.org/gargano/ They suspect a high ingestion rate of plastic bags. Do you have a question for the Beach Chair Scientist? E-mail info@beachchairscientist.com
What allows jellies to float?
Jellies don’t technically float; they’re neutrally buoyant (or close to it). Floating would be bad. It would mean being stuck on the surface, like a boat. Jellies are mostly water-up to 96%. What’s left is mostly the “jelly” in a jellyfish, the mesoglea. Jellies sink exceedingly slowly, and make up for it with just a […]
What inspired you to become an environmental educator?
Some form of this question is probably the question I get the most often on BCS. It is usually a bit more blunt, “Why do you do your Beach Chair Scientist?” or “What made you come up with the idea?” It is simple. I was sitting in a web design class at the Bethesda Writer’s […]
It’s as easy as A, B, Sea: H for Horseshoe Crab
Horseshoe crabs are an arthropod more closely related to spiders and scorpions than crabs and lobsters. They have a three part body: prosoma (head), opisthosoma (heavy shell with legs under it) and the telson (tail). This amazing body structure has been unchanged for over 200 million years. Interestingly enough, this is this Beach Chair […]
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- Bernard Rejterada on 17 facts about the wee sea potatoes
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Top posts & pages from BCS …
- Hurricane vs. Cyclone vs. Typhoon
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- How to handle a horseshoe crab
- Snot's your house
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- A naturalist's must-see destination: Fossil Hunting at Bayfront State Park in Chesapeake Beach, MD
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- Beyond the bag: Other plastics being banned
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