Xiphosura is the order of the Atlantic horseshoe crab and its three closest living related species.
Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
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What is the state with the longest coastline?
I have lived in New Jersey, North Carolina and Florida – someone in each state has claimed that their state has the longest coastline along the Atlantic. Seriously – even, New Jersey! Usually, the phrase, “Well, we have a lot of coves and bays that jig jag in and out of the coast” is always […]
Simeon the whale may die without king salmon.
Environmental News Network sent a news release out today about a new report that states how Orca orca may die off if the numbers of king salmon continue to drop. The research was published in the Royal Society Biology Letters. The leading cause of the death of the killer whales is actually “nutritional stress” from […]
Witness the horseshoe crab molting process
I’d like to share this remarkable two and a half-minute video of a horseshoe crab during the molting process. Produced by the Hong Kong Coast Watch and filmed by Kevin Laurie in May 2011, this film shows a juvenile Tachypleus tridentatus (one of the three species found in the Pacific ocean along the coast of […]
Test your knowledge: Social science of the ocean
Here are some more sample questions from the Consortium for Ocean Leadership‘s popular National Ocean Science Bowl. These questions come from the Social Science section. Good luck! 1.) How often have men descended to the Challenger Deep? a) Once b) Twice c) Three times d) Never (The Challenger Deep is 36,000 feet deep along the […]
Have you watched Ocean Frontiers yet?
Ocean Frontiers is a movie you cannot miss the opportunity to watch. If not because you are genuinely interested in a film that outlines the transition of thought from the “the outlook is grim for the future of the ocean” to “there is a light at the end of the tunnel for our ocean“, then […]
What’s your favorite marine mascot?
We took our daughter to her first major league baseball game this weekend. I will never forget her cheery face when she’d point at the bright orange and black cartoon Orioles on fan’s shirts and say, “buuurrd?” The Phillies lost so it wasn’t the best experience we could have hoped for at Camden Yards, but […]
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 […]
Are flounder born flat?
They hatch from the egg looking exactly like typical fish, swimming in the upper waters. After two weeks the bridge of the fish’s nose fades away and then one of the eyes, depending on the species, shifts to one side. The process of becoming a complete “flat” fish takes a bit of time, but, once […]
Why are some animals ‘wallflowers’ and others are ‘social butterflies’?
An animal has many reasons to behave more like a ‘wallflower’ vs. a ‘social butterfly’. Some of the more universal reasons to lean to one behavior more than the other would be 1) habitat, 2) predators or 3) availability of food. For instance, river dolphins (pictured right) typically are solitaire animals because their habitat is […]
Are stingrays related to sharks?
Stingrays and sharks are very closely related. They belong to a group of fishes called the elasmobranchs. All elasmobranchs have 1) skeletons made of cartilage (the flexible material that makes up the tip of our nose and ears) and 2) 5-7 gill slits. Elasmobrachs includes sharks, rays, and skates. It’s not entirely incorrect to think […]
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- Hurricane vs. Cyclone vs. Typhoon
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- 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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