Organisms

Abyss Adaptations Biology Cnidaria Ecology Evolution Habitats Mating & Reproduction New Research Organisms Pelagic

The Ocean’s Gelantinous Christmas Tinsel

The above photo is of Apolemia lanosa a type of siphonophore belonging to phylum Cnidaria that also includes corals and jellies. It’s basically the ocean’s…

Biology Conservation & Environment Ecology Fish Fishing Opinion & Editorial Sharks

Where The Wild Things Are

RickMac December 11, 2013 Culling policy shark attacks Western Australia

“I feel like I’m taking crazy pills.” That’s my honest reaction after reading news of Western Australia’s plan to reduce fatal shark attacks through the…

Biology Ecology Habitats Pelagic Sharks

Whale Shark and Manta Ray Gif Roundup

Dr. M December 10, 2013 GIF manta ray Mexico Simon Pierce whale shark

Dr. Simon Pierce (@simonpierce) is a marine biologist extraordinaire focusing on whale sharks. He is the Principal Scientist at the Marine Megafauna Foundation and Science Coordinator of the Global Whale Shark…

Adaptations Biology Cephalopods Fish Habitats Mammals Mollusk Organisms Pelagic Seeps, Vent, & Whale Falls Sharks

An Oceanic Ode

Dr. M December 10, 2013 Blue Whale Edgar Allen Poe Hydrothermal Vent Nudibranch ORCA poetry Pycnopodia Rockfish shark sunflower sea star The Raven Vampire Squid whale shark

This guest post is brought to you by Sheanna Steingass. Shea is a graduate student at Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute studying the behavioral…

Biology Evolution Mammals Mating & Reproduction Organisms

The Tiny Swimming Pigs of Pig Beach

Dr. M December 9, 2013 bacon Bahama pig swimming pig

On a largely uninhabited island (a cay) in Bahamas, the chief residents are less than a two-dozen feral pigs. The island is now more lovingly…

Adaptations Biology Cephalopods Evolution Mating & Reproduction New Research Organisms

Pygmy Squids Females Favor Small Males and Fast Copulation

Dr. M December 5, 2013 body size coitus copulation cryptic female Mating pygmy squid squid

Females of some species in the wild may not be able to prevent unwanted sex with males. In many crustaceans, males forcibly mate with females…

Fish New Research Plastic

Guest post: The invisible consequences of mistaking plastic for dinner

Miriam Goldstein December 2, 2013 Chelsea Rochman ecotoxicology marine debris plastic pollution

The long and windy path to a Ph.D. is lined with blood, sweat and tears. Like a roller coaster, it can be filled with joy, anxiety, fear and even nausea. This story is regarding one chapter of my dissertation, one that filled me with all these emotions and lead me to the conclusion that even in science, sh%* happens. But in this story, what we could not control lead us to better scientific conclusions with greater environmental realism. Due to what may seem like an experimental shortcoming, we were able to answer an important “so what?” question related to plastic marine debris.