Ichthyology student Jahnava Duryea shows off a fine-looking specimen of cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus) during fish tagging surveys of Central California’s marine protected areas with the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program. Cabezon are the largest members of the sculpin family, dwarfing their cousin sculpins that can fit in the palm of your hand. What punks.
In order to understand how ocean conditions affect fish populations, researchers need to know something about the state of the water when they count fish. Dr. Rick Starr (left) and Ichthyology student Katie Schmidt are getting ready to test the ocean temperature and clarity as part of fishing surveys with the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program. Dr. Starr is holding a white sensor that records the temperature of the water as it is lowered from the surface.
In Katie’s hand is a secchi disc, an extremely high tech instrument that oceanographers have been using to determine water clarity since Pietro Angelo Secchi invented it in 1865. The disc is lowered until it is no longer visible from above the water, and the point at which it disappears is the Secchi depth. It’s cheap, simple and if it ain’t broke…
If you slice into a tuna like we did in Ichthyology class, here is what you’ll see: a layer of red muscle sandwiched between white muscle (which looks pink in this photo). The oxygen-rich red muscle helps tunas power through the water. Having red muscle located near the core of their body makes tunas unique from many other fishes, and allows them to keep their muscle at a higher temperature than the surrounding water. Warmer muscle means faster contractions and increased power. No wonder tunas are some hot-blooded fish!
Though potentially a common sight in a sushi kitchen, these yellowfin tuna were collected for research, not eating. The tuna arrived at an Ichthyology guest lecture in 2008 courtesy of fish physiologist Dr. Jeffery Graham from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and two of his grad students. They are slicing in to display this warm-blooded fish’s unique musculature. What does it look like? Stay tuned to find out!
It’s the catch from a midwater trawl. The fishes you see are Myctophids, or different kinds of lanternfishes that live in the deepsea. They have the amazing ability to produce light, or bioluminesce. Also in this picture are many types of plankton, that include the red, shrimp-like invertebrates you see. Can you find the jelly?
Everyone knows how you catch a fish: With a net, or with a pole, right?
But, how do marine scientists manage to catch sea birds? Can’t they just “fly away”?
Of course, most species can do just that! So, how to get your hands on these shy creatures? Wouldn’t it be nice if the birds just gathered in groups, like so many fishes do?
Wait …
Seabirds DO gather in groups – to nest at their breeding colonies,
… and sometimes at sea in large, drifting “rafts”!
…So, how to catch seabirds … hmmmm?
by Erin Loury, Ichthyology Lab
Skeletons are not just the stuff of Halloween at a marine lab – bones galore grace these halls of science year round. Although being surrounded by dead things can lead to some unfortunate stereotypes of mad scientists with macabre fetishes, getting up close and personal with bones is one of the best lessons in basic anatomy.
That’s why in Spring 2008, many of us set to the task of cleaning, taking apart and putting together fish skeletons for our Ichthyology class to better understand how the skeletal structures of these fish “work.” In honor of Halloween, check out some of our bone creations – I mean, preparations (affectionately known as “bone preps”):
Learning bones can have some practical bearing for research as well. While going through the stomach contents of my gopher rockfish, I have had to try to identify little fish prey items from their bones. As an example of cool cross-disciplinary collaborations, I and some other diet students have enlisted the help of Crisite Boone, an archaeologist from UC Santa Cruz who is an expert in fish bones from her study of California Indian middens. Who knew that identifying fish from bits of bone pieces could be a transferable skill?
Here’s a look at one of the more unique skeletons I found, that of a prickleback of some kind. Note the really robust spines on its back – looks almost…prickley, wouldn’t you say?
Happy Halloween!!!
Dr. Scott Hamilton will be joining the Moss Landing Marine Labs faculty in Spring 2011 as the new Ichthyologist. Currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Santa Barbara, Scott has participated in a variety of exciting research projects. He gave us a chance to ask a few questions about his current work, and his future plans. Keep reading to find out what we learned. (Interview by Brynn Hooton).
Q: Scott, how did you get your start as an ichthyologist?
A: My interest in the world of ichthyology began when I was kid and tried to read every book I could find about sharks. However, my first research project started during college. Through a tropical field studies program in Panama, we examined the ability of large roving parrotfish schools (important grazers on coral reefs) to circumvent the defenses of territorial damselfish and gain access to their algal gardens.
Q: What is the one thing about MLML that you are most looking forward to?
A: At Moss Landing I am most looking forward to working closely with students to develop exciting research projects that will get us diving in the beautiful kelp forests around Monterey Bay
Q: Anything new with your research that you would like to share?
A: We just started a new research project examining differences in reproductive behaviors and mating success of California sheephead inside and outside of marine reserves at Catalina Island. Unfortunately, this summer the waters have been unseasonably cold due to strong La Nina conditions and the fish were not courting or mating at any of our sites. So, we shifted gears and instead conducted experiments to examine size-selective foraging of sheephead on sea urchins and differences in predation rates inside and outside of reserves. There was a strong lesson here that sometimes there are factors outside of your control that affect research. We also overlapped on this trip with Diana Stellar and a number of students from Moss Landing, which provided for endless good times.
Q: When do you plan to relocate?
A: My wife and I are hoping to move to Monterey sometime around December and look forward to becoming integrated in the Moss Landing community.
That’s all from Scott for now, but check back during the spring semester to find out about all of the new adventures he’s having at Moss Landing Marine Labs.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EVajpR95bI]
Video by Cassandra Brooks
Moss Landing Marine Labs alumna Cassadra Brooks has taken her research on the Antarctic toothfish to a new level, hoping to effectively convey relevant science to the public and fisheries managers. Now a science communicator for The Last Ocean project, Cassandra recently interviewed MLML Professor Emeritus Greg Cailliet about the aspects of deep-sea fishes, including their old ages and slow growth and reproduction, that make them vulnerable to overfishing.
Dr. Cailliet is our local goldmine of ichthyology (that’s fish knowledge!). Get the scoop straight from the expert’s mouth!
by Erin Loury, Ichthyology Lab
Anyone who has visited an MLML Open House knows that the puppet show is a longstanding tradition and major highlight for visitors of all ages. After much patience and anticipation, the 2009 puppet show is now available for your viewing pleasure!
Follow Harry Spotter the scorpion fish, Ron the rockfish, and Hermione the Hermit crab on a Darwin-inspired search for their relatives with shared adaptations. Their adventure takes them on a daring break-in to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where they meet an array of colorful and musical coral reef inhabitants!
The show is divided into two parts – apologies for the poor lighting in the first 1:30 minutes of the show!
Part 1: Following in spirit of Darwin
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBc637v5N3M]
Part 2: Journey to the coral reef
Make sure you don’t miss this year’s puppet show – join Dora the Exploring Sperm Whale on her journey to the deep sea! Show times are:
Saturday, April 17th: 11 am, 1 pm, 2:30 pm, 4 pm
Sunday, April 18th: 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm
We hope to see you there!
