Deep Sea News

Below is a summary of tweets from February 28th, 2010

@kzelnio: #Chile #earthquake ruptured 400 miles of coastline http://is.gd/9nM1R #DSN comparable to Indonesia 2004 but w/ much less loss of life – 28 Feb 10 14:19

@kzelnio: Achorperson Science Stupidity Award #1 awarded for #HITsunami coverage by CNN’s Rick Sanchez http://is.gd/9nAd0 #DSN – 28 Feb 10 13:09

@kzelnio: RT @INSPIRE_CRUISE: http://twitpic.com/15u9bm – First glimpse of the seafloor from 2628m down at the triple junction! #DSN – 28 Feb 10 12:51

@meanladymadison: RT @DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Pic of exposed reefs off Kaua’i : http://twitpic.com/15q5ua (via @Researchagain) #hawaiitsunami #hitsunami #DSN – 28 Feb 10 00:51

@BoraZ: RT @DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Predictions of times were within minutes of when it actually hit – damn, that’s good science! #DsN – 28 Feb 10 00:49

@BoraZ: RT @DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Pic of exposed reefs off Kaua’i : http://twitpic.com/15q5ua (via @Researchagain) #hawaiitsunami #hitsunami #DSN – 28 Feb 10 00:49

@DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Predictions of times were within minutes of when it actually hit – damn, that’s good science! #DsN – 28 Feb 10 00:33

@DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Pic of exposed reefs off Kaua’i : http://twitpic.com/15q5ua (via @Researchagain) #hawaiitsunami #hitsunami #DSN – 28 Feb 10 00:31

@DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Gov Lingle: No damage reported in any county. #hawaiitsunami #hitsunami #DSN – 28 Feb 10 00:29

@loveofscience: RT @DrCraigMc: Chile earthquake one of biggest in the century http://bit.ly/c2tVLM #DSN – 28 Feb 10 00:14

Gizmodo reports that Dubai’s 2 million gallon shark tank sprung a leak. Check out the video:

But to me, the weirdest part of this is that the giant tank was in a shopping mall. Does seeing giant hungry sharks make people think of the way of all flesh, and thus buy expensive handbags? All it would make me do is wonder why I was wasting my time in the mall.

Thanks, M-C!

From Miya et al. 2010 Figure 1 - Representatives of the lophiiform suborders Lophioidei (A), Antennarioidei (B, C), Chaunacoidei (D), and Ogcocephaloidei (E)

My wife is from a very large family. Inevitably at in-law gatherings, I find myself whispering into my wife’s ear, “How are you related to that person?” Unfortunately, my wife has never provided me a nice family tree so I can see how these dozens of people fit together. Much is the same for the anglerfishes.  How are the Lophiodei related to the Antennariodei?  The Chunacoidei to the Ceratioidei?  The Tathicarpus to the Ogcocephaloidei?  How are the Wangdoodles related to the Hornswogglers, Snozzwangers, and the rotten, Vermicious Knids?  The answers to these questions are varied and riddled with uncertainty.

Somewhere in the history of fishes, the first spine in the dorsal fin took an evolutionary trip and found itself on tip of snout, becoming the lure that defines the anglerfishes.  Of course we cannot forget the other novel features of the anglerfishes: dwarf males, bioluminescence, and reproduction that often includes parasitism.  But how and when did the tiny free-swimming sperm packets that are anglerfish males evolve?  When did the lure start lighting up with a “come hither I want to eat you” message?  Unfortunately not knowing how these groups of anglerfish relate within the Lophiiformes, the order that contains all anglerfish, prevents us from knowing how all those wonderful anglerfish features evolved.

From Miya et al. 2010 Figure 2 Representatives of ceratioid families as recognized in study

New open-access work my Miya et al. seeks to but the 325 living species, 68 genera, 18 families, and five suborders into their place in the evolutionary tree.   Miya’s work seeks to link together the flat goosefishes and monkfishes; the deep seafloor frogfishses, sea-mice, sea-toads, warty anglerfishes, and handfishes; the globular coffinfishes; the flattened deep-sea batfishes; and the deep-sea anglerfish distinctive in superbly tiny males that attach themselves to like little sexual parasites to females.

From Miya et al. 2010 Figure 2 Representatives of ceratioid families as recognized in study

In just 30 million years (100-130 Myr) during the early to mid Cretaceous from a single ancestor, the anglerfishes evolved the set of novel features such as male dwarfism, bioluminescent lures, and unique reproductive modes.  These adaptations allowed anglerfish to quickly evolve and exploit the large and food-poor deep sea.  The deep-sea groups even evolved quicker than their shallow coastal cousins.  On this journey, males began to attach themselves, literally, to females, if only for a few lovely moments.  Afterwards and in some instances, males began to spend significantly more time with the lovely lady of their choice; attached to the female hip for longer periods of time but sometimes fending for themselves.  On the other hand some male anglerfish got wise.  They became full parasites and could not lead an independent existence.  Why swim and feed, run errands, do the laundry, clean house, if you don’t have to?

Miya, M., Pietsch, T., Orr, J., Arnold, R., Satoh, T., Shedlock, A., Ho, H., Shimazaki, M., Yabe, M., & Nishida, M. (2010). Evolutionary history of anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes): a mitogenomic perspective BMC Evolutionary Biology, 10 (1) DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-10-58

From Miya et al. 2010 Figure 10 Divergence times of the Lophiiformes

Below is a summary of tweets from February 27th, 2010

@kcisc: RT @NatureNews: RT @DrCraigMc: Video – Water receding 10 ft in Peru http://bit.ly/cFT5O5 ( h/t @TM_Video @Magiko) #tsunami #DSN – 27 Feb 10 20:48

@BasjedB: RT @DrCraigMc: RT @therightblue: Live cam of what is happening on Maui, the tsunami waves: http://bit.ly/a4GfH5 #hitsunami ” #DSN – 27 Feb 10 19:54

@NerdyChristie: RT @DrCraigMc: RT @therightblue: Live cam of what is happening on Maui, the tsunami waves: http://bit.ly/a4GfH5 #hitsunami ” #DSN – 27 Feb 10 19:44

@DrCraigMc: RT @therightblue: Live cam of what is happening on Maui, the tsunami waves: http://bit.ly/a4GfH5 #hitsunami ” #DSN – 27 Feb 10 19:36

@DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Navy ships now moving out to sea. Four ships moving out of Pearl Harbor. #hawaiitsunami #DSN – 27 Feb 10 19:25

@DrCraigMc: RT @damontucker #Tsunami at Marquesas Island smaller than forecast; HI impact could B less than initial expectations – NWS #DSN – 27 Feb 10 19:24

@DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Pres Obama “The best thing you can do it carefully heed the instructions of your state and local officials” #tsunami #DSN – 27 Feb 10 19:22

@DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Police helicopters flying over north shore to tell surfers to get out of the water. #HItsunami #DSN – 27 Feb 10 19:20

@DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: What does it sound like here? http://bit.ly/b2yZUc #HItsunami #DSN – 27 Feb 10 19:20

@DrCraigMc: RT @NerdyChristie: Tsunami not just in Hawaii! Over 3 foot tsunami expected to hit Santa Monica http://bit.ly/bK31xv #tsunami #DSN – 27 Feb 10 18:29

@DrCraigMc: Chile earthquake one of biggest in the century http://bit.ly/c2tVLM #DSN – 27 Feb 10 18:22

@DrCraigMc: RT @h3xno: List of ppl twittering frm/about Chile earthquake / tsunami http://bit.ly/bR1HXd (Updated 18:17 GMT) – #tsunami #quake #DSN – 27 Feb 10 18:21

@DrCraigMc: RT @dennisbrophy: WCATWC estimates tidal event 2 arrive at Seaside, Ore at 2:46pm PST http://bit.ly/dAqJ3r #tsunami #DSN – 27 Feb 10 18:20

@eclecticechoes: RT @DrCraigMc @therightblue: Hawaii urges all vessels, ground crews to evacuate harbor areas ahead of #tsunami #DSN – 27 Feb 10 18:20

@NerdyChristie: RT @DrCraigMc: RT @therightblue: RT @bnsullivan: RT @BreakingNews: Hawaii urges all vessels, ground crews to evacuate harbor areas ahead of #tsunami #DSN – 27 Feb 10 18:19

Below is a summary of tweets from February 26th, 2010

@ElOceanografo: Ocean grad student? Want a free copy of “Deep Blue Home?” First 10 to leave addresses here get one: http://bit.ly/cNSrf1 #nepotism #DSN – 26 Feb 10 22:36

@BomaiBlat: RT @DrCraigMc: Hydrothermal vents sometimes colonized from afar: Deep-sea currents can waft larvae hundreds of kilometers http://bit.ly/cIresy #DSN – 26 Feb 10 21:19

@eclecticechoes: RT @DrCraigMc Hydrothermal vents can be colonized from afar: Deep-sea currents can waft larvae 100’s of km http://bit.ly/cIresy #DSN – 26 Feb 10 21:12

@SFriedScientist: RT @DrCraigMc: Hydrothermal vents sometimes colonized from afar: Deep-sea currents can waft larvae hundreds of kilometers http://bit.ly/cIresy #DSN – 26 Feb 10 21:04

@DrCraigMc: Hydrothermal vents sometimes colonized from afar: Deep-sea currents can waft larvae hundreds of kilometers http://bit.ly/cIresy #DSN – 26 Feb 10 21:03

@kzelnio: RT @BoraZ: RT @espeithpbin PLoS ONE: Baselines and Degradation of Coral Reefs in the Northern … http://bit.ly/aDmcol #DSN – 26 Feb 10 20:35

@DrCraigMc: Does Bloom Box mean anything to you? It should http://bit.ly/deJAOb #DSN – 26 Feb 10 17:18

@kzelnio: The Glorious Gam http://bit.ly/cd62Yo (via @sfriedscientist) << There’s more to #oceans than science! #DSN – 26 Feb 10 14:52

@kzelnio: Awesome! Good luck and keep an eye out for chitons on bacterial mats! RT @INSPIRE_CRUISE: Check out our website: http://is.gd/9er6J #DSN – 26 Feb 10 12:53

@DrCraigMc: RT @therightblue: Giant iceberg breaks off from Antarctic glacier – http://link.reuters.com/puv72j http://ow.ly/16FoZc #DSN – 26 Feb 10 12:51

@DolphinSeeker30: RT: @kzelnio: RT @BoraZ: How Do You ‘Euthanize’ A Six Ton Whale?: http://bit.ly/dtSBxQ #scibling #DSN – 26 Feb 10 08:36

@kzelnio: lol @thejives RT @DrCraigMc: #DSN is a gateway drug and @kzelnio is the the candyman http://bit.ly/d6sKkM – 26 Feb 10 04:25

@DrCraigMc: Bacteria drive electric deep-sea mud? http://bit.ly/c7xxlP #DSN – 26 Feb 10 03:50

@DrCraigMc: #DSN is a gateway drug and @kzelnio is the the candyman http://bit.ly/d6sKkM – 26 Feb 10 03:49

USS Ohio. Photo from Wikimedia

What started off 2 years ago as a joke by sub enthusiasts, will now be a reality. The Navy has made it clear that it wants to allow women to serve on submarines and is has hinted it is prepared to make those moves toward renovating quarters for the new occupants. Making up nearly 14% of Navy, women are increasingly become more important to the Navy’s operation. They grow up wanting to explore the deep sea just as much as any man and do just as good as a job.

What is impressive is that the Navy took the first step and it is a strategic move in more than just rightly promoting gender equality, as pointed out in Connecticut’s TheDay.com:

In addition to the fairness of providing women the same opportunities as their male counterparts, there are practical reasons for the change. It is an ongoing challenge for the Navy to recruit enough men to serve aboard submarines. Because of the unique challenges of submarine service, submariners face more rigorous intellectual and psychological standards. Permitting women would significantly expand the pool of potential recruits.

But there are some strange oppositions to this. From what I’ve read, it really breaks down into women invading the ‘good ole boys club’, as hinted by this retired Navy captain writing in the Arizona Republic and the following news clip from CBS:

Submarines present a unique environment, and to anyone who has served on them as I have, the reasons to exclude women are obvious.

First, submarines are extremely cramped; space is at a premium and every inch is used for needed equipment, weapons, sensors and supplies. To accommodate women, costly design modifications would be required and take space needed for higher priority items.

Secondly, putting men and women together in very confined quarters for long periods of time submerged (up to two-plus months) is simply asking for trouble, both aboard the submarine and potentially on the home front.”

These attitudes are troubling on multiple fronts. Not sure how women take up much more space than men in a bunk. Is all the hair dryers and make-up? They hint that sharing bathrooms is a problem. Well, on research ships where we often have mixed crew, quarters are assigned such that bathrooms are shared by all members of the same sex. Surely, this could be arranged?

Most disconcerting is that this discussion appears to a priori assume women are to blame for the potential to cause problems because of their presence. Or is it just me? There seems to be a subtle tone that women will arrive on subs and total sexual anarchy will result. The comment in the video about worry there will be more sexual harassment lawsuits is probably NOT THE WOMEN’S FAULT if she is being harassed. There seems to be this belief that women will invade the married man’s sanctuary and steal your husbands!1!!1!!  If these “rigorous intellectual and psychological standards” that are required are true, then surely married men can control themselves on (and off) the job? Shocking as it may seem to prime time network TV viewers, but not all male-female interactions need have sexual overtones.

I’ll close with this bit of hindsight from TheDay.com that reminds us:

“Many of the concerns about allowing women aboard submarines – lack of privacy, fears of fraternization, disrupting crew morale and camaraderie – are the same heard when the Navy first allowed women on support ships in 1978 and on combat ships in 1994. Most apt to the discussion about allowing women on submarines is the fact the Navy now has gender-integrated crews on ships once considered too small for mixed crews, such as mine hunters.”

Below is a summary of tweets from February 25th, 2010

@jebyrnes: RT @oystersgarter: Here’s the photo of the bear eating a Humboldt squid. Thanks @Browntideguy! http://twitpic.com/15aef2 #ocean10 #DSN – 25 Feb 10 23:40

@kzelnio: RT @BoraZ: How Do You ‘Euthanize’ A Six Ton Whale?: http://bit.ly/dtSBxQ #scibling #DSN – 25 Feb 10 23:17

@DrCraigMc: RT @oystersgarter: Here’s the photo of the bear eating a Humboldt squid. Thanks @Browntideguy! http://twitpic.com/15aef2 #ocean10 #DSN – 25 Feb 10 23:09

@INSPIRE_CRUISE: Check out our website: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/10chile/welcome.html
#DSN – 25 Feb 10 19:28

@LizNeeley: So very cool – RT @kzelnio: Evolutionary history of anglerfishes! http://is.gd/9aaWA #DSN #openaccess #OA #awesome – 25 Feb 10 17:39

@DrCraigMc: Is #DSN one of the funniest science blogs? You bet your sweet ass we are! http://bit.ly/6ni9hF – 25 Feb 10 17:15

@NHillgarth: RT @kzelnio: Evolutionary history of anglerfishes! http://is.gd/9aaWA #DSN #openaccess #OA #awesome – 25 Feb 10 16:24

@kzelnio: Evolutionary history of anglerfishes! http://is.gd/9aaWA #DSN #openaccess #OA #awesome – 25 Feb 10 15:59

@DrCraigMc: #sfriedsc tackles why the cult of dolphin is ludicrous, a must read for #DSN followers http://bit.ly/9WePob – 25 Feb 10 01:32

@FeteSociety: http://blogcarnival.com/bc/cprof_8343.html Would love some marine/ocean entries 4 Diversity in Science Carnival Black History Month #DSN – 25 Feb 10 01:07

Photo from Jacksonbrowne.com.

As a lifelong Jackson Browne fan, I am excited to announce that he will be awarded Duke University’s LEAF award for Lifetime Environmental Achievement in Fine Arts.

Browne was selected by the executive committee of the school’s Board of Visitors, which cited “his extraordinary body of work as a songwriter and musician that reminds us of the magical and redemptive connection that exists between all peoples and the natural world, and of the mysteries of time and distance that constrain our lives.” In recognition of this, as well as his “early, strong and untiring advocacy for the planet,” Browne will be presented with the LEAF award in a public ceremony at Page Auditorium beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday during Duke Alumni Reunion Weekend.

“Jackson Browne is no pretender. While inspiring a generation to work for a better life and a better future for our children through his music, he has advocated for environmental stewardship and has a house that runs entirely on wind and solar power,” said William L. Chameides, dean of the Nicholas School. “Browne exemplifies what the Duke LEAF Award is all about. We are thrilled to have him come to the Duke campus to receive the award.”

Below is a summary of tweets from February 24th, 2010

@DrCraigMc: RT @tdelene: atn @kzelnio @DrCraigMc, useful for DSN? RT @CliftonWiens: The Marina Trench… in graphic, to scale: http://bit.ly/clykHc #DSN – 24 Feb 10 22:51

@DrCraigMc: RT @rmacpherson: Real life Avatar-like assault on environment gets the green light in Papua New Guinea: http://tinyurl.com/ybfecam #DSN – 24 Feb 10 11:45

@DrCraigMc: Damn marine mammals! RT @science: Sperm whales may team up & hunt collaboratively – they might corral deep squid http://bit.ly/9mTBVg #DSN – 24 Feb 10 11:43

@kzelnio: RT @SFriedScientist: Sign marine biologists spend too much time in lab: http://yfrog.com/3n4srrj @kzelnio @bomaiblat #DSN – 24 Feb 10 03:03