Veliger is the stage of a mollusk’s life prior to it becoming an adult. This is after it goes through the trochophore larva stage. During the veliger stage a mollusk develops its swimming membrane.
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5 things you might not know about oarfish
Last week 2 giant, shimmering oarfish washed ashore in southern California. This is not a common occurrence and some speculate that it may be a means to warn of an impending earthquake. Others say that it could just be a “banner week for weird fish photo ops“. In either case, I’m making the most of […]
It’s as easy as A, B, Sea: M for Monsoon
Monsoons are winds that change directions with the season and are most often associated with Africa and South Asia. Winter monsoons are dry while summer monsoons bring rain. Very weak monsoons develop on the Gulf of Mexico.
17 facts about the wee sea potatoes
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, and my Irish heritage, here’s a post on the humble and charming sea potato. The dried shell (also known as the test) of this urchin resembles a potato, hence the common name – sea potato. The sea potato, Echinocardium cordatum, is a common echinoderm found along beaches on all […]
Christmas critter countdown: Jingle shells
Christmas critter countdown continues! Fishermen have been known to toss jingle shells over oyster beds in a process known as “shelling” to create a habitat for oysters can settle. Fishermen want to create habitat for oysters … not so much jingle shells because the raw meat of the jingle shell is sharply bitter to the […]
‘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 […]
How do fish float?
Bony fish have a swim bladder, a gas filled sac. The swim bladder originates as part of the belly. The swim bladder aids in creating an equilibrium with what is going on inside the fish and the surrounding water. Some fish have a bladder that is part of the respiratory system, called an air bladder. […]
How many oceans are there?
In reality, there is just one ocean. However, I understand the confusion as of late on the geographic names applied to different sections of this ocean ecosystem. While we lost a planet (Pluto), we gained an ocean! In 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization named this new ocean the Southern Ocean. Basically, it is the southern […]
What’s in a name? Game: “Fishy” Fourth of July Edition
Can you match the scientific name to each of the fish from this Independence Day-themed trio? Leave your answer as a comment. Even better … also, try to identify each one by their common name. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July, everyone!
Over 22 songs that you should rock this Earth Day
On the east coast this weekend it is supposed to be beautiful out! So, whether you’re getting ready for a run, taking a drive to the beach, or participating in a stream clean-up … here are some tunes (in no particular order) to get you inspired by the outdoors and some that will have you […]
What is a fish kill?
Like it or not sometimes fish kills occur. It is a harshly worded phrase used to define a massive localized die off of a fish population. When there is a fish kill it is a serious matter that environmental agencies use an indicator something may have run a muck in the local ecosystem. Although, fish […]
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