If you occasionally work the exhibit paths, these pages can be a handy dandy refresher reference guide for you. They include info from the "What's New" articles written by Billy Graham going back to January 2001 (this page archives 2003, click here for 2002 exhibit info) on a variety of exhibit animals (including where many are from) which you may find useful in fielding questions from guests.
An easy way to use these pages is to do a word search. For example, have a question about the goliath grouper? If you use either Netscape or Internet Explorer (this includes you AOL users), just simultaneously press the [Control] and [F] buttons on your keyboard to pull up the find menu, and type in "goliath".
You can also find more offbeat things to talk about on the Things That Make You Go Hmmm... page. 12/15
Most of you have seen our Large Mouth Bass in the Aquifer, the entrance to the wetlands exhibit. When we opened we did have some larger ones (over 10 pounds), but their gregarious eating habits (true of all the bass family, both fresh and saltwater) forced us to remove them for the smaller ones we have now.
The Big Bass Record Club, which is the brainchild of a local Ford dealer, Bill Currie, is offering the largest reward ever offered, man or beast for a bass larger than the record 22 pound, 4 ounce large mouth caught by George Perry in Georgia in 1932. The prize is 8 million dollars!
By the way, the largest whopper bass caught here in Florida was 20 pounds, 3 ounces in 1923 in Pasco County.
You may have noted that there are a lot more fish at the end of the wetlands in exhibit 3-18. Several small Cobia were recently added, along with more Mangrove Snappers. Across the way are many more new fish including a Lane Snapper, some Schoolmaster Snappers (with the yellow tail) and a Southern Puffer fish.
Down the path, in the piling by the bridge in Bays and Beaches, many small Permit, Florida Pompano, and Atlantic Spadefish were recently added.
12/10
If you have taken the time to walk by the No Bone Zone lately, you will notice a large number of snails in the Terrific Pacific tank. These inverts were placed in the tank to keep the algae down, but mixed in with them are a couple little, very colorful Hermit Crabs. Check these out sometime and point them out to the guests who meander by the exhibit.
There are numerous great little animals in the exhibit with the coral, including a Brittlestar, a Banded Coral Shrimp, and several very interesting little Pacific reef fish.
In case you have not noticed the amount of the jellyfish in both of the exhibit tanks past the Coral Reef has been greatly increased. The Moon Jellies are much larger, and the Comb Jellies are abundant. The animals belong to the phylum Cnidarians, and are related to anemones and Sea Whips.
The tentacles of jellyfish (like anemones) are lined with special pressurized cells that eject a harpoon-shaped barb, which in beds itself in the tissue of the prey. The barb contains a toxin that immobilizes and kills small creature, so they can be eaten. Most jellyfish toxins are, at worst, irritating to creatures as large as humans, but those of the Pacific Sea Wasp, the Portuguese Man-of-War, and the Box Jellyfish can be fatal
12/3
If you've noticed recently, the Southern’s are looking a bit thin. They seem to be going through a growth spurt. They are being fed an extra feeding in the mornings five days a week. I am just letting you know that they are eating twice a day now. Should they appear not hungry in the afternoon at your regular feeding time, it is not because they are also being fed in the morning. It is most likely that the water temperature is changing due to the colder weather, and animals do not eat as much in the colder temperatures as they normally do in the warmer months.
Another factor to take into consideration is the fact that there are some mating behaviors going on in that exhibit, something that also curbs appetites. So, thank you very much for keeping an eye on that exhibit, and certainly for voicing your concerns
Now that we have an American Crocodile in our school outreach menagerie, it is a good time to review this animal. For those of you that have been here since day one, you will remember that when we opened there were three American Crocs here, two male and one female.
They were in the exhibit now inhabited by the Nutria and Cormorants. Those original three were gone within a couple years, and then replaced by another one in 3-18 (across from the Nutria), but it stayed hidden most of time, and was sent to Busch Gardens. Since then we have had none in the aquarium.
We have never had any Caiman, which is the other species in the Alligatorinae subfamily. There are five species of Caiman, all here in the Americas: Black Caiman, Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman, Schneider's Dwarf Caiman, Broad Snouted Caiman, and the Common Caiman. All of these are found in South America, plus the Common Caiman is also found in the southern countries of Central America.
Members of the Crocodylinae subfamily here in the Americas besides the American Crocodile are the Cuban Crocodile (Cuba), Morelet's Crocodile (Mexico and Guatemala) and the Orinoco Crocodile (Colombia and Venezuela).
The American Crocodile is found normally in salt water or brackish estuaries, and is known to grow to 20 feet. This species is endangered here in the US. This is the only croc species widespread in the Americas. It is a common resident of coastal habitats and large rivers.
It is thought to be dangerous to humans; however, authenticated records of attacks on humans are extremely rare. It does share habitats with other species of crocs and caimans, which leads to confusion of identity in case of attacks.
The diet of the American Croc is broad, eating fish, insects, birds, turtles, aquatic invertebrates and small mammals. Reproduction, of course, is similar to Alligators, laying eggs (30-60) in an excavated hole in the ground. The hatching time is a little longer than the Alligator, or about 75 days. Parental care has been reported and adults appear to guard the nests, and the female will excavate the nests and transport the young to the water.
We all welcome our new little animal to the Aquarium. The sex is unknown, but it was hatched at a reptile farm July first of this year.
Sixty-three new Spadefish were added to the pilings in the Bays and Beaches, and the puffer and blennies were taken out. Later this week we will add 45 more Wrasses to the Wrasse exhibit in the tunnel preceding the Coral Reef.
The Blacknose sharks and the Southern stingrays have been returned to the Coral Reef. Two of the females are on the deep side, and the other three (all female) are in the overhead window area of the tunnel leading to the Coral Reef. There are two male Southern rays in with the female Southern rays (the only Atlantic ray in the exhibit is a male), and it is about mating time. It would be so cool to have little rays in the touch pool. They have but two or three babies at a time (rarely four), and the gestation period is about eight months.
11/26
22 Lookdowns from our last collection trip will be added to the pilings exhibit in the Bays and Beaches (across from the Goliath Grouper) in the next couple days.
I am sure you have noticed the Horse Conch in the Bay Bottoms exhibit near the Water Quality Lab. Just recently conch imports from Honduras, Dominican Republic and Haiti were banned in the United States.
Americans love this ceviche-style delicacy floating in chowder, or whipped into fritters. Our collective appetites gobble up 80 percent of the world's supply (about 5 million pounds per year).
It is illegal to collect this delicacy in U.S. waters, except a small area in Puerto Rico. The Queen conch, one of the most sought-after species, can grow to twelve inches long and five pounds in three to five years, and live to be about 40.
The adult Queen conch is also a favorite food of Loggerhead sea turtles, and can produce egg cases that is gelatinous and contain as many as 400,000 embryos.
The Wobbegong shark has returned to Shark Bay. If you notice a little different color it is because all Elasmobranches (shark and rays) can alter their external color to match the environment, and the quarantine area she was in has a different color base than shark bay.
The sardines that were recently collected will be added soon.
If you have ever watched our Shark show from Shark Bay you will hear the statistic that humans kill over 100 million sharks every year. Actually that number is closer to 200 million. Considering that half of all sharks killed, die as unregulated by- catch, the real toll is probably much higher. 79 species of sharks (out of 380) are either critically endangered or threatened.
11/19
We have had an addition to our Coral Farm today. Sean received 70 pieces of damaged coral from Key West, where they are dredging the seawall, and taking the coral and either transplanting it, or sending it where it can be taken care of.
They have run out of room for now, so we will work with this coral, and hope to eventually return it to the Keys.
In the Invasive species exhibit, the Iguana that was on exhibit has been removed and will not return.
Another animal that is in the Invasive exhibit is the Tilapia. Tilapia is the generic name of a group of cichlids native to Africa. These fish are sunfish shaped, but can be easily identified by an interrupted lateral line characteristic of the cichlid family.
Tilapias can be found in blue, white, red, pink, and natural colors. They are essentially a farm-raised fish. In fact, the Nile Tilapia was one of the first fish species farm-raised in the world. Egyptian tombs show that Nile Tilapia was cultured more than 3,000 years ago.
Today Tilapia is the most widely farmed freshwater fish in the world, with the Republic of China the largest producer. They are grown inside and do not like low temperatures. If the temperature drops below 85, they stop eating.
The collection trip last week netted several hundred sardines that will be put in Shark Bay and the pilings exhibit in Bays and Beaches as soon as they clear quarantine. Some spots were also collected for the last exhibit in the wetlands (3-18). Another trip is programmed for later this year in the Gulf.
So many people are amazed when they see the lobster and horseshow crab molts at the Bone Zone. Most people are totally overwhelmed about this molting act, and many have said to me "I never knew about this", and have many questions.
The act of escaping the old shell (molting or shedding) is known as ecdysis (from the Greek ekdysis meaning "getting out"). Most arachnids and crustaceans extrude the eggs (push them out the abdominal cavity) and carry them on the outside of their shells on the underneath side towards the tail so they can be fertilized. Then, after the eggs are laid, it is time to molt.
Some of you may have noted that we now only have two Spot Shrimp left in the exhibit. The others have become Shortspined Sea star dinners after they molted when the sea stars can catch up with them.
Some more animals in the Reef Mysteries are being changed. The Hogfish in the one exhibit are being replaced with some new Pudding wives and Blue head Wrasse.
Soon the biologists will take the small Nurse Sharks and Scorpion fish from the exhibit and replace them with Yellowhead Jawfish (probably January).
11/11
Have you ever wanted to see our dive show without the crowd? Well, now you can. There is a camera installed in the Coral Reef (right under the platform below where the tender sits) that covers the area in front of the window on the waterside. You can see the diver in the water when the dive shows are in progress, and the fish swimming by when the diver is not in the exhibit.
You can get this camera program on our website. The website can be found at http://www.flaquarium.org. Then click onto "coral reef underwater camera". This is camera two. Camera one will let you see our Coral Farm on the top deck outside the Invaders exhibit. It is also visible at night, since there is enough light for a reasonably clear picture.
One of the green morays for the Coral reef is being returned to the exhibit. The shark and rays are still out of the exhibit while the water is being treated.
In case you haven't been down in the Sea Hunt area lately, please remember that there are actually three species of Lionfish in the exhibit (Radiata, Voltara, and Antenatta).
When you move on down the path, you will see the clownfish and anemones in the last exhibit. This exhibit has been especially queried about since the movie "Nemo" has been released. There are three kinds of anemones in the exhibit and three kinds of clownfish, the most notable one being the Common Clownfish (the one with the orange stripes on it).
The exact number anemones in that family grouping are unknown, but estimated to be over 1,000, however, there are only about ten species that actually have been noted to be clownfish hosts.
10/28
As you approach the No Bonz Zone, how many of you have ever noticed the sponges in a basket? Sponges, Phylum Porifera, are ancient animals that bridge the gap between colonies of single celled organisms and the much more complex jellyfishes. The word "Porifera" means "pore bearer", and these animals constitute the simplest of multicellular animals. They are sessile organisms, which means they live attached to objects, and therefore are not able to move about.
They have no true tissues or organs, rather various individual cells perform the life functions of the sponge. Most sponges are marine, only 150 or so freshwater species have been indentified out of some 5,000 species of this group.
In Tarpon Springs, they have an intereresting Sponge Museum. Tarpon Springs has been known for the sponge docks and collection since the mid 1850s. Water circulating though the sponge supplies oxygen and food, and removes waste as well. Sponges pump a surprising amount of water in a day. For example, one type of sponge that measures 5 inches by 1/2 inch will pump as much as six gallons of water per day through its chambers.
They eat very fine detritus particles and organisms such as bacteria and plankton. We have many species of anemones here in the aquarium, both tropical and sub-tropical. Anemones are Phylum Cnidaria, closely related to jellyfish, hydras, and coral.
Corals are animals supported by tiny plants (zooxanthellae) for their food, however each polyp must actually catch 5-10% of its food! As the coral polyps grow they build new rock cup skeletons on top of the old ones.
They grow best in depths of 40 feet or less, although some can be found as deep as 135 feet. The water must be clean and clear, with temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees with some level of light (for nourishment for the tiny plants).
There are over 37,000 species of coral, some are asexual (like anemones), cloning (or budding) themselves. Most other corals are bisexual. The males produce the sperm exuding them into the water to be carried by the current. The female may either gather up the sperm fertlizing the eggs internally, or exude her own eggs into the current where they unite with the sperm.
Then the larvae grow in the water, looking for a place to attach themselves so they can grow. The result--the world's largest animal made structure--coral reefs!
10/23
It has been some time we have reviewed some facts about Sea Dragons.
These strange animals, a close relative to seahorses, reside in the underwater seagrass beds off the coasts of southern and western Australia.
Once I had a guest tell me that she had always thought seahorses were not real, but fairy tale creatures. Seadragons feed on plankton, larval fishes, and Mysid shrimp (which they recieve here). In most cases, they do not have to actively hunt or track their prey. Their camouflage is so effective, then can float to within centimeters of their unsuspecting prey before quickly sucking them up through their long, tubelike snouts.
They do not have the prehensile tails that seahorses use for anchors. Like their seahorse cousins, the males carry the eggs and hatch the young. Females deposit up to 250 eggs on the males' brood patch, located on their tails. They are carried for about eight weeks until the babies hatch, emerging as miniature versions of their parents. The eggs are fertilized osmotically through the pores of the tail.
During each season, a male leafy will hatch two batches of eggs, but only about five percent of an average brood survives until maturity.
We have made note several times of Whale Sharks, which inhabit the Gulf and Atlantic, but have never mentioned the next largest shark, the Basking Shark, which also inhabits the temperate waters of the Atlantic off our coast. This animal grows to about 40 feet and can weigh up to five to seven tons!
They can live about fifty years, and may not reproduce until they are twenty. Scientists estimate that, after a 12-36 month gestation period, Basking Sharks have roughly six young at a time. These animals are filter feeders, and use 1,000 to 1,300 gill rakers to filter their food. These gill rakers can strain 2,000 tons of water every hour (did you realize that is the exact amount of water in our Coral reef-500,000 gallons!). The meat is fit for human consumption, the shark's liver (being very large making up 25 percent of its body weight) produces a hefty amount of oil, and the fin (used for shark fin soup) can fetch $15,000.
10/15
Many people come to us and are worried about the Tripletails. They lay on their side at the top of the exhibit and people are concerned that they are sick or dead. But, as we explain, this is normal for them.
The Goliath Groupers in the exhibit remain of interest to the guests. So many questions, but the most asked are about age and size. No, this fish will not reach its maximum size in that exhibit. Their current average size is four feet long and 500 pounds. It has a favorite habitat in south-southwest Florida. The lifespan is about 35 years, and the main or favorite food is crustaceans.
[note from Jeff: The max lifespan on record for the goliath is 37 years. Lobsters, in particular, are their main food source - although they will suck in just about anything, including stingrays and other fish, alive and whole.
When our largest goliath was living in the Offshore/Awes & Jaws/now Shark Bay Exhibit, it would occasionally chow down on some less-than-alert members of the large school of pompano we had in there. We could actually see the hapless pompano flopping around in its belly.
When it was moved to the Bridges exhibit it decided to suck in the entire arm of one of our biologists for a snack, but spit him out again after a few moments.]
Husbandry continues to add more Damselfish to this bridge exhibit, and there are now about forty of them making their home in the oyster balls we added a couple months ago.
Now we are removing the rest of the sharks from the Coral Reef, plus the smaller rays (in the overhead window). These animals will remain out of the exhibit for a month or so while we treat the water for a different problem than before. It is safe, however, to dive now.
We have a couple new arrivals at the No Bonz Zone in a small acrylic box. One, the Sharpnose Crab, has been in there before, but the new one, an Umbrella Crab, doesn't look like a crab at all. If you are working the area, please take a close look at them.
The loss of the large Roughtail ray has been attributed to a secondary bacterial infection due to skin lesions caused by some external parasites. The parasites are found on animals from the wild, and are difficult to eliminate. Sometimes we are successful, sometimes not - as was the case with this ray.
10/7
A commercial Tilapia farmer donated a large number of these animals to us recently. They were a little small for sales purposes, but just the right size to feed to our larger animals in Shark Bay.
Animal Programs has announced a new birth of a baby skink. Mama gave birth to a healthy baby on September 28th. The sex cannot be determined at this young age, but both mother and baby are doing fine. It weighed 134 grams (about 7 ounces) and measured 14 inches. This is her third baby here at the Aquarium since coming to us from Disney. Her last two "skinklets" are now living at the New England Aquarium.
The gestation period for skinks is long, lasting about 7 months, and the babies are fairly large. The mother is very protective of this baby and will stay with it for months.
He will not let you pass now that his coat is the beautiful mating combination that occurs this time of the year. I am talking, of course, about the male Hooded Merganser in Springs left. It is truly amazing how fast his feathers change. It seems like one day he is dull and docile, and the next day he flairs his brilliant white hood at you.
9/30
This week you will see our armadillos on the exhibit up in the Invasive Species exhibit.
If you have noticed a new growth at the beach, the cedar was removed and replaced with sea grapes.
We have many crustaceans in the aquarium. These animals belong to the biological family called arthopoda. This giant group may have over 50 million species. There are more arthropod species in one square mile of a typical rain forest than there are species of vertebrate animals in whole world!
Most species are found only in salt water. People are usually fascinated by these animals. The crab species include over 5,000 species alone, of which 4,500 are true crabs and 500 are Hermit Crabs. You can see many of these in our Bays and Beaches exhibits.
Crabs use overproduction of eggs to keep up with their high mortality rate (due to predators and other losses). True female crabs carry 500,000 to 2,500,000 eggs on her abdomen for weeks or months until conditions are just right for egg laying.
There is an explanation in the Reef Mysteries tunnel about sleeping fish (or do they really sleep?). So many times on the Dolphin Quest we are queried about how dolphins or whales sleep.
These mammals are voluntary (or demand) breathers, which means they have to keep breathing to keep their brains active in order to breathe. They cannot go sound asleep, like we can. They actually shut down half of their brain cells at a time, also closing one eye at that same time.
Then they can alert their brain to trigger the body to control surfacing and breathing. They are then in a semi-conscious state near the water's surface - an activity called "logging".
These mammals can alternate the side of the brain they shut down so that both sides can rest. In the case of whales, this condition leaves them vulnerable to being hit by ships that do not see them resting on the surface.
[note from Jeff: for more on sleeping dolphins see the July 2001 article on the "Things That Make You Go Hmmmm..." page, and also read the article on dolphin physiology on the Links page.]
9/16
We have discussed the Smalltooth Sawfish before and have a great artifact in the smart cart of a sawfish rostrum. This marine animal, which is found in Florida only in the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park is now on the endangered species list. Scientists estimate that the U.S population has declined by as much as 99%. The reasons for this decline are the same as most: habitat degredation and bycatch, but also includes polluted habitats.
Again, one of the most asked questions on the exhibit path is "how old is it?". Fish do not count age on birthday candles so scientists need another method to determine how old they are (or were, since most of this can only be determined after their demise).
Growth rings can be found on scales (the least accurate) , on the ring like structures in the ears (otolith circles), or in the vertebral column (for cartilaginous fish).
In case you are wondering why shark jaws look dried and feel heavy like bone, it is because most sharks deposit calcium salts in their skeletal cartilage to strengthen and fortify. The minerals allow the skeleton to fossilize. As for shark teeth, the presence of enamel enables them to become fossils, too.
What is a fish? We also hear that queried to us many times. A fish is defined as any cold-blooded aquatic vertebrate (an animal with a spine) of the superclass Pisces. Fish have fins, gills, and a streamlined body. There are three types of fish: Agnatha (jawless fish) like lamprays and hagfish; Cartilaginous fish (sharks, skates, rays, sawfish and guitar fish); and Bony fish.
There are over 28,000 species of fish (both saltwater and freshwater). The life span varies greatly. Fish can live only a few weeks, or more than 100 years. The smallest fish is the Trimmatom Nanus (from the coral reefs of the Indo Pacific) , which is only 1 centimeter long, and the largest fish is the Whale Shark, which can grow to more than 50 feet (and can be found here in the Gulf of Mexico).
9/3
There are approximately 580 Bottlenose dolphins in Tampa Bay, some 45,000 in the gulf and an estimated 700,000-1 million worldwide..and it is the most populated of the Dolphin family, of which there are 32 species (including Killer Whales and Sperm whales).
There are also five species of River Dolphins which are primarily fresh water making a total of 37 in the dolphin family.
It was April of 1528 that the first European sailed into Tampa Bay..however the exact location is debated. Panfilo Navarez and his crew is credited by some of naming our bay "La Bahia de Espirta Santo"--Bay of the Holy Spirit, from which the Bay Spirit gets its title.
Other sources say it was Hernando DeSoto and his some 600 soldiers when they landed in May of 1539 down by the Little Manatee river that really named our bay. Many of us are aware that "Tampa"-meaning "fire sticks"- and this is the only Tumacuan word still used in our inventory. Later Indian names like "Tallahassee" (old place) and "Miami" (big water) are widely used today.
Let us have a little refresher course about water. The ocean is divided into many zones. The ocean bottom zone is the benthic zone. The water itself(or water column) is called the pelagic zone. The neritic zone is that part of the pelagic zone that extends from the high tide line to an ocean bottom less than 600 feet deep.
Water deeper than 600 feet is called the oceanic zone, which is divided into three zones which roughly correspond to the basis of the amount of sunlight they receive. Ninety percent of the oceanic zone lies in the lower aphotic zone (bathypelagic zone), which is entirely devoid of light!!
Some more animals are finding their way onto our exhibit path. Recently in the wetlands (where the big jacks are) a Gag and Black grouper were added.
This is one of the few places where you can see a flounder up close. Next to that (where the Nurse Sharks are) some Red grouper (donated by Mote Marine) will be placed soon..these are smaller ones, only about 12 inches long.
Across from that exhibit (3-18) we have added some baby Horseshoe Crabs..these little guys are only a few months old, and will be hard to see. The two Mangrove Snakes have been moved back to their original tank a couple tanks up from that.
One of the American Avocets had been removed from the beach, but it is back now. You can hear the Royal Terns barking at the avocets all the way down to the lobby.
Another area in Reef Mysteries is now finished and contains several species of groupers (small ones) and some smaller Spiney Lobsters.
In case you have forgotten the reproduction means for our sharks, here is a little reminder: The most common birth method (over 50% of sharks) is the ovoviparous method, where the eggs are kept inside the body, and hatch while inside the animal-then born live.
Sometimes the pups devour their brothers and sisters leaving only one baby in each uterus (of which there are two)..referred to as oophagy (or sometimes called "interuterine cannabalism"). The Sand Tiger gives birth this way. This gestation period is 10-14 months. Zebra sharks lay eggs(oviparous) and the gestation period is 10-12 months. About 40% of sharks lay eggs The Pacific Black tip has a 15 month gestation period.
It may be hard to believe, but the gestation period of the Great White is still a mystery..The other birth method is viviparous, where the pups are born live and fed via a placenta through the umbilical cord. Hammerheads, Lemon, Bull, & Blue sharks (only about 10% all all sharks) are examples.
8/27
Here are some more Florida facts: our state animal is Florida's most endangered animal--the Florida Panther. And I bet you did not know that we actually have a state Day!!..After the last election you might think it would be April 1, but it is actually April 2nd. That is the day the Ponce De Leon actually sighted the state in 1513 (over by St Augustine).
Our state reptile of course is the North American alligator. It is a member of the Crocodile family and by estimate appeared on earth about 190 million years ago. There are 22 species in the Croc family, which actually dates back to one of the first animal species arriving here some 400 million years ago.
You may note that the Mangrove Snakes are now in the last exhibit on the left in the wetlands (3-18). These were moved from their original location closer to the Wetlands stage. By the way, the armadillos (2) can now be found up in the Invasive species exhibit next to the Iguana..That exhibit is large enough to handle both of these species and it is partitioned.
Sometimes we forget that there are eels and triggerfish in other exhibits than the Coral reef. Note the eels now in the Bays and beaches, and in Sea Hunt. The Clown and Picasso Triggerfish are very colorful, much more than the Queen Triggerfish in the reef. Also remember that these two smaller fish (max size=10 inches) are the most veracious of all the triggerfish family, capable of eating many fish larger than itself and also eats parts of fish bitten off by other fish when they can corner them. Their teeth do almost as much damage as the infamous Piranha fish of South America!
Many of you may have noted the article on the Great White death off California. This is the tenth GW death off that coast since 1952. But the scenario was a classic..a lady swimming with seals (to observe them) by herself, at dusk, and in a wet suit..
If you have watched our Shark Bay shark dive show, we emphasize the importance of avoiding those certain situations if you want to avoid sharks..
8/19
Well, I had a lot of responses about our state emblems..and a whole new bunch of trivia from Richard Murphy (Murf the diver!) about state symbols..like the Aqatized Coral as the state stone, and the state soil - the Myakka Fine Sand, which is unique in Florida. Thanks Murf! By the way--here's the answers..Flower-Orange Blossom, bird-Mocking bird, butterfly-Zebra Longwing, salt water fish-Sailfish, and song-Stephen Foster's "Suwanee River".
I think I forgot to mention we have another skunk, this one returned to a pet store from a disgruntled owner,and with its tuft of hair on top of her head painted blue! Yes, Lily is our new animal and will be used in animal shows when she is trained.
Also since we have the three armadillos, let us discuss them some. We had one several years ago, but it has been a long time since we discussed them. The species we have here is the Nine Banded Armadillo(which is common in Florida). There are 20 species in the Armadillo(named for the armored covering on the animal), mostly in South America.
The largest is the Giant Armadillo which can reach a weight of 60 kilos (135 Pounds). Our species will only get to 3-6 pounds. It is an invasive species (where it will be seen on the path in the invasive species area where the iguana was), coming from Texas. In 1924 some were released from a south Florida zoo to control a horde of ants and other insects.
Then in 1936 a crash of a citrus truck here in central Florida with a circus truck realeased even more of the animals. Now they can be found all over Florida except in the Keys. The life span is about twenty years, and they are good swimmers and terrestial.
They travel alone, in pairs or in small groups eating ants, insects, Crayfish, frogs, snakes and carrion. A unique animal in reproduction, they have a delayed implantation of the eggs and sperm (like Marsupials). Mating is done in July/August, then the egg and sperm are united in November, followed by a 4 month gestation period. Then the 4 babies (all one sex) are born and are identical since they all came from a single egg.
The Wrasse exhibit in Reef Mysteries is now finished and full of species of Wrasse. That area is greatly improved with the remodeled exhibits,the new graphics, and the extra light in the exhibits.
8/13
A lot more animals from our Q areas have been added around the aquarium. Some Planehead filefish and some Schoolmasters snapper have been added to the last exhibit before Bays and Beaches. Also some more smaller Blue Tangs were put in the Seagrass tank (also in Bays and Beaches), and the larger ones taken out, and put in the Coral reef.
Here's a real eyecatcher!! Note the Horse Conch in the exhibit next to the Water Q lab. This animal is Florida's state shell, and one of the largest Gastropods. It will grow to over 2 feet large, and is protected here in Florida. The Conch fritters you get in the restaurants are from the Bahamas usually. The vivid orange colored flesh of the animal is noticeable to all.
Here's a little known fact..the Horse Conch shell is really a member of the Tulip shell family, not the Conch family.
Other things to look for in the Bays and Beaches are the small Caribbean octopus (remember our large Pacific octopus in the Sea Hunt is gone and the exhibit tank is full of cold water inverts) and some new Snowflake eels next to the conch.
Don't look for the eel in the bubble (where the Batfish are) any more, it is also gone. As I mentioned last week, the Horseshoe Crab in the beach has been very visible the last month or so.
Mentioning other Florida state named animals or plants, we do have the state tree right inside the wetlands on the left..the Cabbage Palm (sometimes called a Sabal Palm). In the Aquifer is our state fresh water fish--the largemouth Bass. And right past the Cabbage Palm tree is the state reptile, the North American Aligator.
All of the fish from the collection trip to the Keys are now in the reef (along with the larger Tangs), making the total number of fish in the Coral reef now around 1,700 (a fact for you dive show people).
The newer fish include more Sergeant Majors, assorted grunts and tangs. Looking at the cold water inverts in the Octopus tank, you will note one seastar with 10 arms..the Ten armed Seastar.
We have people looking at our seastars, with wonder..and the comment "I thought starfish only had 5 arms"..Well the truth is that in the seastar class (Asteroidea) there are over 1,700 known species, and that does not include brittlestars which are in a different class.
The number of arms in seastars is defined as "five or more less rigid arms that merge indistinguishably with the central disk". So some of the tales we have heard about only odd number arms, arms in multiples of five, etc are not really true.
The Sunburst Seastar (the largest at about three feet in diameter) has over 20 arms..And all seastars regenerate these arms upon loss.
8/7
More animals are coming out of Q. More schoolmaster and white grunts will be added along with the lobsters, while some smaller parrotfish, blue tangs and doctorfish will be added to the Seagrass exhibit (both in Bays and beaches.).
The horseshoe crab and the sea robin that are in the beach have been more visible lately during feedings. Usually you cannot see them.
If you have a sharp eye, you will note another really neat fish in the Terrific Pacific coral reef by the Bone Zone. Everybody is amazed at the color of the Mandarin Gobi already in the exhibit, but there is another smaller fish that resembles a tiny batfish, but light grey with dark spots. This is a new Scooter Blenny, and is a very interesting little guy. Again, you cannot always see it, so look closely!
Some more bluestripe, smallmouth, and french grunts are being added to the Coral reef, and more squirrelfish are going into one of the Reef Mysteries exhibits.
Another of the reef mysteries exhibits will be redesigned next week and filled with all Wrasse species.
Tuesday's Tribune (Aug 5) had a great article about the spawning of coral. This phenomena occurs every year in August with the first half-moon of the month. Take some time and read this great article. It has some great shots of Coral reproduction. The next and last batch of spores released will be the night of September 3 (another half moon night).
As the article points out, this is done at night to reduce the predating of all of the spores by aquatic animals and inverts.
7/29
Right down the exhibit path from the wetlands stage you can find our Cormorants. Remember that they are salt water birds, and the Anhinga (snake bird) is found in fresh water..however occasionally I have seen both birds in an estuary environment.
On our Dolphin Quest tours, the Cormorants are quite plentiful, and make a good mix with all of the Brown Pelicans. They are easy to tell apart from Anhingas in the water, where you can see the Cormorant swimming on top of the water with a curved beak at the end, but the Anhinga usually only has its head out of water (resembling a snake, prompting its nickname "snake bird").
Yes, snakes will swim with their head out of water, and (in the case of a rattlesnake) also its tail..to keep the rattles dry so they can be used in case of danger. And by the way, the number of rattles does not tell the age of the rattlesnake, only the number of times they have shed (molted), which may occur several times a year in their younger years.
A couple local sharks that we have never had here, and rarely discussed are the Spinner shark and the Sharpnose shark. The Spinner is the larger of the two reaching about 6 feet in size, and the Sharpnose is a small species, rarely over 4 feet long. Both of these sharks are inshore speices, commonly found in bays and estuaries (like Tampa Bay). The Spinner gets its name from frequent spinning leaps out of the water. It feeds primarily on sardines and herring at top water, but also eats small sharks and rays.
The Sharpnose, by name, has a long and flattened snout with a slender body. They feed on small fish and crustaceans. Along with the Bonnethead, it is the most common shark caught by anglers in an estuary environment. The adults of this species usually moves offshore a bit. It also comprises about 30 percent of the total longline catch in the commercial shark industry. Large numbers are also taken as bycatch in the US shrimp trawling industry.
7/2
As you walk into the wetlands you will see lots of new Flagfish in Springs right--along with the turtles and Green Winged Teal.
A lot of new fish and inverts have been added to the bays and beaches gallery. From lush sea grass beds to sandy beaches, the waters in this gallery are home to some unusual creatures. As you enter, you will see the Bays exhibit (4-1) featuring 6 species of animals including Bonnethead sharks, Brown sharks, Southern Stingrays and Snook. This exhibit contains 14,500 gallons of saltwater.
As you stroll on through check out the deli exhibit with the rays and urchins, then around the corner see the Batfish and SnakeEel. Next,the Bay Bottoms features 4 separate tanks each holding 250 gallons. Many new inverts have been added to these four tanks and they include seahorses, octopus, toadfish and many more. Check out the new little seastars and sea cucumbers.
Across from that you will find the Layers in the Bay exhibit with 3,200 gallons of water featuring the Spiny Lobster and many other creatures. Pay close attention to our Water Quality lab, and its graphics..I noticed some ladies there today in awe of the Mantis Shrimp in the window..and they were so enthused about it..Apparently they had never heard of these creatures.
And, Wow, the bridge..The new "reef balls" make a great habitat for the little critters, and the Goliath Groupers are always an interest item for guests. This exhibit contains 16,800 gallons of salt water and features the groupers and their close cousins, the Tripletails (which people think are sick because they lay down in the water on the top).
You will also notice two new Porcupine Puffers in the pilings exhibit, along with seven Hairy Blennies. Then there is the beach. The waves crashing on the beach are created by a mechanical wave generator which pushes the water back and forth simulating natural tides and surges. This exhibit contains 15,000 gallons of saltwater and features stingrays, permits, lots of small fish, and beach birds (like the Royal Tern ,American Avocets, and Scaup ducks).
Near this exhibit you will find two of our most popular smart carts..one containing sea turtle artifacts and the other --shells! How many kinds of seashells are there?? an inquisitive youngster will ask!! There are over 100,000 species of seashells.
All animals that live in shells are called Mollusks. Some are actually found in trees and some on the ground, and of course some live in the water. Only the Mollusks that live in the ocean are the ones we call seashells. They live all over the world, both in shallow and deep water. Open this cart sometimes and see the world of seashells, and share it with the guests.
Here is some more shark wows..Three of our largest sharks..Whale Shark, Basking Shark, and Megamouth shark - only eat the smallest things (small fish, drifting inverts, and small crustaceans)..and are filter feeders. The latter (Megamouth) is found in deeper waters and has a luminous and enormous mouth with over 100 rows of teeth. The luminescence probably attracts possible plankton, jellyfish and squids that the animal sieves from deeper waters.
Another shark, the Spined Pigmy Shark-- one of the smallest (at 8") - also lives in deep water (up to 650 feet) and has luminescent organs on their underside which makes them more difficult to see from below, therefore less vulnerable to predators. Both the Megamouth and Spined Pigmy, so far have only been seen in the Pacific Ocean.
6/25
Last week the barge (named the Mary Turner) from TECO provided us another 300,000 gallons of water..No it is not free..it costs the aquarium about $6,000 for each load of water bought from the middle of the Gulf.
In case you have not had the chance to check the salt water storage yards, there are four tanks under the cement pad. The two forward tanks (closest to the aquarium) each hold 150,000 gallons each, then the treated water is passed to the two tanks closest to the Q1 building..These tanks hold 35,000 gallons each, giving us a capacity of 370,000 gallons of salt water.
Have you ever watched the lobster molt? Well we have some great artifacts of our lobster molts (thanks to volunteer Linda Shear). It takes the female about one half hour to escape from her old shell. It must be an exhausting act because she then has no skeletal support, but will flop around trying to stand. Shortly after this (another 1/2 hour) she is able to support herself on a temporary hydrostatic skeleton.
It is then that the male transfers the packet of sperm to her. Then she flips away from the male and rests in the back of his shelter. The male will now consume her molt shell waiting for the next female to enter his shelter. The first female takes up residency in a new shelter where she stays until her shell hardens completely (two months in summer months, but longer in colder climates).
It is when her shell has calcified sufficiently that she extrudes the eggs, the number related to her size, and broods them for a nine to twelve month gestation period. Lobster season here in Florida begins in mid July..so get ready.
There are over 800 species of anemones in the world, but only about ten species have been observed acting as a host for clownfish. The pairing of Clownfish and Anemones can be found in the Red Sea and Indian and Pacific oceans.
More than ten species of clownfish have been recorded in a single location in the prolific areas around Papua, New Guinea.
There are also other creatures that may be found near an anemone's base. Many crabs (like a Decorator Crab) have been seen carrying anemones on their backs as defensive weapons.
6/11
Also have you noticed that a smaller Spotted Flounder has been added to 3-17 in the wetlands? (where the jacks are)
..have you noticed that the big Roughtail rays are gone from Shark Bay? Well some ektoparasites were discovered on the female and so both had to be removed back to Q1, where they will remain for about three weeks. Eight divers and a large mat were needed to get all 432 pounds of the female from the exhiibit, plus some other outside help.
I hope you have taken the time to watch and talk to the guests about our Sandbar Sharks (Brown Sharks) that are in 4-1 with the Bonnetheads. The Sandbar shark is found nearshore typically at depths ranging from 60 feet to 200 feet. It is both a predator and scavenger, feeding chiefly near the bottom on fish and shellfish.
It migrates long distances and matures at about six feet, but can grow to nearly eight feet. It is brown or gray in color with a white underside. It migrates south in schools to Florida waters during the winter. Some, however do remain throughout the year.
This shark accounts for about 60 percent of the state's commercial landings, and is probably the shark meat you will find in our local supermarkets.
Other common sharks that could be found as a meat source include the Atlantic Blacktip, Atlantic Blacknose and Atlantic Sharpnose sharks. Spinners, Nurse, Lemon, and the three larger species of Hammerhead-the Great, the Scalloped, and the Smooth- sharks are not considered viable food sources.
6/4
The two small Brown (Sandbar) Sharks from Q1 have been put in 4-1 where they will stay for a few months until they are big enough to go into Shark Bay.
Brown Sharks are common Florida sharks, and totally docile. They get fairly large (6 feet); the female is usually found closer to shore than the male. We had three when we opened in the Offshore (now called Shark Bay).
Did you know that sharks are among the world's most successful and most diverse groups of animals? The earliest evidence of sharks is isolated spines, teeth and scales that appeared about 430 million years ago in the Silurian Period, known as the "Age of the fishes". For the past 280-345 million years, sharks have remained relatively unchanged. Altogether over 375 species of sharks have been identified in today's oceans.
5/21
Did you know sharks actually have personalities, and these differ between indivual sharks (kind of like humans)? Some are docile, some inquisitive, and some reckless and aggressive..
There is still so much we do not know about these wonderful animals. Again we heard from an expert in the field about the drastic reduction in sharks worldwide, and the perils of us humans endangering the apex predator in the ocean. Very interesting!!
As a reminder, sharks (with about 380 species known) vary in size from the Whale Shark (the largest of all fishes) at over 40 feet to the two smallest sharks, the Spined Pygmy shark and the Pygmy Ribbontail Catshark, both a little over 8 inches long. Both of these smaller sharks are rarely seen since they live near the ocean floor at depths of 500-650 feet.
There was a great article in the Smithsonian this month about alligators. A recent study on the hundreds of dark bumps all over alligator's upper and lower jaw indicates that they are actually part of their prey detection system, sensing vibrations in the water to find their prey. These detection bumps are also present in all 22 species of the Crocodilian family (of which alligators belong, along with crocs, Caiman, and Gharials).
Even ripples in the water can trigger this detection system and guide the gator to its unsuspecting prey. Actually, alligators have these bumps only on the jaw and mouth, but other crocodilians have them all over the body. Just another interesting fact for you to pass on to the guests, especially if you are handling the animals and can point out the bumps.
We have just put some more animals on the exhibit path from Q. 22 spots and juvenile red drum are in the wetlands exhibit under the vulture cage (3-18), and more Mojarra and Filefish were added to the cylinder in the bays and beaches.
A very large French Angelfish was added to the Coral reef (a donation from a member's home aquarium).
Have you wondered what ever happened to our Scorpion fish? Well, both of them have found a home in Reef Mysteries (before the Pan window exhibit) along with the two juvenile Nurse Sharks.
Our new Roughtails in Shark bay are both eating well and getting along just fine.
You will notice a number of whole clams in the bottom of the tank - those are live snacks for the big girl whenever she gets in the mood.
5/13
The exact weight of our new female roughtail is 423 lb (188KG). The weight of the male is unknown until we weigh him when transfered from Q-1 to Shark Bay. The other male we caught remained at Sea World, where they all were housed overnight after capture.
Soon we will remove the two large Southern Stingrays from the beach.. They cause quite a splash when they are fed, and some feeders are concerned one may jump out one day. So they will be moved to Q area, then probably into the Coral Reef.
We still are explaining to guests about dolphins and whales..Yes the dolphin is a whale!! A toothed whale. The other part of the order Cetacea are Baleen whales (like Blue Whale, Humpback, Fin and Gray whales). There are a total 75 species in this Cetacean order. They are the only mammals, other than manatees, that live their entire life in the water.
Toothed whales are fish eaters, baleen whales eat tiny food animals, like Krill. Besides Dolphins, porpoises, and river dolphins, some animals called whales(Orca, Sperm Whale, Pilot Whale, Beluga Whale, Narwhal Whale) are really dolphins (toothed whales).
Dolphins and other whale calves are born tail-first and then quickly boosted to the surface by the mother for their first breath of air. Some of these calves double their weight in only a week. So much to learn about these interesting animals..
4/30
Three Tarpon from Q are being put into the reef Friday. That will bring the total to eight in the exhibit.
The Atlantic Blacknose Shark that was temporarily removed from the reef has been returned and his slightly injured eye is being monitored, but he is eating good and is moving around just fine.
When I mentioned the Plecostomus, some were confused about this animal. He has been in the aquifir for some time now, but now is happy with the gators. Known commonly as a Sucker Mouth Catfish, he is from the Pacific side of Central and South America and considered an Invasive Species. They are herbivorous, but do not harm plants.
They get fairly large (up to 24 inches), but do not breed in aquariums. The eggs are spawned on the surface of substrates such as stones and logs, then the males care for the eggs (which is common in the Catfish family, even to hatching the eggs in the male's mouth), which will hatch in 3-5 days.
As the water warms up, and more people are in the waters around Florida, an increase in shark incidents will occur. Most of our shark incidents here in Florida occur on the East coast, primarily in Volusia County (which historically records more than half of all Florida's shark incidents).
More than half of the people recently polled at the National Aquarium in Baltimore said shark populations are "too high". We hope that our staff continues to pass on to our guests how important shark conservation really is, and that many species are threatened. Did you know that more than 11,400 sharks are killed every HOUR of every day?
In January, a Dalhousie University study noted that almost all shark species have declined by half in the past 8-15 years in the Atlantic (Hammerheads - down 89%, Tiger Sharks - down 65%, Blue Sharks - down 60%, Great Whites - down 79%).
Much of this decline can be attributed to fishermen hunting tuna and swordfish inadvertently catching sharks. Remember that shark incidents are extremely rare. People are more likely to be killed by lightning or injured by a hamster than by a shark!!
94% of the 375 species of sharks are actually harmless to humans.
4/22
One of the most asked questions about our Goliath grouper is..."how big do they get?" The official record size is 680 pounds, but "historic records and photos prove the fish reaches weights near a half-ton (950-1000 pounds), and lengths of more than seven feet". They reach spawning age from four to seven years, and can live over 40 years. Oddly enough, he mentions, Goliaths prefer a shallow water habitat. They are rarely found in water deeper than 150 feet.
[from Jeff: Billy quoted a Frank Sargeant (Tribune) article (above) about the Goliath Grouper and how big it gets. I've been trying to find a reliable reference for years. For a really comprehensive NOAA study of this fish read this. FYI, the oldest verifiable specimen was 37 years old.
Frank Sargeant stated that "historic records and photos prove the fish reaches weights near a half-ton (950-1000 pounds), and lengths of more than seven feet".
From accounts from aquarium visitors who have had knowledge of this fish, and from research I've done, I have yet to find any evidence that this grouper gets bigger than 700-800 pounds or 5-6 feet long. The world record all-tackle was 680 pounds, and that was more than 20 years ago.
I asked Frank in an e-mail to steer me to the historic records he mentioned. He did not respond; his assertion was never backed up with any facts. Keep this in mind the next time someone asks you how big this fish gets.]
Have you been out on the boat recently? The birds are here in force. Over 40,000 nesting pairs of birds of 30 species are found here in Tampa Bay. These include Roseates, White and Glossy Ibis, Reddish egrets (the rarest heron in North America-about half of all in Florida - 400), Terns (Caspian, Royal, Sandwich, and Elegant), Oystercatchers, Skimmers, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue and Tricolor Herons, Great (American) and Cattle Egrets, Wood Stork, and Brown Pelicans (2,200 pairs).
Speaking of birds, check out our new Northern Flicker (in the Woodpecker family) just released in the wetlands.
Also added to the gator exhibit is another of our invasive species holding animals..a Midas Ciclid (note the gold color).
Some more corals have been added to the Terrific Pacific exhibit at the No Bonz. Some different species of Staghorn corals, Cactus, Cauliflower, and Fringe hard corals, plus some soft coral (Lobe coral).
4/14
Also have you noticed some fish in with the gators? We are trying (on a test basis) some of the animals we have for the invasive spieces exhibit (that were in fish holding) in with the gators. So far, the gators seem totally receptive to them.
There is a Blue Tilapia, two Armored Catfish, 1 Pacu, and the Plecostomus that was in the aquifer exhibit (3-1).
Many of you have worked the No Bonz area. The pink Soft Spined Seastars that we put up on the shelf usually made a rapid retreat off the shelf away from being touched. The biologists have decided they should no longer, for their safety, be placed on the touch shelf again..so you should no longer see them up there. If you do, contact an interpreter, and it will be removed.
4/9
Barracudas. We haven't had any for a while, and some are needed for the wetlands and bays areas. When full grown - five to six feet - these fish appear in our warm gulf waters in late spring and summer (like right now). These speedy fish are sometimes called the "cheetah" of the seas, able to run down all but the fastest midwater (pelagic) swimmers. They are known to hit the bait at 30 MPH or faster and then spring from the water.
The largest one caught is US waters was 53 pounds, however larger ones have been caught in the Pacific (up to 85 pounds) and Indian oceans. They live at least 14 years. Curious, but not dangerous, the Barracuda is attracted to shiny objects, and sometimes even bubbles from a moving bait.
Another thing, it is getting to be stingray time again (spring and early summer). Pass on to our guests that the best way to handle the sting is HOT water..Hot water. Keep the stung area in hot water. Check out the barb we have at the lobby touch pool, and you will see why it is so painful.
Over two thousand people are effected by stingray injuries every year in U.S. coastal waters, over half of those here in Florida. Most of this occurs when wading in shallow water, so "Shuffle, shuffle along". People do need to be careful..last year two deaths were recorded in Australia when the spine penetrated the chest!
Our resident Porcupine Puffer fish (sometimes called "Puff Daddy") has been returned to the deep side of the Coral reef.
Please do not turn down (or allow guests to) the speakers on the monitors in Sea Hunt, these have been set for the best sound reception. We do turn the one off by Sea Hunt for Shark Dives, but then we turn it back on after the show.
4/1
If you happen to see any of the birds wandering around on the cement, please do not pick them up, or allow a guest to do so. Many of our birds are rehab animals/amputees and cannot fly back into the exhibit.
These birds have to be returned to the correct exhibit since their food is there, and they will get harassed by other birds if they are in the wrong exhibit. We just had to remove one of the Blackneck Stilts because he was not treated well by other inhabitants, and he will be sent to another facility. Birds are especially bad about being territorial.
Also this applies to the turtles ..they need to be put back in the correct exhibit. Just contact one of the biologists, or an interpreter, who will usually have a radio so a biologist can be notified.
3/25
Otters!! Our new male, Otto, is up at Homosassa Springs waiting for Max to leave, since we do not have room for him here. One of little females from the first group, Mango, will be sent to Colorado on the 16th. The last little male from the trailer park in Brandon is still adjusting and eating sparsely. He must have had a hard time wherever he was.
Remember I mentioned us getting a young Cobia on one of our collection trips? Well, it is now on the exhibit path in Bays and Beaches (4.1) where the Bonnethead sharks are. The Cobia is the only species in its family (Rachycentridae) and is distantly related to the remora (sharksucker). It certainly is not as big as the ones we had in the Offshore exhibit (Now Shark Bay) when we opened.
The animal is dark brown with black fins, and the lower jaw is protruding (indicating a top water feeder) A black lateral band runs from the nose to the tail (caudal fin). It can grow to 6 feet and 150 pounds, and averages 50 pounds. The meat is sweet, solid and very tasty. The Cobia can be found from Mass in the US down to Argentina, from coastal waters to the ocean.
Commonly found around sea buoys and other stationary floating objects, or migrating north in the Gulf in the spring, south in the fall. They will eat crabs, shrimp, and small bait fish. Once hooked, the cobia will test the best angler and tackle to the limit, especially at boatside.
The piling exhibit is now restocked with Florida Pompano, Sheepshead, and Atlantic Bumpers. It has been a long time since we have had Pompano in here, and these are very small.
3/19
Also if you are asked about a couple things in shark bay, you should be able to pass the correct info to the guests. No, it is not a baby shark, but a Sharksucker, a bony fish that engages itself to sharks (and sometimes other animals too, like turtles) for protection and food.
No, the pole the safety diver has during the Shark Bay dive shows is neither a electric prod pole or a weapon to beat off sharks with!! This pole allows the safety diver to "guide" the sharks around the diver by extending his area with the pole.
3/12
Otters - Otters!! It is hard for me to keep up with all the activity. The three little females we have had for a while have been named - Mango, Coco, Kiwi. The male we have now (Max) was only on loan, and will be returning soon. We are sending Mango to a facility in Colorado that has a breeding program for otters where their offsprings are released in reintroduction areas out west. In exchange for Mango, we will be getting a male named Otto from them. He is four years old and is "ready to breed". Otto will then become Rose's mate here in our exhibit area. Coco and Kiwi, the two remaining females will be introduced into the exhibit soon.
As if that is not enough, we now have (as of this last weekend) two more small otters that were found near Lowry park. These two (one male, and one female) are 6-8 weeks old, and not in the best shape. They are doing OK, and we hope they will be allright.
2/26
One of the animals we use for the animal shows is our Solomon Islands Skink. This is the largest species of all skinks. It can reach a length of over 30 inches. Unlike most skinks which shed their tail, the Solomon Islands Skink has a strong, prehensile tail. It can dangle its entire body hanging from its tail.
The animal is from two of the Solomon Islands, Bougainville and Buka. It lives in the trees (arboreal) and eats only leaves and fruit. They have a gestation period of approximately seven months, giving birth to one offspring which is quite large being as long as 30 centimeters (12 inches).
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We are often asked about numbers of species. But it is a hard question to answer. Biologists have been naming species for over 200 years, but they still do not know exactly how many species exist, and new ones are being found almost daily. Low estimates are around 3 million animal species, but some say there could be 10 million, even more.
Biologists believe that they have identified our own North America animals..482 species of mammals, 900 birds, but this is still not firm. We are fairly sure that 95% of earth's animals are invertebrates (of which half are insects). So, as you see, the answer is not easy.
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We have a couple new birds that just finished Q and they will be in the Vulture cage in the wetlands for acclimation. You will see two Cedar Waxwings and one Northern Flicker (a woodpecker). Once they are released, they will be hard to find.
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Have you walked through the wetlands lately? Many fish have been added to the exhibits past the Wetlands stage..not new species, but more of what we have had in the past.
We now have three small Nurse sharks in 3-17, along with more jack. Also a large number of fish (Pinfish, Grunts, sheepheads, needle fish, and others) can be found on the other side of the exhibit path. Check them out sometime.
No it is not a baby shark!! Many guests ask us about the little fish swimming under the shark (presently under one of the Sand Tigers). And it is not a Remora, which we used to have. It is a Sharksucker, sometimes called a Suckerfish, and is a close relative to the Remora.
This fish is usually associated with sharks, but can attach itself to other large fishes (and once while in the water in Northern Florida, one tried to attach itself to me - causing me a little concern, since I didn't know at that time what it was). They use the host for protection and transportation, but can also be seen free-swimming. They eat small fishes, scraps from the host's prey and host's parasites. They are actually related to Cobia, and are bony fish, not in the shark family. But to most of our guests, it appears to be a baby shark, so be ready for the questions.
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2/13
After giving you a heads-up on the new Manatee count last week, I saw another figure that showed 3,122 manatees, but I still think the official count is the 3,029 I gave you. How do they know?? Most counts are done from the air, with personnel on the ground also adding their figures. There are grounds to doubt the exact figure, since some can get missed and some counted more than once. Anyway we do know that these "gentle giants" are on the increase. Swimming with these large marine mammals is quite an experience if you've never done it.
Did you know that we do have one animal here that represents the largest snake in North America? Of course, the Eastern Indigo snake now is off the exhibit path but is used for the animal programs. This gentle reptile ranges from Georgia, Florida and Texas through South America. It has been federally protected since 1978, but little is known about the snake and not much has been done to protect it.
It is typically six feet long or more with the largest on record reaching eight feet, seven inches. It, of course, is non-venomous and a powerful predator, pinning down its victim to subdue and swallow it alive. It makes a meal of frogs, turtles, lizards, fish, birds, small mammals and rattlesnakes. The animal is remarkable docile in the presence of humans and the one we have is so beautiful and serene.
Worldwide shark attacks declined last year according to the latest figures released by the International Shark Attack File(ISAF) at the University of Florida. Sixty attacks were reported in 2002, down from the 72 in 2001 and 85 in 2000.
Three of these were fatal, two in Australia and one in Brazil compared to five in 2001 and 13 in 2000. Dr George Burgess, director of the ISAF, said one reason might be that fewer tourists were taking to the beaches because of the world wide weak economies. Another factor again is the overfishing of sharks. 47 of the 60 attacks were in North American waters, with 29 in Florida.
Florida's Volusia county, as usual, where an inlet near New Smyrna Beach is a popular surfing site, listed 18 attacks (of Florida's 29). Surfers again were the most frequent US victims with 32 incidents.
"Most of the attacks fall into the category of hit-and-run attacks in which the shark makes a quick grab and then releases the victim. The injuries are relatively minor, often comparable to what one would see in a dog bite" states Dr Burgess.
from Jeff Williams (Feb 13)
NOVA recently aired a special on the awesome coelacanth. Here's their website feature with even more info if you missed it: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fish/ (be sure to take the quiz and check out the anatomy page for additional info about this amazing fish).
Speaking of primitive fish, we have a couple of note right here in the aquarium - the gar and the bowfin. But it's the bowfin I'd like to share with you this week.
First the "hmmm..." factor:
this 213 million year old fish is a survivalist which can go without eating longer than any other fish - even for nearly a year if necessary - due to its very slow metabolism.
It can also tolerate hot water and low-oxygen levels. A bowfin can use its swim bladder as a lung, allowing it to survive out of water for up to a day. In oxygen-poor water, bowfin can gulp surface air in order to breathe.
Though it's hard to tell by watching our seemingly docile captive specimen (it's in the very first "tank" in the cave going to the wetlands, with the bass and bluegills), the bowfin is a voracious predator with sharp teeth - and it'll eat fish of all kinds as well as frogs, snakes, turtles, and small mammals if it can catch them. It also eats other bowfin.
There is one living species of bowfin, found only in North America (although its fossils have been found on every continent but Antarctica). Like the coelacanth, it's the last surviving species of its Family.
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Well, the birds are returning to our bird sanctuaries in Tampa Bay. Most of you do not get to go on our Dolphin Quest tour much, but the increase in birds has been immense the last couple weeks. Many of these birds are seen right here in our own wetlands exhibit (with a few over at the beach).
Let us review some of these feathered creatures. Of course, Tampa Bay is the largest migratory bird reservation in North America, hosting over 140,000 birds, which includes over 50,000 nesting pairs annually of 25-30 species.
The Brown Pelican (not our state bird) is one of the most recognizable large birds, but actually the Brown Pelican is the smallest of the Pelican family of seven species.
Also migrating from up north we see the White Pelican, a little larger, and not a diving bird like his cousin, the Brown Pelican. About 550 pairs of Brown Pelicans nest annually at the Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary.
Then we have the Snowy Egret, like the one you see in our wetlands. There are about 75 pairs of Reddish egrets found on the banks. A large amount of Great Blue Herons make their nests also on the islands.
Then the sea of red as over 200 pairs of Roseate Spoonbills now nest here. Add to this the hundreds of pairs of White Ibis and the few Glossy Ibis Bird Island is quite a sight!!
Then with the Laughing Gulls, Black Skimmers, Oyster Catchers, Royal Terns, and Little Blue Herons you have quite a managerie out there..
Last week I asked which member of the Cephalopod family does not die after they lay the eggs..The Chambered Nautilas. Yes, the Nautilas is a member of that unique family, and we still have one next to the Cuttlefish. It will soon be removed and the new smaller Cuttlefish will be placed into the exhibit.
We used to have Carcharhinus Plumbeus (Sandbar or Brown Sharks) in our "offshore" exhibit. That area now is known as Shark Bay. Our two new Sandbars are now in Q1 while they grow up some. These coastal-pelagic species are found in both temperate and tropical waters. They do not inhabit the waters of the Eastern Pacific, but can be found in small numbers around Australia.
It is believed that the Bay of Campeche off the Mexico coast may be the species mating site for the Gulf and Caribbean. These sharks are viviparous (live bearing) and have litter sizes in the teens (with 15 the average). The gestation period is 12 months, and sexual maturity is reached at 13-16 years. Their lifespan is 40-45 years.
Sandbars are a preferred species for shark fin soup and have a high commercial value. They are the most sought after shark in the U.S. east coast. About 2.5 million are taken annually by U.S. recreational fishing.
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The Yellow Spotted stingrays are back in the deli exhibit in the Bays area. Several people have asked about putting more Clearnose skates back in that exhibit. The problem is water temperature. Skates are primarily colder water animals and flourish where temperatures are 60 degrees or below, while our rays there need warmer temperature.
For example, the temperature in the Skate nursery (adjacent to the lobby touch pool) is 55 degrees for those Little Skates (actual species name). These animals could not be released here locally because of the water temperature, and must be returned to the northeast for release (NE Aquarium).
We now have a huge French Angel Fish that came from a private donation. It will be placed in the Coral reef as soon as it completes the Q time.
Alex has returned with more Sea Dragons-3 leafies and 6 weedies. Also he has some new seahorses, of several species.
As we have watched the Cuttlefish grow and become more aggresive (especially the males), it is now time for eggs. In the exhibit in clusters on the rocks you will see eggs that the female has laid. Chances of them hatching are remote, and of course, like most cephalopods, they will die now that they have laid their eggs.
Here's one for you..which member of the cephalopod family does not die upon laying eggs? (hint--we have some here in the aquarium). We do have some new small Cuttlefish to replace the larger ones when they expire. These animals have a short life anyway (about 18 months max).
The new little Brown (or Sandbar) sharks are in Q1. They will remain there until they get bigger, which will be at least six months. They will be placed in Shark Bay along with the other shark species that presently abide in those waters.
Weekly updating by Michael Knudsen,
a volunteer at the Florida Aquarium since 2002 and are provided and maintained as a free service to the outstanding volunteer community & staff of The Florida Aquarium..
