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.
Image (c) pbs.org
Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
Follow BCS on Twitter
My TweetsWant updates on BCS posts?
Scroll through the BCS archives …
Learn more on …
Random posts from BCS …
Happy Birthday, Beach Chair Scientist!
Today marks the one year anniversary of the first Beach Chair Scientist post! Thank you all so much for all of your amazing contributions. Without your insightful inquiries the forum would not be nearly as entertaining. To mark this occasion I thought we would simply count down the top ten most visited posts over the […]
Project AWARE
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been scientifically proven to provide multiple health benefits, including lowering your risk of various chronic diseases and keeping your body healthy. Making major dietary shifts, on the other hand, can be overwhelming. For starters, changing your diet drastically can be difficult; but people can start with a […]
The Bluefish by Isaac McLellan
I hope you enjoy this poem about a very popular Atlantic coast recreational species, the bluefish. I have some fond childhood memories aboard my grandparents boat, Irish Eyes, learning many life lessons while seeking out bluefish. Issac McLellan (1806 – 1899) was a New England author and poet. Coincidentally, he was born in Portland, Maine […]
How do fish float?
There are a few different answers – depending on what type of fish we are asking about. The most sophisticated types of fishes – bony fishes – have a swim bladder. These fish can inflate their swim bladder with gas from a special gas gland. The gas is basically oxygen from the fish’s blood. Bony […]
Ocean Leaders Recognized
On June 8 in Washington D.C. Honorable Lois Capp (CA), Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL) and Julie Packard were recognized for their roles as leaders in the ocean community. According to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF), the organization that distributes the awards, these women were recognized for the following reasons: “Rep. Capps received the Award […]
Whale songs
There are two types of whales: baleen and toothed. Baleen whales are the magical creatures that create “songs” under water. The series of high pitched squeals, shrieks, groan and moans can last anywhere up to twenty minutes and be as low as 20 Hz and high as 10,000 Hz. Male whales (bulls) tend to use […]
Atlantic horseshoe crab infographic
Whether we know it or not, the Atlantic horseshoe crab has made a significant impact on many of our lives. The significance of this living fossil can be found in its capacity to resist change for millions of years, its special copper-based blood is crucial to the medical field, and its ability to provide food […]
What is the difference between a marine biologist and an oceanographer?
A marine biologist studies the life in the ocean (“bio” = life). An oceanographer studies the physical elements of the oceans. A marine biologist will study dolphins. An oceanographer will study tides. A marine biologist will study jellyfish. An oceanographer will study the salt content of seawater. A marine biologist will study algae. An oceanographer […]
Can you name the state fish of Hawai’i?
It’s “Humuhumunukunukuāpua’a” in case you missed it when the bartender mentioned it in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. As a bonus, I’ll also give you a rundown of all the other states with a state saltwater/game fish. Some you may already know, but some might surprise you! I never would have thought that so many states have […]
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. […]
Resources & more …
Flickr photos …
What people are saying …
- 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
Speak Your Mind