Latest news with #marineBiology
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Fangtooth Fish, Frilled Sharks, Leafy Seadragons and More Creepy Creatures Lurking in the Deep Sea
The ocean is full of weird and wonderful creatures, and scientists have only scratched the surface of what lurks beneath the waves. But some of the sea life they have discovered are downright monstrous! If Jaws made you think twice about dipping a toe in the water, these bizarre fish might keep you on dry land forever! With bulging eyes, needle-sharp teeth and glow-in-the-dark bodies, these sea dwellers look more like movie monsters than real animals. Most pose no danger to humans, but they'll haunt your dreams! If these oddballs are only the beginning, imagine what's out there, lurking in the darkness. As technology improves, scientists expect to uncover even more spine-tingling surprises. By the look of this fierce creature, you wouldn't want to get too close! But those teeth make it look frightening, it's only about six inches long. These tiny fish enjoy a worldwide distribution in tropical and cold waters alike. There's nothing common about it! Also called the naked sea butterfly, this jelly-like creature lives in the Arctic, North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans. These plump, peaceful creatures, which are also known as sea cows, munch on seaweed and consume plants. They are remarkably friendly toward humans and very curious about us, too! They're an endangered species and are protected by law from harassment. This lovely is the stuff of nightmares! It's a toothy killer that can grow up to six feet long. It's one of the oldest shark species alive and is considered a living fossil as it has many of the physical characteristics of sharks that lived 200 million years ago! That's one ugly underbite! These fish produce light to fool predators and make themselves invisible! That's a fancy name for a jellyfish. You can see it in person in warm waters like the South Pacific. One of the most beautiful tropical creatures in the Caribbean! Inside the shell is a bright-colored animal with tentacles, eyes and a foot that acts as a tongue to help it eat. Lots of people mistake this leafy-looking critter for seaweed, but it's a fish! This little guy shares a family with the seahorse, and you can find it around rocky reefs in Australia.
CBS News
03-07-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Beluga whale at Shedd Aquarium becomes first in the world to recover from general anesthesia after successful surgery
A beluga whale at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium became the first known beluga whale to recover from general anesthesia after a successful surgery this week. The 12-year-old whale named Kimalu needed to have a network of growing cysts on her head and neck near her blowhole removed. The team at the aquarium performed the historic surgery with Kimalu under general anesthesia. Shedd officials said the surgery was a success, providing Kimalu with immediate relief, and she woke up from the anesthesia and is now recovering. She is being monitored around the clock during her recovery, focusing on antibiotics, incision site care, pain management and post-surgery nutrition. Scientists say general anesthesia is particularly complicated for beluga whales because of their size and unique physiology. When she woke up, her lifelong caregivers were with her to speak to her and play recordings of vocalizations from the Shedd's beluga pod for her. She is now recovering in a specially designed medical habitat.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Small fish and chips? Cod have shrunk by almost 50% over the last 30 years, study warns
As we near the end of the week, many of Brits will be looking forward to 'fish and chip Friday'. But it's bad news for those who've got their heart set on a large portion. While cod used to be giants – over a metre in length and weighing up to 40kg – today a fully-grown cod can fit neatly on a dinner plate. In fact, the body length of the tasty fish has decreased by 48 per cent – nearly half – since 1996, experts have warned. The shrinking population, in terms of both number and in size, is the result of human influence, they found. In their new study, scientists have demonstrated for the first time that decades of intense fishing, combined with environmental change, have profoundly affected the genetic make-up of a fully marine species. Their analysis involved 152 cod caught in the Bornholm Basin in the Baltic Sea, between 1996 and 2019. They worked out how the size of cod has changed over the years, and found it had decreased significantly. Analysis showed that while the largest fish caught in 1996 measured 115cm long, the largest in 2019 measured just 54cm long. They also found that the length at which 50 per cent of the population reached maturity has declined from 40cm to 20cm. Cod that grow slowly but reach reproductive maturity at a smaller size have had a survival advantage under high fishing pressure, the researchers explained. 'When the largest individuals are consistently removed from the population over many years, smaller, faster-maturing fish gain an evolutionary advantage,' Professor Thorsten Reusch, from the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, said. 'What we are observing is evolution in action, driven by human activity. This is scientifically fascinating, but ecologically deeply concerning.' The researchers also identified genetic changes that confirm the 'shrinking' of cod has a genetic basis and that human activities have left a measurable mark on their DNA. 'Selective overexploitation has altered the genome of Eastern Baltic cod,' Dr Kwi Young Han, first author of the study, said. 'We see this in the significant decline in average size, which we could link to reduced growth rates. 'For the first time in a fully marine species, we have provided evidence of evolutionary changes in the genomes of a fish population subjected to intense exploitation, which has pushed the population to the brink of collapse.' The team warned that the evolutionary consequences of this could be severe. It could mean that the fish are less able to adapt under future environmental changes, they explained. 'Evolutionary change unfolds over many generations,' Professor Reusch said. 'Recovery takes far longer than decline, and it may not even be possible.' There has been a ban on targeted cod fishing in certain parts of the Baltic Sea since 2019, but 'there's no sign of a rebound in body size', the researchers said. While the UK gets most of its cod from the Barents Sea and the waters around Iceland, overfishing in these areas could potentially lead to similar effects. Writing in the journal Science Advances the team said their findings 'underscore implications for conservation policy'. Experts have previously urged Brits to ditch white, flaky fish like cod in favour of more local varieties such as herring and mackerel. Dr Anna Sturrock, from the University of Essex, said we should opt for species more common to our own waters instead of importing the likes of cod and haddock from other countries. Separately, a report from the WWF has called for 'urgent' efforts to strengthen regulation of the seafood sector amid concerns our love for seafood is killing off dozens of species that rely on it for food. The report, titled 'Risky Seafood Business', quantified the total volume of seafood eaten by Britons for the first time. It claimed that in 2019, 887,000 tonnes of seafood was eaten by people in the UK – the equivalent of 5.2 billion portions of fish and chips. Whitefish, including fish and chip favourites haddock and cod, accounted for almost a third of the fish consumed (29 per cent). The vast majority (81 per cent) of this seafood was fished or farmed outside of UK waters, according to WWF. The likes of whales, dolphins, seabirds and sharks have been directly impacted by fisheries supplying UK markets, the report warned, as one of their main food sources is being depleted. Top tips to help you choose the most sustainable seafood Use these five MAGIC tips to help you choose the most sustainable seafood: Mix it up 80% of the seafood we eat in the UK is made up of five species: cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns. This puts a lot of pressure on a handful of species - but dozens of different species are caught and farmed in and around the UK. Why not mix it up and try something new? Avoid red rated Red-rated seafood has significant environmental concerns and should be avoided. The species could be endangered; there could be very damaging methods of fishing or farming; or there could be illegal activity involved in catching or farming it. Good Fish Guide Choosing sustainable seafood can be confusing - that's why we developed the Good Fish Guide. We do the hard work for you, making it easier to make the right choice. Save our app to your home screen and discover the best sustainable swaps while you're eating out or shopping. Impact Look for low-impact fishing and farming methods to prevent significant harm to marine species and habitats. More environmentally-friendly methods include pots, hand-diving, or pole and line fishing. Check for ecolabels Certified seafood usually has to meet stricter requirements for minimising environmental impact and tracking exactly where it has come from and how it was caught or farmed. The Marine Stewardship Council 'blue tick' is probably the most well-known, which covers wild seafood. The Aquaculture Stewardship Council certifies the sustainability of farmed seafood. Other eco-labels to look out for include GlobalG.A.P., Global Aquaculture Association Best Aquaculture Practices, Organic, and Soil Association.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Thresher sharks spotted off the Seacoast. But don't worry, you're not on the menu!
The sharks are here. The water temperature in the Gulf of Maine is well below average for this time of year, which should not surprise anyone considering how cold the air temperature has been. This doesn't seem to have deterred our toothy friends. This week, while fishing rod and reel, my husband had a lengthy encounter with a thresher shark. It appeared to be a juvenile, about 6 feet, with an additional 3-foot tail fin. The shark kept attacking fish that David was reeling in, but the shark couldn't seem to bite them off the line. This occurred several times over about 30 minutes when the shark just left. It seems the shark just let the fish go. It seemed to have decided to wait for David to throw back any undersized fish, fill up on them, and then leave the area. This was only the second time in half a century that David had encountered a thresher. The shark's behavior was a little puzzling. I don't think the shark quite knew what to do with a fish that was actively trying to get away— like the ones being reeled in on a fishing rod. Thresher sharks have a unique way of stalking their prey. Until about a decade ago, scientists had no proof of how a thresher used its tail. But finally, they filmed one as it attacked a school of fish. Like a swordfish, the thresher swims into the middle of a school of fish and then whacks their tail back and forth, stunning the fish and creating bubbles and confusion. They then swim through the school and munch down on the stunned fish. Thus, a juvenile thresher may not be accustomed to a fish that actively tries to get away like the one at the end of David's line. Just a guess, but it seems logical to me. More: Gulf of Maine's oddest beach bum spotted at York's Long Sands Beach Thresher sharks have a unique fin construction. Sharks have no bones in their bodies as they are cartilaginous fish, meaning they have a skeleton made of cartilage. They are efficient eating machines. With their flexible skeleton, their entire body has evolved to be a sleek stealth predator. In the case of thresher sharks, their top caudal fin (top of the tail fin) has elongated to about half the length of their body. This has become a weapon to stun their prey. These animals have been known to hunt in pairs and are very efficient at herding a school of fish and then stunning them into submission. On a positive note, threshers are not considered to be a danger to humans. They prefer schools of fish. Lucky us! According to NOAA Fisheries, Atlantic threshers can live up to 50 years, which is quite long for a shark. The females mature at about 9 feet, which appears to be around 5 years, older than most sharks. They give birth to small numbers of live young. Those young develop inside the female for a full 9 months before birth. The same gestation period as humans! More: Hampton Beach Oceanarium hosts Lucky, a one-in-30-million 'feisty' orange lobster Threshers are not named for the thrashing motion of their tail, as many assume. Instead, their name comes from a farming technique that separates wheat from chaff. A threshing machine whips back and forth—much like the shark's tail fin. The tail also resembles a scythe, traditionally used to cut hay with a similar swinging motion. Back to David's fishing line. Most threshers are not hooked with a normal hook and line, but they usually are caught with the line wrapped around their tail and, boy, do they fight. This leads me to believe that David's shark was behaving normally by spitting out the fish when they were reeled in. Threshers are not normally caught in commercial fisheries except as a bycatch. They are regulated but not in danger of overfishing. According to NOAA, they migrate long distances following plankton blooms, which attract the schools of fish they feed on. Several years ago, I was down on the Hampton Pier before dawn pumping water for my tanks. Half asleep, I stumbled over something on the pier. After tripping over it repeatedly, it finally dawned on me that it could be the tail fin of a thresher shark. I threw it into the back of the truck and drove home. When I arrived, I threw it on the driveway as it was really smelly and went off to do talks in a school. When I got home that day, my husband sighed, 'I see you found it.' I knew he meant the shark tail, as I was always bringing strange things home. He confirmed that it was a thresher shark. And that it had been lying on the pier for over a week. None of the commercial fishermen would touch it as they were not allowed to catch threshers. It had been left there by a recreational fisherman over the weekend. It is now hanging on the wall in the Oceanarium for our visitors to touch. Oh yeah, don't worry, the smell is gone! Ellen Goethel is a marine biologist and the owner of Explore the Ocean World Oceanarium at 367 Ocean Blvd. at Hampton Beach. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Thresher sharks spotted off the Seacoast — But they're not after you
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Slippery, slimy and seriously fascinating: Why the American eel still baffles science
Eels. Just the name can bring shivers to some. Slippery, slimy and wiggly like snakes. All true, but some of us think they are amazing creatures. Yes, I confess to being enamored of these slippery devils. According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, there are more than 800 species of eels in the world, but contrary to popular belief, there is just one species of eel in North America, and that is the American eel Some may believe that the lamprey eel fits into this category, but they are very different animals. A lamprey is a cartilaginous fish, meaning no bones. Their mouths are jawless without teeth and are used to attach to other organisms to suck out their body fluids. Now, that brings shivers to me! They have a series of gill holes instead of slits behind their head in which to breathe. Lampreys are anadromous and migrate from the sea into rivers and lakes to spawn. Despite their appearance, the American eel is a true bony fish, with tiny teeth and an elongated, snakelike body capable of twisting and turning in any direction. Its body is covered in tiny scales, and its dorsal and caudal fins are fused into two long fins on the top and underside of its body. Their pectoral fins are tiny and located just behind the gill slits on their head. The slime is the mucus layer that protects them from infection. American eels are catadromous; they spend most of their life in fresh water and migrate to the ocean to spawn. More: Thresher sharks spotted off the Seacoast. But don't worry, you're not on the menu! Despite intensive research, much about the American eel's lifecycle remains unknown. What we do know is that these eels spend most of their lives in freshwater lakes and streams along North America's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. They can swim into salty estuaries, move over grassy areas, and climb obstacles out of the water to reach streams. Let's start at the beginning. Scientists regularly find American eel larvae floating in large numbers in the Sargasso Sea. Located about 590 miles east of Florida, the Sargasso is known for its calm, glassy surface and minimal wind. It is believed that adult American eels swim there from North America to breed. Although eels have been observed swimming toward the Sargasso, they've never actually been seen in the area. Scientists believe they have external fertilization in a spawning frenzy somewhere in the Sargasso Sea. This also has never been observed. Since no one has ever found the adult eels after they spawn, scientists believe that they die immediately after spawning. There is an awful lot we are guessing about these animals. We do know that they hatch into larval stages and float towards the coast of North America on the Gulf Stream. This can take up to a year, at which time, they metamorphose into glass eels. These are small, transparent eel-like animals that enter streams and estuaries into fresh water, where they once again metamorphose into what we would recognize as an eel. They will spend decades in fresh water and then undergo another metamorphosis. At the time of maturation, they will develop male or female characteristics. Their eyes change to better adapt to the ocean environment, and their digestive tract shrinks while storing fat for their migration back to the Sargasso Sea. Their life has such a complex turn of events. It gives me a sense of awe that the natural world has so many twists and turns, and still animals survive. Of course, that is without the interference of man. Eels are a delicacy in Europe but have yet to catch the taste buds of Americans. Something about the sliminess, I should think! In Maine, 'elvers' are a huge high-profit fishery. Elvers are the tiny-year-old eels that have returned from the Sargasso Sea as glass eels. Elvers are sold to the Asian market to be used as stock for their aquaculture, as eels are a delicacy in Japan. According to the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the price for elvers to commercial fishermen topped $2000 per pound in 2019! They are strictly managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission, hoping to avoid what has happened to the Japanese and European eels, which are endangered. The American eel is doing well as they are found throughout the coastal waters of North America, and the juveniles are only fished commercially in Maine and South Carolina. Some eels travel thousands of miles. How do they know where to go? There are many theories. One, published recently by Dr. Alessandro Cresci, focuses on the European eel. He discovered that they use a combination of moon phases and Earth's magnetic field to guide their migration. This could explain how the American eel finds its way back to the Sargasso Sea. Having said all this, I would add that the American eel remains one of the ocean's most closely kept mysteries. No one has ever witnessed their spawning. Each February, large numbers of larvae are found in the Sargasso Sea, yet neither adults nor eggs have ever been seen there. Where do they go after leaving the estuaries? Where are their eggs? So many unknowns about our ocean and so much to learn. Ellen Goethel is a marine biologist and the owner of Explore the Ocean World Oceanarium at 367 Ocean Blvd. at Hampton Beach. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Slippery, slimy and seriously fascinating: Meet the American eel
