Red drum have an ability to produce a drumming sound on their air bladders which is how they got commons name. Learn who what other fish share this characteristic with them here. Pa-rum-pa-pa-pum …
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Marine Mammal Monday: The Marine Mammals of Virginia
From Robert A. Blaylock of Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) (thirty years ago!) is a pretty fun guide to look through if you’re into historical documents. Yes, that would be me. It is not very up to date on endangered species listing, but was does a fantastic job setting out on its intention “To […]
How does a sea star move?
I came across this image of a dissected sea star and had to share it. It does a great job of identifying intricate details of the sea star physiology that are involved with the locomotion and vascular system of the invertebrate. The vascular system is part of the circulatory system that helps transport nutrients back […]
10 facts about manatees
Manatees are marine mammals and breathe air through their nostrils. Manatees belong to an order of marine mammals called the Sirenians. Dugongs are the other member of this family. Stellar sea cows were also a member of this family, but they were hunted to extinction within 27 years of their discovery. Manatees can weigh up […]
What is a watershed?
In this video produced by the EPA and The Weather Channel you’ll see what some people believe a watershed to be. It is not a place where people go to the bathroom, but, is more like a drain. Understanding a watershed is tough. I think it is because the name does not fit the definition. […]
5 (more) fun facts about seahorses
Seahorses are a fascinating species to observe. I took my nephew to the National Aquarium in DC this past weekend and we were memorized by the aquatic centaurian-like bony fish (pictured right). I’ve written about seahorses in the past, and from the traffic of that post I can tell that a seahorse post is much […]
What eats sea urchins?
The spines of the sea urchins are there for protection but that doesn’t stop the sea urchin from having enemies. For instance, sea gulls love to grab them at low tide at pick away at them high upon the rocks. Crabs have a feast with the urchins by picking away at their spine to get […]
GIVEAWAY CONTEST: How to politely refuse a plastic straw (BINGO edition!)
We’re making great strides of reducing the need for single use plastic bags and now the next great hurdle is letting go of plastic straws. They’re used for ten minutes but stay on the earth for centuries. Seabirds, sea turtles, marine mammals, and other ocean creatures have all fallen victim to ingesting them. Not too […]
How does coral bleaching result?
Coral bleaching is due to the fact that the algae part of the coral reef ecosystem can no longer photosynthesize properly – therfore, losing the “reef” structure and the corals remain white – since the zooxannthellea are not around (that’s the algae – and responsible for the color of the coral). This occurs due to […]
The Majestic Plastic Bag – Part IV
This just in! Another fine addition to The Majestic Plastic Bag conservation series. A reusable plastic bag company, ChicoBag Company, announced recently that they are being sued by three of the nation’s largest disposable plastic bag manufacturers. Those companies are claiming that a link on the ChicoBag Company website educating citizens about the long term […]
What is the difference between a tern and a gull?
Wings: Terns have long-pointed wings while gulls have broad wings. Beaks: Terns have sharp bills while gulls have hooked beaks. Body size: Terns are smaller. Predatory practice: Terns dive to water to grab fish while gulls float on water to pick up prey. Tern (l), Gull (r) Image (c) cheasapeakebay.net (tern), wikipedia.com (gull) Do you […]
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