Category Archives: Science

Australian Clams Descend From Single Genetic Line

by Matthew Stansbery on March 14, 2013

Researchers at the University of Michigan have found another piece to the evolutionary puzzle through studying clams along the rocky Australian coast. An infrequent climatic event coupled with the unique underwater geography of the Australian coast provided the necessary conditions for three species of clam to diverge from one single ancestral line more than 13 or 14 million years ago, says researchers from the University of Michigan. Using the massive climate event called the middle Miocene climate transition, the authors suggest that during this time the Australian coast was split into different environmental zones with very different conditions. This change caused the split of one ancestral line of clam into four genetically different species. The Australian southern coast has three evolutionary distinct collections of marine taxon known as biogeographic provinces, and within each province species can vary morphologically as well as genetically. Co-author Diarmaid O’Foighil on the three members of clam currently classified as Lasaea australis: ”You cannot tell them apart physically, but their genes indicate that their evolutionary divergence predates that of humans from chimpanzees.” Further strengthening their findings, “This study provides important clues about how marine regional biotas can evolve, including our observation that these processes can involve major global climate change modulated by local geography,” Jingchun Li, lead author of the report and a doctoral student in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Read more here!… More:

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Stress test for corals

by Richard Aspinall on March 12, 2013

Using a world-first scientific discovery, Australian researchers are developing a stress-test for coral, to measure how coral reefs are being impacted by pressures from climate change and human activity.… More:

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Turtley Awesome News

by Heidi dM on March 11, 2013

Five decades of conservation sees the loggerhead turtle population on the South African east coast recovering nicely. The leatherback population, although small, remains stable. This is the good news from the annual season report. Other findings were that female loggerheads are getting smaller over time. This forces eggs and hatchlings to reduce in size over time and thus overall hatching and emergence success is reduced. The majority of loggerhead hatchlings are female though and this helps the recovery of the population. The monitoring programme is maintained by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife with support from Oceans and Coast (government Department of Environmental Affairs) and the iSimangaliso Park Authority, but without the help of the coastal aquaria and the KZN Sharks Board, important data would be missing. The Sharks Board reports on turtles caught in the nets whilst aquarium staff report and rehabilitate stranded turtles and if an animal cannot be released, it’s given a home. Green turtle hatchlings strand in the Eastern Cape where Bayworld staff collect and rehabilitate them, whereas Loggerhead turtle hatchlings strand down in Cape Town where the Two Oceans Aquarium staff collect them, start the rehabilitation process and then send them up the coast to uShaka Marine World to get big enough for release in the warmer east coast waters. A total of 38 turtles were stranded and rehabilitated in 2010/2011. Thumbs/flippers up to all those involved! If if you’d like to read more go to: www.kznwildlife.com, www.seaworld.org.za, www.aquarium.co.za, www.bayworld.co.za… More:

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Giant Goldfish Found in Lake Tahoe California

by Matthew Stansbery on March 6, 2013

Researchers in Lake Tahoe California have reeled in quite a catch lately as giant Goldfish are surfacing during their data gathering. Studying the impacts of invasive species the researchers use an electrical probe to stun fish for collection but Christine Ngai, of the University of Nevada, Reno, caused an unexpected foot long goldfish to float to the surface during her latest collection trip. Findings like this are becoming more and more frequent as “aquarium dumping” has been acknowledged for non-native introductions of flora and fauna to waters all throughout the world. Watch the video and read the story here! … More:

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Clownfish assist in Anemone Respiration

by Matthew Stansbery on March 4, 2013

Anemones and anemone fish have long had a relationship based on things like protection and sustenance but the findings recently published by Dr. Joe Szczebak from Auburn University have provided a more intimate connection. Joe’s studies include researching the respiratory capacities of corals and due to the lack of photosynthesis occurring during the nighttime he found that some corals need a little help breathing while they sleep. Finding that the most common of anemone fish, the “Clownfish,” was active more than 80% of the night implies that the constant movement provides oxygen to both host and hostess. Dr. Szczebak’s findings conflict with current understandings that clownfish remain passive at night to avoid predation. Joe summarizes his findings: “Many stony coral-dwelling fishes exhibit adaptations to deal with hypoxia among the branches of their hosts; however, no information exists on the respiratory ecophysiology of obligate fish associates of non-coral organisms such as sea anemones and sponges. This study investigated metabolic and behavioral interactions between two-band anemonefish (Amphiprion bicinctus) and bulb-tentacle sea anemones (Entacmaea quadricolor) at night. We measured the net dark oxygen uptake (, μmol O₂ h⁻¹) of fish–anemone pairs when partners were separate from each other, together as a unit, and together as a unit but separated by a mesh screen that prevented physical contact. We also measured the effects of water current on sea anemone and quantified the nocturnal behaviors of fish in the absence and presence of host anemones in order to discern the impacts of anemone presence on fish behavior. Net of united pairs was significantly higher than that of both separated pairs and united pairs that were separated by a mesh screen. Anemone increased with flow rate from 0.5 to 2.0 cm s⁻¹, after which remained constant up to a water flow rate of 8.0 cm s⁻¹. Furthermore, the percentage time and bout frequency of flow-modulating behaviors by fish increased significantly when anemones were present. We conclude that physical contact between anemonefish and sea anemones elevates the of at least one of the partners at night, and anemonefish behavior at night appears to oxygenate sea anemone hosts and to augment the metabolism of both partners.” Read the full text study here!… More:

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Crabs help reef fight deadly disease

by Richard Aspinall on February 28, 2013

A particular species of crab has been helping Great Barrier Reef coral combat white syndrome, a deadly disease that causes coral tissue to disintegrate.… More:

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The tale of a sea slug and its ‘disposable penis’

by Richard Aspinall on February 27, 2013

A sea slug that is able to detach, re-grow and then re-use its penis has surprised scientists. Japanese researchers observed the bizarre mating behaviour in a species called Chromodoris reticulata, which is found in the Pacific Ocean. They believe this is the first creature known that can repeatedly copulate with what they describe as a “disposable penis”.… More:

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DNA sequencing reveals two Genicanthus species almost raised at the Long Island Aquarium

by Todd Gardner on February 27, 2013

Last summer I reported on reefs.com that I had raised a number of marine angelfish (around a dozen in all) to more than one month of age using only cultured copepods obtained from Algagen. In each case, the late-stage larvae began to show a marked increase in pigmentation and changes in behavior that often coincide with settlement.… More:

Posted in Conservation, Fish, Industry, Science, Uncategorized | Tagged angelfish, Aquaculture, DNA Sequencing, Genicanthus, larva, larvae, Long Island Aquarium, marine, Todd Gardner | 3 Comments

Can Studying the Remora Fish Provide a New Bio-Adhesive?

by Matthew Stansbery on February 25, 2013

Most of us are familiar with a Remora as the fish we see attached to the underbelly of sharks and some whales. While their presence on larger marine animals is quite simply for subsistence and transportation reasons, the exact way with which Remora’s attach themselves and then release without harming the symbiont it attached itself to has been a bit of a mystery for researchers. “While other creatures with unique adhesive properties – such as geckos, tree frogs and insects – have been the inspiration for laboratory-fabricated adhesives, the remora has been overlooked until now,” said Georgia Tech Research Institute senior research engineer Jason Nadler. This study presents some interesting product development ideas much like those developed with the understanding of the gecko’s adhesion abilities, but with this latest finding they found the attachment to be passive, meaning the Remora can actively control the adhesion in a harmless manner. “The remora’s attachment mechanism is quite different from other suction cup-based systems, fasteners or adhesives that can only attach to smooth surfaces or cannot be detached without damaging the host.” said Nadler. Research scientist Allison Mercer takes it a bit further stating: “We would like to identify, characterize and harness its critical features to design and test attachment systems that enable those unique adhesive functions. Ultimately, we want to optimize a bio-inspired adhesive for a wide variety of applications that have capabilities and performance advantages over adhesives or fasteners available today.” Read more here!… More:

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Californian Fishroom Breeding of Rare Octopus

by Matthew Stansbery on February 22, 2013

In the spare bedroom of a Californian home lies one of the rarest species of octopus just waiting to be reared. Richard Ross, a well known biologist from the Californian Academy of Sciences, is attempting to breed a species of octopus so rare it doesn’t even have a scientific name applied to it yet. In a barebottom 100 gallon acrylic aquarium Richard houses two females and three males. You might be wondering, with the cannibalistic nature of cephalopod mating behaviors, why Richard is keeping this large a group in one aquarium. That is because this particular species has been observed to be a communal and can “cohabitate in pairs, the females can lay clutches of eggs again and again, and they sometimes share the same den, while groups of them are reported to live in colonies of 40 or more individuals” said UC Berkeley Dr. Roy Caldwell one of Richards’ colleagues on the project.

Pic courtesy of sfgate.com

The temporary name given is the Larger Pacific Striped Octopus, however, the species tends to stay relatively small in comparison to other larger octopuses. These golfball sized octopuses have proved to be a bit of a mystery for Richard and his team over the past couple years as they have yet to successfully find a feeding preference for the hatchlings. Read more here!… More:

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New Study Shows Herbivorous Fish are Cereal Eaters

by Matthew Stansbery on February 20, 2013

Reefs throughout the world are quickly becoming endangered with threats such as the crown of thorns, and in this case, algae that can proliferate too quickly suffocating other inhabitants such as coral. The threat of algae proliferation is becoming more and more of a factor as fishing all around the world has increased dramatically over the past 20 years and the removal of herbivorous fish that can naturally regulate algae growth is allowing some species of algae to grow out of control. Using underwater filming techniques researchers from Georgia Tech have discovered some herbivorous fish can be quite particular eaters, spelling yet another danger for recovering reefs. “Of the nearly 30 species of bigger herbivores on the reef, there were four that were doing almost all of the feeding on the seven species of seaweeds that we studied,” said Mark Hay a professor in the School of Biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “We did not see much overlap in the types of seaweed that each herbivore ate. Therefore, if any one of these four species was removed, that would potentially allow some macroalgae to proliferate.” “The patterns [of consumption] were remarkably consistent among the reefs in terms of which fish were responsible for removing the seaweed,” said Rasher. “Because different seaweeds use different defense strategies to deter herbivores from eating them, a particular mix of fish – each adapted to a particular type of seaweed – is needed to keep seaweeds off the reef.” Using a technique that is quite interesting the scientist were able to induce the particularity of consumption across species lines by removing a chemical indicator from one type of seaweed fish were attracted to, and then applying that signature to a different type of seaweed. This technique implies algae may emit a chemical signal warding off predators. Hoping to discuss their findings with local tribes fishermen, the team would like to limit fishing of the most important herbivorous fish. “Not fishing is really not an option for people in these communities,” Rasher said. “Giving the village leadership an idea of which species are essential to reef health and what they can do to manage fisheries effectively is something we can do to help them maintain a sustainable reef food system.” Read more here!… More: