The large amount of California Market Squid eggs means a feast for many other organisms in the bays around Catalina Island. Many fish, invertebrates and sharks such as this Angel Shark will use this abundant food source during the winter. I almost asked the Angel Shark to share, but realized there will hopefully be many squid and squid eggs for the future.
Diving in the marine reserve at Big Fisherman’s Cove near USC Wrigley Institute, diver Paul Tompkins observes squid eggs which span his entire view. This does not happen often according to the people working and living at the Marine Science Center. The squid and eggs are rarely this shallow and may be caused by colder than normal temperatures brought by La Niña.
What does the sediment look like on the bottom of the ocean? The easiest way to get a sample is to send a giant sediment sampler (grabber) which is open as it drops to the seafloor, and closes when hits the bottom. Then voila, the grabber is filled with sand or gravel from the ocean depths! We can get an idea of how these sediments will move by how large or small the particles are.
We’re famous! Well, in certain circles anyway. The folks at World’s Best 100 listed the Drop-In in their category “100 Best Blogs for Studying the Ocean.” We’re #16, and while no rhyme or reason is given for the rankings, that’s not too shabby, I’d say…
Their take on the Drop-In:
“Follow along with the graduate students at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories for some excellent (and homework-free!) lessons in marine science.”
Check out the list – maybe 100 isn’t being so selective, but we’re in good company with some great marine bloggers. That totally merits a flashy MLML sunset.
Rock greenling really know how to rock the spots. Though a little on the loud side above water, these showy patterns actually help the fish blend in with their rocky subtidal surroundings. These fish were caught during fishing surveys at Point Lobos as part of the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program. And look, they even come in assorted colors…
If you’re trying to study tidepool fishes, two words: good luck. These tiny and cryptic fishes like to hunker down in the rocks, making them very hard to spot. To get a closer look, the MLML Ichthyology class bubbles a little carbon dioxide into the pool to temporarily stun the fishes and coax them to the surface. In this case, the fishes were still playing hard to get – guess they don’t go for sparkling water.
Some lipstick, a hair brush…and oh look, a baby skate. Colloquially known as “mermaid’s purses,” these structures are actually the egg cases of some sharks and skates. The size of the one above, caught during a fish trawl survey, is a dead give away that it came from a big skate (Raja binoculata) because it’s just so, well, big. The adults can grow up to six feet long, and the largest described was just under eight feet. Big skates are one of the few skate species that can have more than one embryo per egg case. It could make a fetching clutch when the skates are done with it – you know, with something in hues of say seaweed and seashell…
Recent grad Heather Hawk snapped this photo while on a plane ride high above Moss Landing. From way up here you can see Moro Cojo Slough in the foreground, snaking out into the harbor. Surrounding the slough are fields of pickleweed, a wetland plant known for its tangy and salty ‘pickle’ flavor. The power plant can be seen by the two towers on the right side of the photo, and the large white field is what’s left from the magnesium oxide plant. The break in the dunes to the left of the power plant was created by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1946 to create Moss Landing Harbor. If you are interested in the history of Moro Cojo Slough, Elkhorn Slough and Moss Landing and would like to read more, take a look at the Elkhorn Slough Foundation website.
It’s clear, it’s blobby, and it floats in the ocean. This photo of a moon jelly in Monterey Bay makes it easy to understand sea turtles’ confusion in mistaking plastic bags for their favorite snacks. It’s a hard call when jellies can look so much like (no offense) trash. Unfortunately for the turtles, the mistake can be fatal if too much of that non-digestible plastic accumulates in their stomachs. Maybe they’d be better off sticking to jellies that resemble breakfast foods.
Recent Invertebrate Zoology graduate Amanda Kahn completes the kelp crawl challenge during a past MLML Lab Olympics competition. It has been said MLML students never graduate because we keep having too much fun…but Amanda proved it’s possible to do both!