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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Where do seagulls nest?
It is interesting to think that seagulls may want to rest at some point, but they tend to want to re-energize somewhere safe inland (i.e., old boat yards, rock jetties, water towers, etc.) – not necessarily near the dunes or on the beach. Seagulls are full-grown when they leave the nest. They have to be […]
Do all horseshoe crabs molt?
All horseshoe crabs molt – until they reach adulthood. They grow on average a quarter of their size each time they shed. Females grow to be about two feet across and males a bit smaller. Molting occurs several times during the first few years and slows as they age. It usually takes 17 molts to […]
Beach Chair Scientist’s Top Ten Posts
Now that we have posted 200 entertaining posts of random beach trivia we thought it would be fun to review the most visited posts to see what our audience enjoys reading from us. So during this holiday season let’s make a toast to the top ten most read entries. Thanks for reading all the posts […]
Action Project Ideas: Garden & Garage (2 of 5)
One idea I had when I started this website almost ten years ago was that I wanted to make science simple and accessible. I hope I have created a place where questions on anything from barnacles to whales can be answered in a knowledgeable no-nonsense or overly jargon tone. My secondary goal has also been […]
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 […]
Beyond the bag: Other plastics being banned
Lonely Whale, a UK Marketing Company, took over Seattle in 2017 for its “Strawless in Seattle” campaign and this summer (effective July 2018) Seattle will be the largest metropolitan city to ban the single-use plastic straw. Many local and some national brands, including Century Field and Seattle Seahawks, Safeco Field and Seattle Mariners, and Sea-Tac […]
How to track a horseshoe crab
Today I am excited to bring a new video produced by Coastal Kingdom TV, a television series dedicated to sharing the unique and diverse habitats of the South Carolina lowcountry. Host Tony Mills demonstrates the best way to track horseshoe crabs in the tidal flats of South Carolina and does a superb job enlightening us […]
Wednesday Wisdom: Susan Rockefeller
Susan Rockefeller is the CEO and Founder of Protect What Is Precious and Editor-In-Chief of Musings Magazine. Find more great ocean and conservation quotes here and please feel free to share with your friends and family! Also, ask away! If you have a question about something you found on the beach or just something you’re […]
100 ocean quotes
Because there is not just one quote that summarizes how ethereal and majestic the ocean is, and in honor of World Oceans Day, and because you know I like lists, here is an archive of some inspiring quotes about the important aspects of our ocean all from people you may have heard of a time […]
April is National Frog Month
Yes, that is correct – April is National Frog Month. However, this is not a post about the amphibian, but is all about the frogfish! Contrary to popular belief, it’s easy being green if you’re a frogfish. First of all, you can change colors from green to black, or red, or orange, or yellow, or […]
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- 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
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Top posts & pages from BCS …
- Hurricane vs. Cyclone vs. Typhoon
- A House for Hermit Crab
- How to handle a horseshoe crab
- Snot's your house
- Wednesday Wisdom: Various quotes (Alaska scenes)
- A naturalist's must-see destination: Fossil Hunting at Bayfront State Park in Chesapeake Beach, MD
- Belly biology creates lasting memories
- Five awful puns about courtship in the sea
- Horseshoe crabs confirmed as members of arachnid family
- Beyond the bag: Other plastics being banned
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