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What do you mako this?

August 3, 2009 by Leave a Comment

In honor of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel I decided to post a different shark fact each week.jumping_mako

Today…What is the fastest shark species?

The mako shark is the fastest shark. It can get up to 20 miles per hour (or faster when being chased by an enemy). The mako shark can naturally move as fast as I do while driving a go-kart. Unbelievable!

You’d have to be pretty skilled to catch a mako shark, especially on a rod. Here is an article from Underwater Times telling how Brendan Mason caught a 600 pound mako shark with just a rod and reel!

The mako shark can even jump up to 20 feet in the air.

Do you have another great question? Check out www.beachchairscientist.com and enter let us know or e-mail beachchairscientist@gmail.com!

Image (c) UnderWater Times.

Filed Under: Fish, Sharks

Who is afraid of Atlantic wolf(fish)?

July 30, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Wolf FishThe Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) may look rather frightening, but, the fish will only harm you if it is out of water. This is rather understandable since it is out of its natural habitat. It prefers to live on rocky bottoms of the ocean floor in very deep, cold waters.

These fish have high concentrations of the compound found in antifreeze so they are able to survive these low temperatures.

The Atlantic wolffish may have gotten black listed as a ‘scary creature’ since it is so often seen out of the water. Commercial fishermen often caught this fish by accident (i.e., bycatch). In fact, the wolffish is listed as a Species of Concern with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Image (c) mercola.com

Filed Under: Bony Fishes, Fish Tagged With: , , , ,

How do flamingos get their color?

July 29, 2009 by Leave a Comment

From their diet. They eat foods high in beta carotene, mostly shrimp and algae. They also will eat mollusks (clams or snails) or crustaceans (crabs). They gather their food by gulping water with their beak and then straining the water and eating the leftover food. So, that being said, the color often varies between bird to bird in a flock.

Flamingos in a zoo are fed foods with the additive canthaxanthin to keep the color up to everyone’s expectations. The same is done with the pretty pink salmon you buy that is farmed and not caught in the wild.

 

Filed Under: Birds Tagged With: , ,

What about blob(fish)?

July 29, 2009 by 18 Comments

“The blobfish is the ugliest animal in the ocean” or at least that is the consensus on many blogs and websites. I am curious if you have another ‘ugly’ favorite. Please share below and in the meantime here are five fun facts about the fish that will never win a beauty contest.

blobfish

But, please remember beauty on the inside is what counts.

  • The blobfish lives off the coast of Tasmania and Australia.
  • The body of the blobfish is made up of mostly gelatin, not muscle.
  • The blobfish is slightly less dense than the water around it so it floats right above the seafloor.
  • Since the blobfish has no muscle it just eats whatever floats near him or her.
  • The blobfish may or not be related to Ziggy.

Image (c) wierdimals.wordpress.com

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Filed Under: Bony Fishes, Fish Tagged With: , , ,

Where can I meet other beachcombers and learn more about beachcombing?

July 28, 2009 by Leave a Comment

At the International Beachcombing Conference from November 7-9, 2009 in Annapolis, MD. The conference brings together experienced and novice beachcombers to discuss what factors are affecting the beachcombing experience. The conference is held at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s LEED certified Phillip Merrill Environmental Center and is sponsored by The Society for Ocean Sciences, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and The Consummate Beachcomber.

The website for the conference is constantly being updated so check back at http://www.beachcombingconference.com/Overview.html#Questions for all the latest information.

Do you have another great question? Check out www.beachchairscientist.com and let us know what you always ponder while digging your toes in the sand or e-mail beachchairscientist@gmail.com.

Filed Under: Beach

Are the fried scallops at the take-out place really scallops?

July 28, 2009 by Leave a Comment

These days – Absolutely! In past decades it was not uncommon to substitute succulent scallops with shark or the wings of a sting ray. The scallop industry has been thriving since 1970’s and this has not been the norm. How can you tell? Real scallops will break apart very easily when separated, also, the meat will be lengthwise.

Do you have another great question? Check out www.beachchairscientist.com and let us know!

Filed Under: Mollusks

How did fiddler crabs get their name?

July 28, 2009 by Leave a Comment

The male fiddler crabs have one claw that is much larger than the other. This extra large claw is shaped like a fiddle.fiddles 015

It is useful for two main reasons.

The first being that if waved in a certain manner it attracts some hot chicks, er, female fiddler crabs. The second is that it is a  useful tool for defense when other dudes like to create drama during mating season.

Do you have another great question? Check out www.beachchairscientist.com and enter let us know!

Image (c) decksfiddles.com

Filed Under: Crustaceans

Why are mussels always found on pilings?

July 28, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Well, it is important to mention that not all mussels are found on pilings. Mussels attach themselves to any type of hard substrate in the intertidal regions, including pilings. On pilings the top most mussels indicate the high tide line.

To go off on a random tangent, here is a yummy mussel recipe: http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Cooking-Mussels/Detail.aspx

Do you have another great question? Check out www.beachchairscientist.com and let us know what you always ponder while digging your toes in the sand!

Filed Under: Bivalves, Mollusks

14 fascinating facts about the blue whale

July 24, 2009 by 6 Comments

Blue Whale

  1. A toddler can fit into a blue whale’s blowhole. The spray can reach up to 30 feet high.
  2. The blue whale’s scientific name is Balaenoptera musculus.
  3. Blue whales live in all oceans of the world.
  4. A blue whale’s tongue weighs more than an elephant.
  5. Blue whales are the loudest animal on Earth reaching up to 188 decibel.
  6. A blue whale’s heart weighs up to 2,000 pounds. Their heart can be the size of a Mini Cooper.
  7. Blue whales are the fastest growing animal or plant on Earth.
  8. Blue whales can be up to 100 feet long. That is about the length of a NBA basketball court.
  9. A medium sized dog can comfortably walk through a blue whale’s arteries.
  10. Blue whales can live up to 90 years in the wild.
  11. Blue whales look blue underwater, but gray above the surface of the water.
  12. Blue whales tend to sleep in the middle of the day.
  13. Blue whales eat krill.
  14. Blue whales can swim up to 30 miles per hour.

Do you have another great question? Email info@beachchairscientist.com and let us know what you always ponder while digging your toes in the sand!

Filed Under: Marine Mammals Tagged With: , , , , ,

How do female terrapins navigate to a nesting site?

July 13, 2009 by Leave a Comment

The answer is “very carefully”.250px-Diamondback_Terrapin

Female terrapins need to look for a spot above the high tide line to lay a nest for their eggs (They lay on average 2 clutches of approximately a dozen eggs each summer).

The challenge is getting to a spot on the beach above the high tide line (dunes are usually the best spot) all the way from the estuaries (a.k.a. bays – spots where fresh and saltwater mix).

Terrapins lay their eggs at all times of day and night so you may see them venturing from the bay to the beach at anytime.

All too often you may see female terrapins crushed on the side of the road since a motorist was not paying attention as the female tried to make her way from the bay to the beach or back again. A good idea is to stop your car and let the terrapin continue across the road in the direction she was headed.

For more information check out the Northern Diamondback Terrapin Association.

Do you have another great question? Check out www.beachchairscientist.com and let us know what you always ponder while digging your toes in the sand!

Image (c) Wikipedia Commons.

Filed Under: Reptiles