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- Major Announcement: The Persaud Catalogue: Scientific Journal Of Marine Biology
Major Announcement: The Persaud Catalogue: Scientific Journal Of Marine Biology This article is not a part of the main monthly series or anything of that nature. The Persaud Foundation has decided to open another sister newsletter to The Persaud Catalog. This new newsletter will be called “The Persaud Catalogue: Scientific Journal Of Marine Biology”. Currently, all articles related to this new newsletter will be published on this website. Eventually, it will receive its own website. This new newsletter will have articles on any experiments or research projects that are conducted. It will provide also the results for these projects if there is a specific objective. There will be a free version of the article will semi-limited information & a version that requires a contribution that has full access. The ones that require a contribution will require a lower contribution or no contribution at all if you have a membership. It will have a lower contribution if you have a brass membership & no contribution at all if you have a bronze membership. For more information, please visit the section of our website titled “How To Apply For A Membership”. This will not be the same with crowd-science experiments that are conducted. All information on crowd-science experiments will be released for free the majority of the time. The first article will be published during the first experiment or research project. We do currently have an experiment planned, however, it pertains to a future article series so we will release it during the month of said future monthly article series. All publications for this new newsletter will have “The Persaud Catalogue: Scientific Journal Of Marine Biology” in the title. After that is put in, the subject matter of the article will be put in the title. This is to differentiate it from the main monthly article series. Once it gets its own website, then an announcement will be made about that. This is all the current information on the new newsletter. Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors
- The Hawaiian Monk Seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi)
This months will cover the island of Lanai. The island of lanai is an island of that comprises the U.S state of Hawaii. It Is approximately 7.68 nautical miles (8.837986 miles or 14.223359741 kilometers) from the closest island of Maui. It is most well known for its beautiful of Moloka’i & the maui islands, as well as its beautiful beaches that are often not very crowded. However this article isn’t to discuss the island itself, it’s to discuss the creature that lives around it. Lanai has incredibly diverse wildlife, a species known as the Hawaiian monk seal is one of the species that comprises that wildlife. The Hawaiian monk seal is an incredibly interesting creature that is quite illusive but when seen is absolutely beautiful. In this article we will discuss the life of the Hawaiian monk seal, the mating procedures, tactics, practices, & cycles of the Hawaiian monk seal, the distribution of the Hawaiian monk seal, the scientific detailings of the Hawaiian monk seal, & the migration of the Hawaiian monk seal. With that being said, lets delve into the Hawaiian monk seal. The Life Of The Hawaiian Monk Seal The Hawaiian monk seal was discovered in 1968 by an unnamed archeological team. Strangely, it was not discovered alive, but in a domestic waste pile in skeletal form. Fully matured & adult males males are on average 179.9999674 to 139.99992422 kilograms (308.647 to 396.832 pounds) in weight & 2.099998848 meters (6.88976 feet or 82.67712 inches) in length. However, fully matured adult females tend to be, on average, slightly more sizeable, on average to 179.9999674 to 269.9999511 kilograms (396.832 to 595.248 pounds ) & meters (7.87402 feet or 94.48824 inches) in length. When Hawaiian monk seal pups are born, they average at 13.99999242 to 17.99999674 kilograms (30.8647 to 39.6832 pounds) & 1.000000032 meters (39.37008 inches or 3.28084 feet) in length. As they nurse for approximately six weeks, they grow considerably in this time period. Eventually they end up averaging at between 70.00018891 to 89.99998369 kilograms (154.324 or 198.416 pounds) by the time they are done with the process of weaning. Due to the production of milk, the mother will lose up to 139.9999242 kilograms (308.64699994843 pounds). The average life span of this creature can be up to 30 years however it is often much less as very few live up to this mark. This species is believed to have existed for 13 million years. They are in fact, older then certain Hawaiian islands. This means that they were there longer islands that they now roam around. They diet usually consists of common tropical fish, various squids, various octopi, eels, & many different species of crustaceans. They are not cannibalistic. They are often targeted by tiger sharks, grey reef sharks, white-tipped reef sharks, great white sharks, & Galapagos sharks. They are endangered being classified as endangered however not critically endangered. They have been on a population decline for a few decades. It is currently estimated that 1,570 Hawaiian monk seals currently alive in the wild. They are generally not aggressive towards humans unless provoked. They however are incredibly territorial & will often leave certain beaches to avoid territorial disputes. They are not social creatures & live mostly solitary lives in the ocean. The Hawaiian monk seal is part of the taxa family Phocidae, being named so for its characteristic lack of external ears & inability to rotate the hind flippers under the torso. The Hawaiian monk seal has a relatively small, flat rounded head with wide-reaching black eyes, eight pairs of teeth, & short flat muzzle with a bit of rounding, with the nostril on top of the snout & vibirisasse on each side. The nostrils are small vertical slits which close when the monk seal dives underwater to protect the nose tissue & to prevent water from breaching the nose. Additionally, their slender, torpedo-shaped body & hind flippers allow them to be very swift swimmers. The Mating Procedures, Tactics, Practices, & Cycles Of The Hawaiian Monk Seal Since the Hawaiian monk seals are incredibly primitive, they mate in incredibly odd ways. The monk seals will mate underwater via sexual reproduction. They are not hermaphroditic in any capacity. They give birth through live birth instead of through eggs. They are also not monogamous as they do not seek to mate for life. They usually reach sexual maturity at around 5-6 in the main Hawaiian islands & 6-7 in the northwestern Hawaiian islands. Unfortunately it is unknown when the male monk seals reach sexual maturity. However, the youngest documented female to give birth was 4 years old so it does differ quite a bit. They usually have a singular monk seal pup. Pregnancy lasts on average 11 months for the monk seal. When giving birth, the mother will haul out to the coast line. They do appear to have a specific breeding months in which the population seems to spike. These months are March & April. A monk seal pup nurses on average from its mother for approximately one month. During the nursing period, the mother stays with the pup(s) without leaving to forage for food or for really any other reason. After which the pup is left on its own to learn how to swim & forage for food, & survive its new surroundings. Unfortunately, there is no complete demographic of survival from juvenile to adulthood. The Distribution Of The Hawaiian Monk Seal The Hawaiian Monk Seal is entirely endemic to the Hawaiian islands. There have been no confirmed sightings of them outside of the Hawaiian islands. This is mostly due to them immigrating to the Hawaiian islands & deciding to not leave due to climate. They most likely will not ever leave the Hawaiian islands. It is believed that they migrated to the Hawaiian islands between 4–11 million years ago through a passage that existed between North & South America called the Inter-American Seaway for 175 million years. The Inter-American seaway was closed by The Isthmus of Panama approximately 3 million years ago. The Scientific Detailings Of The Hawaiian Monk Seal The Hawaiian monk seal is incredibly interesting & quite mysterious when it comes to its science & evolution. There are only 3 species of monk seal that have been discovered. These species are, The Mediterranean monk seal which we have covered, the Caribbean monk seal which is extinct, & the Hawaiian monk seal. Their teeth are relatively flat & rounded for chewing fish. This is a very close replica or cast of a Hawaiian monk seal skull. They have sharp canine & much larger molars. We believe that there is a bone difference between a juvenile Hawaiian monk seal & a fully matured adult. There is no complete count of how many fossils of them that we have found that is public domain. They have flat heads & short rounded muzzle bones. They are relatively fleshy as well. They have a lot of stamina & they can stay underwater for over 20 minutes. They can dive up to 1,500 feet deep however they average at 200. It has also been proved that they have an incredibly low metabolism compared to other marine mammals. They are internationally known as Neomonachus Schauinslandi. Their phylum is known as Chordata meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either In adulthood or as juveniles. Over 60,000 species are categorized under Chordata at the time of publishing. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is known as Mammalia. Mammalia is classified by the production of milk by the mother for their child to nurse, a neocortex which is a region of the brain, some capacity of fur or hair, & three middle ear bones. Their order is Carnivora which is a monophyletic order of plancental mammals. These mammals have all evolved in ways to specialize in eating fish. This order is the 5th largest order of mammals & has at the time of publishing, at least 279 species categorized under it. Their clade is Pinnpedia, meaning they are Pinnipeds. Pinnipeds are a heavily distributed & extremely diverse clade of semiaquatic species & marine mammals. They are part of the family known as Phocidae. This is not to be confused with Phocides a certain genus of butterflies, or Pholcidae a family of spiders. Phocidae are essentially earless seals, this means that they to not have ear flaps / coverings, & they do not have any distinguishable ear that can be seen unless you are incredibly up close or using instruments to help. Their genus is surprisingly not Monachus, but that of Neomonachus. Only 2 species were placed within the genus with those being the Caribbean Monk seal which is extinct, & the Hawaiian monk seal. The reason for their placement in the genus of Neomonachus is that they were found to be paraphyletic. Directories / Credits https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/hawaiian-monk-seal https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Hawaiian-Monk-Seal https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/Hawaiian_monk_seal/natural_history.html https://hawaiioceanproject.com/fun-facts-about-the-hawaiian-monk-seal/ https://www.americanoceans.org/species/hawaiian-monk-seal/#Predators https://www.marinemammalcenter.org/animal-care/learn-about-marine-mammals/pinnipeds/hawaiian-monk-seal Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- Marine Hall Of Fame: Sir John Murray
Todays article, is a special. It is apart of our collection known as the “Marine Hall Of Fame”. In this special collection we will discuss marine biologists who we feel have served marine biology & oceanography the most. We do this in order to commemorate these marine biologists & to show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. This collection has no relation to the main months series. This series publishes on the 25th of every month, shortly after our article on the oceanic environment of a certain region on the 20th. Today’s marine biologist, is known as Sir John Murray. He was a Scottish-Canadian oceanographer & limnologist. Murray was well known for his work in oceanography, specifically in relation to deep oceanic basins. He is modernly regarded as the father of oceanography. In this article, we will discuss the early life of Sir John Murray, the later life & career of John Murray, & finally his honorables, achievements, & accomplishments. With that being said, let us delve into the life of John Murray. The Early Life Of Sir John Murray Murray was born on the 3rd of March, 1841. He was born to his father, Robert Murray who was an accountant, & to his mother, Elizabeth Macfarlane. He was born in the area that is now modern day Ontario. His parents had immigrated shortly before his birth, just 7 years prior, from Scotland. He was schooled for his primary education in London, Ontario. In the year 1858, he decided that he wanted to immigrate back to Scotland in order to live with his maternal grandfather, John Macfarlane. He continued his secondary education in Scotland, as he is documented to have enrolled in Stirling High School. The school is located on Torbrex Farm Road in Stirling, Scotland. After completing his studies at Stirling, he enrolled at the University of Edinburgh to study medicine. Unfortunately, he did not complete his studies & did not graduate. The Later Life & Career Of John Murray In the year 1868, Murray joined the crew of a whaling ship named Jan Mayen as the ship’s surgeon. On an expedition, he visited the island of Spitsbergen, Svalbard, & the island of Jan Mayen. Both of which are owned by Norway. He visited these islands on a 7 month long trip. During the expedition, he collected different marine specimens & logged different oceanic currents & conditions. He also tracked ice movements on this trip. Upon returning to Edinburgh, he re-enrolled in the University Of Edinburgh studying geology under Sir Archibald Geikie. After this, he organized much of the challenger expedition, which was led by Sir Charles Wyville Thomson, who we have covered in a previous Marine Hall Of Fame article. The challenger expedition was revolutionary to the field of oceanography in that it made major contributions to charting & biological investigation. Due to his role in the expedition, he was placed in charge of all biological specimens that were collected on the expedition. After the death of the leading biologist, Thomson, Murray completed his publication of a 50 volume report Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger. He married his wife, Isabel Henderson in the year 1889, whom he had 3 daughters & 2 sons with. This was his only wife. After this he directed biological investigations in various lochs around Scotland, as well as Scottish coast. He also took part in an oceanographic expedition throughout the north Atlantic in 1910. His writings include but are not limited to, “On the Structure & Origin of Coral Reefs and Islands” & “ The Depths of the Ocean” . Unfortunately, Murray was killed when his car overturned going at 10 miles per hour west of his home on the 16th of march 1914. His Honorables Accomplishments, & Achievements Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1877) [2] Neill Medal from the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1877) Makdougall Brisbane Prize from the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1884) Founder's Medal from the Royal Geographical Society (1895) Fellow of the Royal Society (1896) [11] Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (1898)[4] Cullum Geographical Medal from the American Geographical Society (1899) [12] Clarke Medal from the Royal Society of New South Wales (1900) Livingstone Medal from the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (1910)[13] Vega Medal from the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography (1912) He was honoured with having an order of sea sponges “Murrayonida” named after him. He was also honoured with having a species of lizard named after him “Silvascincus murray”. He had a total of 24 other species named after him. Directories / Credits Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2022, March 12). Sir John Murray. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Murray European Marine Biological Resource Centrehttps://www.embrc.eu › news › joh...John Murray, the Sir of the ocean deep and Dr Jekyll of oceanography Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The Oceans Of Titlow Beach / Puget Sound
The Oceans Of Titlow Beach / Puget Sound Today’s article will discuss the oceans of Titlow beach / the bay of puget sound. Titlow beach is a beautiful beach that sits in the bay of puget sound. Titlow Beach has an incredibly diverse environment with everything from sandy barren flats to lush marine greenery. They are most well known for their scuba diving adventures & expeditions. They have a wide variety of marine fauna along the beach which also makes it a hot spot for marine watchers of all kinds. They have beautiful waters that are blue & sort of clear, this makes the watching of marine animals much easier. In this article we will be discussing the following: The salinity, temperatures, tides, & marine geography of Titlow beach, the most prominent marine ecosystems of Titlow beach & the documented marine fauna as well the documented marine flora. This is an incredibly diverse marine environment with many Microsystems within it. With that being said let’s delve into the oceans of Titlow Beach. The Salinity, Temperatures, Tides, & Marine Geography Of Titlow Beach / Puget Sound Titlow beach is located along the bay of puget sound in the northern area of Washington state. It is along the bay of Puget sound which connects to the Pacific ocean. The Salinity levels are 28.5 parts per thousand meaning that for every kilogram of seawater there are 28.5 grams of pure salt. They do have salt deposits close-by the beach however they are rather small & it is incredibly hard to see as Puget sound extends quite deep. Puget sound extends approximately 928 feet deep or 282.854 meters deep. Titlow beach also has a non-dangerous riptide & does not have a very dangerous high tide. That is due to the fact that it exists within a bay. However, it is recommended that you listen to any warnings provided by the Washington coastal guard. Puget sound is 1,020 square miles so it’s not uncommon to see boaters in the water. However, there are multiple marine protected areas of Puget Sound. These are where you can find the most marine organisms as they have been ran out or left a few other places entirely. They do have salt water marshes however those marshes do not cause issues with the salinity or any other related things. The marine terrain are biologically diverse & the most common kinds that are found in puget sound are sandy or rocky bumpy areas, underwater seagrass covered areas, & salt water marshes / estuaries, & The average sea water temperature as well as the highest & lowest sea water temperature for each month of 2022 are as follows: January average 8.12° Celsius / 46.616° Fahrenheit with a high of 10.54° Celsius / 50.972° Fahrenheit & a low of 7.1° Celsius / 44.78° Fahrenheit, February average 7.97° Celsius / 46 red.166 Fahrenheit with a high of 9.36° Celsius / 48.848° Fahrenheit & a low of 6.37° Celsius / 43.466° Fahrenheit, March average 8.13° Celsius / 46.634° Fahrenheit with a high of 10.38° Celsius / 50.684° Fahrenheit & a low of 7.05° Celsius / 44.69° Fahrenheit, April average 8.84° Celsius / 47.912° Fahrenheit with a high of 11.01 Celsius° / 51.818° Fahrenheit & a low of 7.61° Celsius / 45.698° Fahrenheit, May average 9.72° Celsius / 49.496° Fahrenheit with a high of 11.69° Celsius / 53.042° Fahrenheit & a low of 8.22° Celsius / 46.796° Fahrenheit, June average 10.36° Celsius / 50.648° Fahrenheit with a high of 12.54° Celsius / 54.572° Fahrenheit & a low of 8.86° Celsius / 47.948° Fahrenheit, July average 10.99° Celsius / 51.782° Fahrenheit with a high of 15.01° Celsius / 59.018° Fahrenheit & a low of 8.86° Celsius / 47.948° Fahrenheit, July average 10.99° Celsius / 51.782° Fahrenheit with a high of 15.01° Celsius / 59.018 Fahrenheit & a low of 9.3° Celsius / 48.74° Fahrenheit, August average 11.32° Celsius / 52.376° Fahrenheit with a high of 14.18° Celsius / 57.524° Fahrenheit & a low of 9.8° Celsius / 49.64° Fahrenheit, September average 11.14° Celsius / 52.052° Fahrenheit with a high of 13.67° Celsius / 56.606° Fahrenheit & a low of 9.56° Celsius / 49.208° Fahrenheit, October average 10.22° Celsius / 50.396° Fahrenheit with a high of 11.33° Celsius / 50.594° Fahrenheit & a low of 8.88° Celsius / 47.984° Fahrenheit, November average 9.55° Celsius / 49.19° Fahrenheit & a high of 11.82° Celsius / 53.276° Fahrenheit with a low of 8.42° Celsius / 47.156° Fahrenheit, December average 8.69° Celsius / 47.642° Fahrenheit with a high of 10.24° Celsius / 50.432° Fahrenheit & a low of 7.25° Celsius / 45.05° Fahrenheit. The Main Marine Ecosystems Of Titlow Beach / Puget Sound Salt Water Marshes There are many salt water marshes that exist around the bay of Puget Sound. They line certain parts of the shoreline & are home to thousands of different species. This area typically sees a variety of fish & marine invertebrates such as crabs. This area usually has an above ground area that is half flooded & an underwater area. The one of the most delicate of ecosystems along the shoreline of Puget Sound. These areas are found in abundance along the shoreline & off to the sides of puget sound. They also usually have sea birds & sea lions that enjoy the area because of the plentiful small fish (rockfish, alaskan pollock, etcetera) can be found here. Most creatures in the underwater areas here are usually quite small in size. This makes it a sea birds absolute paradise. Rocky Barren Areas In the bay of Puget Sound there are certain areas which have a rocky bottom or a bottom that has extremely compacted sand & not much else. These areas are usually barren & don’t see many visitors other then crabs & occasionally small fish. However in this area, The giant pacific octopus can be found searching for crabs & small minnows. They are quite illusive & dislike contact with humans. They can be quite timid & shy however they are usually friendly towards humans unless provoked. However these areas are usually found near the coast or near the middle most area of the bay. They are relatively uninhabited by marine vertebrates. However tunnels that are dug by crabs can be found so it is best to make sure that if you go towards these areas that you do not accidentally harm the species found here. Sandy Barren Areas The sandy most areas are usually home to a bustling ecosystem of many different species. These areas of puget sound may seem barren however they contain many different creatures. These are found all around puget sound & usually have horrible visibility. Sea lions, various crabs, minnows, & octopi are found in this ecosystem. These areas are oftentimes the hunting grounds of larger fish such as the northern pacific hake. They may not look like they have a bustling ecosystem however they do. This set of ecosystems are often the most disturbed ecosystem of puget sound as they can be considerably close to the shoreline. Seagrass Bedded Ecosystems These ecosystems are quite self explanatory in that they consist largely of seagrass. These are typically the most active of the ecosystems & many different species can be found here. There are a 6 of different types of seagrasses that grow in puget sound which will all be covered in the section of marine flora. These areas are home to many marine fish which will be documented in the section of marine fauna. These ecosystems the best place to find & photograph marine life. These areas are also not strictly reserved to any single place of Puget sound. The Documented Marine Flora Of Titlow Beach / Puget Sound There are many different types of documented marine flora of Puget Sound. While they may not be as colourful as say Miami, they are incredibly interesting & utterly beautiful. Washington’s department of natural resources, an log was made of all the monitored seagrasses that exist within the bay of puget sound. This experiment was conducted between 2016 & 2017 & was officially published in 2019. Another much longer experiment was conducted between 2000 & 2020 in order to monitor seagrasses in the greater area of Puget Sound. This was also conducted by Washington’s department of natural resources. Between these 2 experiments, It was found are a total of 6 Seagrasses that grow in the bay. These seagrasses are known as Zostera marina (Common eelgrass), Zostera japonica (Dwarf eelgrass / Japanese eelgrass), Phyllospadix serrulatus (Toothed surfgrass), Phyllospadix scouleri (Scouler’s surfgrass), Phyllospadix torreyi (Torreys surfgrass), & Ruppia maritima (Widgeon grass). Out of all of these it was found that the Zostera marine or common eelgrass is the most abundant & common seagrass in Puget Sound. It was also discovered that over 80% of the total area of greater puget sound has some form of seagrass presence. However, seagrass was not observed directly near Titlow beach. It is found much closer to western Seattle & Adelaide. In recent years, there has been a decrease in seagrass near San Juan island & central puget sound. There has also been a slight decline in the shallow areas of Puget sound. This implies that humans may be having a negative effect on the coastal seagrass distribution of Puget sound. This seems to be the case for many bays in America. Puget sound seems to be suffering the same fate as Morro Bay. ( The-bay-of-morro-bay Click Here for more information.) Another factor that plays into the decline in seagrass density is that Puget sound is slightly polluted. This is mainly due to polluted surface runoff. However, the seagrass distribution is slowly showing signs of migration towards the middle of puget sound & is mainly declining in the coastal areas. This sparks a new era & many new ecosystems for the bay of puget sound. The Documented Marine Fauna Of Titlow Beach / Puget Sound There are a large variety of different marine fauna that live in the bay of Puget Sound. Many of these species are used to colder temperatures as Puget sound itself is quite cold. However, due to the coldness of the water larger fish & larger marine mammals tend to live in Puget sound. These animals where unfortunately not provided with enough protection for a very long period of time which led to the collapse of certain species infrastructure. However, Puget sound has a total of 26 marine protected areas as of 2023. This has led to the rise of many species. There unfortunately is not a complete log of all marine species in 2023. However, there is still a good log of species that are currently known in puget sound. The list of all known marine mammals in puget sound is as follows: Orcas (orcinus orca), harbour porpoise (phocoena phocoena), bottle nose dolphins (tursiops truncatus), grey whales (eschrichtius robustus, common dolphins (delphinus delphis), fin whales (balaenoptera physalus), Steller sea lions (eumetopias jubatus), northern sea otters (enhydra lutris), northern minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata) , northern elephant seal (mirounga angustirostris), Dall’s porpoise (phocoenoides dalli), Risso’s dolphin (grampus griseus), humpback whales (megaptera novaeangliae), Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni), long-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus capensis), ribbon seals (Histriophoca fasciata), sperm whales (pheseter macrocephalus), Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), & river otters (lontra canadensis). These are all creatures that can spotted around puget sound. Unfortunately, some have been injured due to pollution runoff & human activity. However, slowly these creatures if found are being rehabilitated & released back into puget sound by organizations such as the Seattle aquarium. These animals if spotted, should not be messed or tampered with. Since there have been migration patterns through & in puget sound, we most likely will never have a complete list of animal species for puget sound. Directories / Credits https://seatemperatures.net/north-america/united-states/puget-sound/ https://www.eopugetsound.org/articles/puget-sounds-physical-environment https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/aqr_nrsh_svmp_report_2016_2017_data.pdf#12 https://www.dnr.wa.gov/programs-and-services/aquatics/aquatic-science/nearshore-habitat-eelgrass-monitoring https://www.seattleaquarium.org/animals/river-otters Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The Buffalo Sculpin (Enophrys Bison) Of Titlow Beach, Washington USA
This month’s article series will be about… Titlow Beach, Washington! Unfortunately we have had a few issues with our software which are not allowing our posts to upload as scheduled. We do apologize for this inconvenience. Titlow beach is in the city of Tacoma which is 33 miles or 55 kilometers from Seattle. It is part of the bay Puget Sound. Titlow beach is a popular scuba diving area as it has much wildlife. It is incredibly beautiful & has a small boardwalk along it. Titlow Beach also has a designated marine preserve. Today’s article will be about the Buffalo sculpin of Titlow Beach. The Buffalo Sculpin is incredibly interesting & a popular thing to see for the scuba divers of Puget sound. It has been reported that when held that they give off a low humming sound. This article will discuss the lives of the Buffalo Sculpin, the mating procedures, practices, tactics, & cycles of the buffalo sculpin, the distribution of the buffalo sculpin, & the role of the buffalo sculpin in the ecosystems of Titlow Beach. Sculpin are incredibly diverse & strange creatures. This makes them the point of study for many. However in the species if Enophrys Bison they are still somewhat undiscovered. With that being said, lets delve into the lives of the buffalo sculpin. The Lives Of The Buffalo Sculpin It is not clear who or when the Buffalo Sculpin was officially discovered. We don’t know who it was discovered by either. They can grow up to be Approximately 36.999926 centimeters long or 14.5669 inches long. However they are usually around 10-12 inches or 25.4-30.48 centimeters. Their dorsal finn can grow to be 3.175 centimeters long or 1.25 inches long. It is not exactly clear the approximate life span of this fish. They are territorial & enjoy being solitary instead of being in groups. They occupy individual spaces & dislike socializing with each other. They are usually aggressive especially towards other sculpin species, however they are timid when it cones to humans. They do not pose a threat to most fisherman or scuba divers. They often will not even interact with humans or any other large species. They approximately weigh 1-2 pounds however they can be up to 3.5 pounds in weight. Their diet is incredibly diverse however they usually feed on shellfish, algae, & small crustaceans. They are not cannibalistic in any way that we know of. It is not known what they are preyed upon by but their sharp dorsal & pectoral fins make it extremely hard for them to be attacked by another fish species. They have often blotched colouring & are considered the ugliest of sculpin. They are usually shades of brown, green, grey, maroon, or a faint blue in colour. The fins of this species are usually banded & boney which makes sense since they are ray-finned fish. The features that distinguish this sculpin are: its long, smooth & boney spine that extends from the upper cheek with a smaller spine below; the wide head with short, steep snout and mouth that extends to the middle of the eye; & a lateral line that is high on the back with large, raised scales. The remainder of the body is unscaled & rather smooth or fleshy. The Mating Procedures, Practices, Tactics, & Cycles Of The Buffalo Sculpin The Buffalo Sculpin are strange creatures when it comes to their mating patterns. The females fertilize the eggs with the males via sexual reproduction. They then can lay from 19,000 to 32,000 fertilized eggs. These eggs are usually laid on either a coral reefed area or a rock. They are usually laid at depths of 12.00000648 meters or 39.3701 feet. The male’s then guards these fertilized eggs from predatory species for 5 to 6 weeks until they have hatched. This image depicts a father Buffalo Sculpin guarding his fertilized eggs. They lay these eggs in masses in order to maximize security on the eggs while they are in the fertilized egg stage. A male can have multiple egg masses to guard as they are not monogamous. The males typically have a group of females eggs all in one place in order to watch them all over at the same time. They are active in the juvenile’s life after it has hatched & do display a type of parental care. They are not hermaphroditic & they reproduce sexually, they have no way of producing asexually. They do have specific mating seasons where the population spikes with those seasons being as follows: late winter & early spring. The Distribution Of The Buffalo Sculpin The Buffalo Sculpin is incredibly diverse when it comes to environmental choosing. They can be found everywhere from Kodiak Island Alaska, to Monterrey California. They enjoy colder temperatures with lower salinity levels. They are frequently caught by fisherman off the western coast of the United States as they are quite common. However they are not found in high densities as they do not encroach on others territories. They are not edible in any way so they often get thrown back into the ocean after being caught. However if you do happen to catch a particularly large one you should take a picture & report your findings. They are not known to be found further then the eastern area of the Gulf of Alaska so if you find one further out then you should report this as this means they have moved into extremely cold temperatures. The Scientific Detailings Of Buffalo Sculpin The Buffalo Sculpin are incredibly interesting. They have extending spiky dorsal fins that are connected directly to their spine. They are incredibly boney as they are part of the class known as Actinopterygii. This means that they are incredibly boney ray-finned fish rather than fleshy less structured fish. They also have large spiky pectoral fins that extend from the sides. These are estimated to only grow to be up to 2.3 inches long. It is not known how long the species has existed for. Since sculpin are so diverse they have no identified closely related sculpin species. They get tired out very easily & do not have very much stamina. They do not show empathy as far as we know & are not currently being monitored for any reason as they are non threatened. They do however know to guard their children before birth which shows some level of intelligence. They have sharp teeth used to rip apart prey. They are internationally known as Enophrys Bison. Their phylum is known as Chordata meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either in adulthood or as juveniles. Over 60,000 species are categorized under Chordata at the time of publishing. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Actinopterygii, this means that they are ray-finned fish. Over 50% of living vertebrates are categorized under this class. This also means that their actinopterygian fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements. This classification makes sense as they are incredibly boney & have incredibly large pectoral & dorsal fins. Their order is Scorpaeniformes. This order is an incredibly diverse order of ray-finned boney fish which included lionfish. This order is the 5th largest order of ray-finned fish. This order also has over 1,320 species categorized under it at the time of publishing. Their family is Cottidae which is in the superfamily of Cottidea. It is the largest sculpin family with 275 species categorized under it & 70 genera categorized under it at the time of publishing. It is also the most diverse environment wise family of sculpin. Their genus is known as Enophrys. This genus is of sculpins which are all in the northern or eastern ocean. There are 4 species categorized under this genus at the time of publishing. Directories / Credits https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/enophrys-bison https://themarinedetective.com/2012/04/01/buffalos-mating-underwater/ https://www.fishbase.de/summary/4086 https://guidesly.com/fishing/fish-species/buffalo-sculpin https://www.plu.edu/biology/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2017/09/final_enophyrs-bison_parillo_20170914.pdf Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The History Of The Devils Hole
In todays article we will be discussing the history of the devils hole. Please note that this article will purely be about the of the devils hole & not Death Valley itself. Also, this article will be formatted slightly differently as the history of this area is cannot properly be told in our usual format. The Devils Hole is a geological formation on the California-Nevada Border. It is in the sweltering hot Death Valley which leaves one to think that aquatic systems would be out of the question. However, some species such as The Devils Hole Pupfish have made themselves a marine ecosystem in this unlikely area. These aquatic ecosystems are some of the most untouched places in the world. They hold some of the most intricate & resilient species to exist. 40 acres of the designated devils hole area is a part of the Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge. The cavern extends at least 430 feet deep. However it is known that it does go deeper in certain areas, but we don’t currently know how much deeper. With the way that the the devils hole is formed, there is a surface pool area which drains off into a chamber. Below the surface pool, Devils Hole descends approximately 160 feet (49 m) through what is termed the "main chamber" before reaching a narrow opening referred to as the 'funnel'. Through this opening lies a much larger chamber of the cavern system known as Acree's Chasm. Acree's Chasm is approximately 300 feet (91.44 feet ) in length, 40 feet (12 m) in width. The bottom of the cavern lays approximately 260 feet (79.248 meters) below the surface. The Documented History Of The Devils Hole B.C Era The devils hole formed by groundwater slowly eroding the rock around it & eventually forming a limestone cavern. At some point, it was connected to another hot-spring or large water source & fish filtered in from this point. This would go on to cause the devils hole pupfish to become a species, this will be discussed throughout the article. Other then the caves formation, nothing much else is known about the A.D Era In the year 1965, a clique of friends scaled the fence surrounding Devils Hole. This was done with the intention of going scuba diving in the Devils Hole. This clique if friends were made up of two boys that were 19-years old & 20-years old. With their diving gear, they went into the devils hole. They would never return from this journey. Soon after the men went missing in the pool, a rescue team attempted to search for the men, they were hoping that the men had gotten stuck in an air pocket deep below the surface. The rescue team sent a diver in the cave in order to hopefully extract the men. Unfortunately, once the diver came back up the surface pool he brought nothing but upsetting news. The diver would come to find a mask with a snorkel, along with a couple other items that belonged to the missing boys over 300-feet below the surface. After searching Devils Hole extensively, the two boys would never be found. It is presumed that they drowned or got stuck in the cave & died of starvation or hypothermia. The cave is incredibly narrow & is uncharted in certain areas so the second theory is quite plausible. There are also no air pockets after a certain point in the cave due to the way that the cave is shaped. The Endemic Species Of The Devils Hole & How They Arrived There is 1 species that is naturally occurring to the Devils Hole, it is known as the Devils Hole pupfish. It is unknown how the Devils Hole pupfish actually arrived, however here is the most common theory. The Devils Hole was most likely connected to a hot spring or other body of water at some point. It is theorized that the Devils Hole pupfish originated here & swam into the Devils Hole from this point. At some point later, this entrance was closed leaving the Devils Hole pupfish’s ancestors trapped in the cavern. This would cause them to become isolated from the rest of the fish in said creek & evolve into their own species. Also, a species known as the Cyprinodon Salinus (Death Valley Pupfish) which is found in the nearby Salt Creek, is a very close relative of the Devils Hole pupfish. This leads us to believe that they have had at least a few common ancestors. Directories / Credits https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nevada/devils-hole-nv/amp/ The Mojave Projecthttps://mojaveproject.org › divining...Divining Devils Hole: Part I 'It's like infinity': Inside the historic tragedy at Death Valley's Devils Hole Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- Marine Hall Of Fame: Henry Bryant Bigelow
Today's article is a special that we publish monthly, it is known as the Marine Hall of Fame. The reason for this special series is to commemorate the marine biologists who we feel have benefited the world the most or who have contributed greatly to marine biology. Unfortunately, we had some technical issues with our webpage & we could not publish the article on its designated day. We apologize for this inconvenience. Todays marine biologist, is known as Henry Bryant Bigelow. He was a famed American marine biologist & oceanographer. This article will discuss the early life of Henry Bryant Bigelow, the later life & career of Henry Bryant Bigelow, & finally his achievements, accomplishments, & honors. The Early Life & Personal Life Of Henry Bryant Bigelow He was born on October 3rd 1879, in Boston, Massachusetts. Not much is known about his childhood or his life before college. What is known is that he is the grandson of Henry Bryant who was an American physician & naturalist. This may have partially influenced his love for the ocean. Another thing that has inspired him, is that he spent his summers in Cape Cod as a child. He said himself that this gave him the opportunity to become an amateur naturalist as a young man. He ended up being somewhat a naturalist later on in life, as he is documented of having an extensive collection of exotic birds eggs. He seemed to enjoy birds of all kinds as his first publication were on birds found off the northeastern coast of Labrador. He is documented to have also done lots of duck hunting. He visited the mountains quite often when he was younger & had a true love for skiing & mountaineering. His fate seemed to be set as a naturalist like his grandfather, not to become anything in the marine biological field. He married Elizabeth Perkins Stack in the year 1906. Together they ended up having 4 children. Unfortunately, 2 of these children would pass away much too early. However this did not stop Bigelow in his capacity as a marine biologist & oceanographer. The Later Life & Career Of Henry Bryant Bigelow While a senior at Harvard, he went on an expedition with famed ichthyologist Alexander Emmanuel Rodolphe Agassiz, across the Indian Ocean & through the Maldives. This is what he said sparked his passion for oceanography & marine biology. After graduating from Harvard in 1901, he began working closely with Agassiz. Bigelow accompanied Agassiz on several major marine science expeditions including one aboard the U.S Albatross. He would go on to studyaongsidele his mentor Agassiz until his death in 1910. After this he began working at the Museum of Comparative Zoology in 1905 & also joined Harvard's faculty in 1906 where he ended up working for 62 years. In 1911, Bigelow was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. He helped found the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in 1930 & was its founding director. During his life he published more than one hundred papers & several books. He was a world-renowned expert on coelenterates & elasmobranchs. Unfortunately, he passed away in the year 1967 on December 11th. His Honors, Achievements, & Accomplishments 1. The Henry Bryant Bigelow Medal in Oceanography is awarded by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to honor "those who make significant inquiries into the phenomena of the sea". Bigelow was the first recipient of the medal in 1960. 2. He was honored by the naming of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric A dministration research vessel NOAAS Henry B. Bigelow (R 225) . 3. In 1948 Bigelow was awarded the Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal from the National Academy of Sciences . 4. He is credited with discovering approximately 110 species throughout the course of his life & credited with authoring approximately 100 scientific papers. Directories / Credits https://www.whoi.edu/who-we-are/about-us/people/awards-recognition/henry-bryant-bigelow-medal-in-oceanography/ http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/bigelow-henry-b.pdf Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The Aquatic Systems Of The Devils Hole, Death Valley, California
The Aquatic Systems Of The Devils Hole, Death Valley, California Today’s article will discuss the Aquatic systems of the geological formation known as The Devils Hole. The Devils Hole is a geological formation on the California-Nevada Border. It is in the sweltering hot Death Valley which leaves one to think that aquatic systems would be out of the question. However, some species such as The Devils Hole Pupfish have made themselves a marine ecosystem in this unlikely area. These aquatic ecosystems are some of the most untouched places in the world. They hold some of the most intricate & resilient species to exist. In this article we will be discussing the basic information & marine geography of the Devils Hole, the marine ecosystems of the Devils Hole, the marine flora & fauna that resides in the aquatic ecosystems of the Devils Hole, & the conservation efforts of the state of California, the state of Nevada, & the Federal Government of the United States for the Devils Hole. It is important to note that the Devils Hole is incredibly unexplored, enormous, & is incredibly hard to find information on. With that being said, lets delve into the depths of the Devils Hole. Basic Information & The Marine Geography Of The Devils Hole The Devils Hole is a geological formation on the California-Nevada Border in a small town called Death Valley. It is a freshwater cave system with many endemic species. The reason for this is that one of the only ways a species can end up here was getting pulled in while the cave was forming. These species then eventually died out but got conserved in the devils hole. The Devils Hole spans over 460 feet deep or 131.064 meters deep. However, due to it being largely unchartered may go deeper. The average yearly temperature for the water in the devils hole is 33° Celsius or 92° Fahrenheit. This is most likely because of the incredibly hot area that it exists within. is freshwater with no saltwater parts. Its surface area is meters 22.0000068 long by 3.49998792 meters wide or 72.1785 feet long by 11.4829 feet wide. Only the top 80 meters hold aquatic ecosystems & waterways that we know exist. There are possibilities of more aquatic systems further down that have not been discovered. These are rare as water is not often found in death valley, this is one of the only marine ecosystems that you will find there. Death Valley is on the Southern California-Nevada border & is tucked into the desert. We believe that the aquatic systems are somehow connected to underground water pools. The Marine Ecosystem Of The Devils Hole Unfortunately, there isn’t much room or enough water for there multiple to be multiple types or sets of marine ecosystems in the devils hole. Many of the caves look the same & are incredibly un-biologically diverse. However, it is a black swan event that any creature is able to survive here at all. These ecosystems usually consist of rocky areas with little to no plant or fungi organisms. Due to erosion, it is fairly common to see what look to be strange formations & jagged edges in the rocks. There are not many creatures that survive here. However, the ones that do tend to be small & also tend to need many nutrients. This ecosystem is rather barren & rarely even has rock formations or jagged edges. It mostly consists of sandy & rocky walls & nothing more. The Marine Fauna Of The Devils Hole There aren’t many marine creatures that are able to survive in the devils hole. However, the one that does manage to live in this low-oxygen environment is one of the most resilient in the world. You see, there has only been one documented naturally occurring marine inhabitant of the devils hole. That species is The Devils Hole Pupfish (Cyprinodon Diabolis). There are other species that exist within the devils hole such as the riffle beetle (Stenelmis calida calida) however they are in no way naturally occurring to the devils hole. The Marine Flora Of The Devils Hole Very few known marine plant species are naturally occurring within the devils hole. The only known plant species were marine algae. Unfortunately, the exact species that these algae are is unreleased to the public domain. Other than those few species, there really are no naturally occurring marine flora. These plants have almost zero nutrients, low oxygen, & have to live in incredibly hot temperatures. Also, almost no sunlight makes this one of the hardest environments for a plant to survive in. Directories & Credits https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/devils-hole.htm https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280000500_Algae_of_Devils_Hole_Nevada_Death_Valley_National_Park Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The Devils Hole Pupfish Of The Devils Hole
The Devils Hole Pupfish ( Cyprinodon diabolis) This month's series will be about… The Devils Hole! The Devils Hole is a freshwater-filled cavern/underwater cave system that is beneath the Death Valley & Nevada/California border. We took an expedition out to Death Valley in order to properly gather data & provide the most information that we can. The Devil's Hole spans approximately 430 feet deep, However there are uncharted areas of the cave. Many marine creatures reside in this cave with some even being endemic. One of those is The Devil's Hole Pupfish. The Devil's Hole Pupfish has a long, complex, & Interesting backstory. This Pupfish sparked massive movements known as Kill The Pupfish & Save The Pupfish. These pupfish have also managed to lead to prison sentences for certain people. With that being said, let us delve into the rare & resilient, Devil's Hole Pupfish. The Life & Discovery Of The Devils Hole Pupfish The Devils Hole Pupfish was discovered in March 1930. It was discovered by a certain George S. Myers who was an American ichthyologist. They grow to be approximately 1.1811 inches or 29.99994 millimeters long. However the average Devils Hole Pupfish grows to only be approximately 0.905512 inches or 23.0000048 millimeters long. On average their life expectancy is from 10 to 12 months however some sources claim it to be 10 to 14 months. They were not territorial towards each other or aggressive to humans in past years. They do not display signs of aggression towards humans as they are extremely timid. It is estimated that the species has existed for 10,000 to 60,000 years however its not clear. They are incredibly resilient creatures in that through evolution they adapted to extremely low oxygen. Using a process called paradoxical anaerobism they have adapted to going hours without oxygen. It's one of the main reasons that they have survived in the odd conditions of the Devil's Hole. “It’s a cool adaptation,” said Frank van Breukelen , professor & director of UNLV’s School of Life Sciences , who assisted & participated in the research & the discovery of this pupfish's unique technique. He said, “They don’t live very long if they’re in Devil's Hole, but they live long enough. Evolution was never about anything that was best, it was really about what was simply good enough.” Their diet is quite broad as they will consume almost anything available however they are not cannibalistic. A few things that they consume most often are; beetles, snails, algae, freshwater crustaceans, & different kinds of freshwater grasses. However their diet changes throughout the seasons due to the migration of food & different mating seasons of other species. They are largely prayed upon by the species Neoclypeodytes Cinctellus commonly known as the predaceous diving beetle. The males are somewhat brown with iridescent blue scales along their sides. The margins upon their fins are black & their back also displays a golden iridescent colour. Their eyes are blue & sometimes violet. The females and juveniles display yellowish in colour. A defining trait of knowing that it is a Devils Hole Pupfish is that, this species has a lack of pelvic fins. Both males and females of C. diabolis have a rounded caudal fins and have no pelvic fins. The caudal peduncle, which is short and rectangular, is level with the wide-set mouth. The jaw contains one series of teeth, with 16 teeth on the upper jaw and 16 on the lower. Its scales are ctenoid, and it has no preorbital scales. Other distinguishing characteristics include a large head and eyes and an elongated anal fin. Cyprinodon diabolis has 17 pectoral rays, 12 dorsal rays and 28 caudal rays. The male is larger than the female, and has vertical bars on its tail. The Mating Cycles, Tactics, & Practices Of The Devils Hole Pupfish The Devils Hole Pupfish have some incredibly interesting breeding tactics. The mating system is polygynous, meaning male pupfish may breed with many female pupfish, & a male may prevent the female pupfish from breeding with other male pupfish. When larvae hatch, they are less than a centimeter long. It takes approximately 7 days for the larvae to hatch once laid. They have no specific mating season so reproduction occurs year-round, with spikes of mating in the spring and autumn. To initiate reproduction a group of males will follow a lone female until the female becomes receptive. The group of males & the female will move to the bottom of the area of the cave in order to spawn / mate. They release only 4-5 mature eggs at a time which contributes to the low numbers of the species. The offspring reach full sexual maturity at 8 to 10 weeks old. That is for both genders of the pupfish. Recently a breakthrough for the conservation of these pupfish occurred. 2 Devils Hole Pupfish were brought into captivity & they reproduced. This could mean that scientists could breed & introduce more in order to help the species survive. This gives scientists hope for the species. Thanks to the interference of the scientists, there are at the time of publishing, officially 175 recorded pupfish, this is a contrast to the mere 35 recorded in the wild in 2013. The Distribution Of The Devils Hole Pupfish The Devils Hole Pupfish are a unique species. They are endemic to the Devils Hole, however they are only found at the top 24 meters (78.7402 feet) of The Devils Hole. This contributes to the fact that they are so scarce & one of the rarest fish on earth. A reason as to why scientists don’t try & plant them elsewhere, is that it is incredibly hard to find a replica of their current environment. Scientists have not built any other wild colonies of the Devils Hole Pupfish in any other place then The Devils Hole. The Scientific Detailings Of The Devils Hole Pupfish The Devil's, Hole Pupfish is a sort of mystery as to how it has not been wiped off the face of the planet. It is one of the most evolutionarily resilient animals that can be observed in modern times. They have been trapped in the devils hole for around 60,000 years. They have developed an adaptation known as paradoxical anaerobism. This was discovered via analyzing oxygen consumption over a period of time. It was then discovered that periodically exhibited periods of no measurable oxygen consumption despite available ambient oxygen tensions that were above the critical PO2. The longest period in which there was minimized to no oxygen consumption was 149 minutes. During this experiment it was also discovered that Muscle lactate concentration was not elevated during periods of paradoxical anaerobism. However, the amount of ethanol released was 7.2 times higher in 33° celsius waters then in 28° celsius waters. It is not known exactly how many bones it has. However,so-called they are classified under the class of Actinopterygii which is a clade of so called “Bony Fish” which suggests that they are bony & dense. All species under the class of Actinopterygii are ray-finned fish. They are so-called ray-finned because their fins are webbed skin which are supported by bony spines as opposed to being fleshy. This gives us a good idea of what the skeleton of the Cyprinodon Diabolis may look like. Their phylum is Chordata meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of Chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either In adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Actinopterygii, which means that they are ray-finned fish. This also means that their actinopterygian fin rays attach directly to the proximal or basal skeletal elements. Their order is Cyprinodontiformes, this order is an order of freshwater ray-finned fish. Their family is Cyprinodontidae which is more commonly known as Pupfish. Their genus is Cyprinodon, all species under Cyprinodon are small with the largest of them being only 10.0000054 centimeters (3.93701 inches) in length, however most other species only reach about half that size. Kill The Pupfish - Save The Pupfish In 1952 a legal battle took place which is now known as Cappaert V. the United States. This was over ground water. A Nevada state engineer was granted the ability to use a water supply which took water from Devil's Hole geological formation. This lowered water levels severely in the cave-system and endangered the lives of the fish. The federal government sought to place limits on the Cappaerts' use of the water, so as to protect the fish from extinction or severe population decrease. This caused a large disruption & an outrage amongst marine biologists. It was argued whether the pupfish should be kept alive or not. Thus, bumper stickers were distributed that read "Kill the Pupfish" or "Save the Pupfish". Some argued that the Nevada state engineer should be able to use that water source & that the pupfish should not be protected. However, others argued that it would be similar to bombing the Louvre to make way for a parking lot. In the end, the pupfish were protected. In 1967 they were placed under the Endangered Species Act. The pupfish have a bright future & hopefully some day, we’ll be able to build wild colonies in other places besides the devils hole. Directories & Credits https://www.hcn.org/issues/51.6/endangered-species-how-a-tiny-endangered-species-put-a-man-in-prison https://www.unlv.edu/news/article/two-fish-less-fish-save-pupfish https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Fish/Pupfish https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cyprinodon_diabolis/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26632453/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285627798_Paradoxical_anaerobism_in_desert_pupfish Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The Documented History Of Trinidad
We thought it would be more fitting to publish every December 30th article on December 31st, to ring in the New Year. Today’s article will discuss the long & complicated overall history & marine history of the island of Trinidad. Trinidad has an incredibly long history which was widely was widely dictated by the Spanish & the British. Trinidad is an island with 14 municipalities that sits 8.06 Nautical/Marine miles (9.275282 regular miles or 14.927119435 kilometers) off the coast of Venezuela. In this article we will discuss the discovery & documented history of Trinidad, Trinidad’s Aboriginals, the disaster history, a segment on Trinidad's economy, & marine history. Trinidad is a beautiful & tropical but its past is often hidden behind its paradise facade. It’s been from hand to hand with each country changing the direction & agenda of the island. With that being said, lets delve into this blissful island of the tropics. The Discovery & Documented History Before & After Colonization Of The Island Of Trinidad Before Colonization Human settlement has been in Trinidad for at least 7,000 years at the time of publishing. The earliest human settlers are currently being termed by “Archaic” or “Ortoiroid”. There have been a total of 29 Archaic sites that have bern uncovered in both south Trinidad & Tobago. These sites include the 7,000-year-old Banwari Trace site which at the time of publishing is the oldest documented human settlement in the eastern Caribbean. The Banwari trace was believed to have been as far back as 5,000 B.C. These civilizations were believed to have settled from South American areas in the year 4,000 B.C. Archaic peoples dominated the area until approximately 200 B.C. In approximately the year 250 B.C the first ceramic-using peoples in the Caribbean known as the Saladoid peoples, entered Trinidad as well as Tobago. They were believed to have use Trinidad as a sort of way station in order to move to other islands. At the time of publishing there are 37 uncovered Saladoid sites that have been discovered in Trinidad as well as Tobago. After 250 B.C another group known as the Barrancoid people settled in the south of Trinidad. They migrated up the Orinoco river making settlements along the rivers bank. The oldest Barrancoid settlement appears to have been built at Erin, Palo Seco Which is along the southern coast. After the collapse of the of the Barrancoid civilizations along the coast, a new group known as the Arauquinoid promptly took their place along the Orinoco river & up the coast. Some of the artifacts of the Arauquinoid’s have been found in & along the Orinoco river. However the Cultural artefacts were partially adopted in Trinidad, Tobago, & Northwestern Venezuela. As a result this culture is modernly called Guayabitoid in these areas of adaptation. In approximately the year 1300 A.D a new group of peoples appear to have settled in Trinidad & Tobago & introduced new cultural artefacts & attributes. However much of that was replaced or overtaken by the Guayabitoid culture. This new culture is termed as the Mayoid cultural tradition, this represents the native tribes which were present at that time in Trinidad and Tobago at the time of European arrival. They has distinct pottery & ceramic styles which somehow survived until the mid 1800’s. However after that time period they were largely assimilated into mainstream Trinidadian Society. These included the Suppoya & The Yao peoples. Unfortunately most if not all of these cultures were completely wiped out by the Spanish encomienda system. Under this system which was a form of Spanish slavery & was a definite rub off of the Spanish Inquisition, Spanish encomederos forced the Amerindians to work for them in exchange for Spanish "protection" and conversion to Christianity. After Spanish Colonization Trinidad was discovered by europeans in 1498 by a certain Christopher Columbus. It was discovered while he was on his third voyage. He landed what is now known as Point Galera before proceeding into the Gulf Of Paria. There were 6 ships in this voyage making the discovery of the island easier. However it was not officially colonized until 1592. Before that point it wasn’t used for much by the Europeans. The Spanish did try to build settlements in the 1530’s, 1560’s, & 1570’s. However they were driven off by the Caribs & Arawaks. In 1532 Antonio Sedeño tried to establish a new settlement in Trinidad but failed & was thrown off the island in the Battle Of Cumucurapo. He then withdrew to Margarita island. However he returned in 1533 & built a settlement in Cumucurapo (Which is modernly called Port Of Spain). However after failure to attract more settlers, visitors, & fisheries he was forced to withdraw in 1534. In 1553 a certain Juan Sedeño was authorized to settle Trinidad, however for some reason no contracts for this were never fulfilled. In 1569 Juan Troche Ponce de León built the when translated, “Town of the Circumcision”. This “Town of the Circumcision” was most likely around modern day Laventille which is in north western Port of Spain. However in 1570 this settlement was abandoned. Finally, in 1592 Antonio de Berrio established the first lasting settlement of San José de Oruña. He established this settlement to look for El Dorado. This settlement became the capital of Trinidad until the year 1784. Sir Walter Raleigh was searching for El Dorado arrived in Trinidad on March 22nd 1595, he then attacked San José de Oruña & captured as well as interrogated de Barrío. El Dorado is known as the mythical land of gold. He got obtained lots of information from De Barrío as well as the Cacique topiawari. Due to Lack of Spanish ships arriving on a regular basis forced the settlers to trade with the English, French and Dutch, in violation of the Spanish Exclusive. The Spanish rightfully & always agreed believed that Trinidad was not populated enough so in an effort to attract more settlers, they gave 36 arces of land to every Roman Catholic & half a much for every slave that Roman Catholic brought with them. They also gave every freed person of colour 16 acres of land & half as much for every slave that freed person of colour brought with them. They also offered a few tax incentives to bring in more settlers in order to stabilize the economy. The Spanish lacked the military & fiscal means to defend the colony, which consisted of only 24 Spanish settlers in 1625. Thus the Dutch attacked San José de Oruña (Later called Saint Joseph) with impunity in 1637. By 1671, the island included 80 settlers and 80 Amerindians. By 1772, the Spanish capital of Saint Joseph had a population of 326 Spaniards and 417 Amerindians. Yet the houses consisted of mud huts or cottages with thatch roofs. In general, lacking gold, the island was poor and undeveloped, inducing many to leave. The Captaincy General of Venezuela was created on the 8th September 1777, through the Royal Decree of Graces of Charles III of Bourbon, to provide more autonomy for the provinces of Venezuela (including Trinidad), previously under the jurisdiction of the Viceroyalty of new Granada and the Audiencia of Santo Domingo The crown established a unified government in political, military, fiscal, & judicial affairs. Its creation was part of the Bourbon Reforms and laid the groundwork for the future nation of Venezuela, in particular by orienting the province of Maracaibo towards the province of Caracas. In 1784 José María Chacón founded the city that is now known as San Fernando on Trinidad. After British Colonization In 1797 a British militant operation led by General Sir Ralph Abercromby launched the invasion of Trinidad. His squadron of sailers sailed a marine path through the Boca’s & then an de choring off the coast of Chaguaramas. He surrounded the island with a total of 18 warships ready to attack & destroy the island. The king of Spain at the time decided to assemble a Council Of War in order to look in to surrender options. The Spanish governor of Trinidad José María Chacón decided to capitulate to the British Army without a struggle or a fight. Trinidad was then turned into a Crown Colony of the British Empire. This was formalized in 1802 under the Treaty of Amiens. The new British rule made Trinidad more appealing to British settlers which sparked an influx of British settlers on the island. English, Scots, Irish, German and Italian families arrived. These new settlers also increased Trinidads sugar exports. This proved to be incredibly profitable which increased the population exponentially. Under British rule, new estates were created & the import of slaves did increase. African slaves were brought to the island to work on sugar plantations, this slave labor constituted approximately 95% of the sugar industries labor at the time. However this era of slavery was under attack via abolitionists of British. Thanks to Slavery was abolished in all (besides India) British colonies in 1838, however the announcement was made in 1833. This announcement came from Whitehall in England that slaves would be completely freed by 1840. In 1834 Trinidad successfully demonstrated use of non violent peaceful protesting in which on August 1st 1834 an unarmed group of elderly former slaves being addressed by the Governor at Government House about the new laws, began chanting: "Pas de six ans. Point de six ans". This drowned out the voice of the governor. After which former slaves served an apprenticeship period which ended on 1 August 1838 with full emancipation. An overview of the populations statistics in 1838, however, clearly reveals the contrast between Trinidad and its neighbouring islands: upon emancipation of the slaves in 1838, Trinidad had only 17,439 slaves, with 80% of slave owners having fewer than 10 slaves each. In contrast, at twice the size of Trinidad, Jamaica had roughly 360,000 slaves. The abolishment of slavery caused Trinidads Economy to go on the verge of collapse. Newly freed peoples of colour refused to work in fields & on plantations which drastically decreased the agricultural exports. In an effort to prevent complete liquidation of the chocolate & sugar industries, the British began experimenting with new labor sources. Most namely the Portuguese, Chinese, African-British, & the Indians. People of these races were shipped out to Trinidad as indentured servants in order to revive & prevent the unstable economy from complete collapse. This plan did work out properly, however this did cause much racial tension in the country then & modernly. These new populations of peoples became permanently altered to the cultural standards of Trinidad then. The Chinese also became a large staple of Trinidadian society modernly. The Indians proved to be resilient & hard workers, as a few early reports described it as Indians being “Valuable & steady labourers.”. They produced sugarcane, chocolate, cacao, & rum. However some were apprentices for blacksmiths & tanners as well as other positions as well. The Indians were consequently recruited in greater numbers than the peoples from any other ethnicities or countries, and by 1891, the island’s Indian population went above 45,800. From approximately 1845 to 1917 there was continuous Indian migration to Trinidad until the Indian Legislative Assembly abolished the system of indentureship. After that the island managed quite normally & was declared independent on August 31st 1917. Trinidad’s Aboriginals The Caribs of Trinidad Before Colonization The Caribs of Trinidad were an indigenous Amerindian of the Caribbean lesser Antilles. They are also known as the Kalingo or Kalina. They spoke a language that is modernly known as Island Carib which is classified as a highly endangered language. They were one of the non peaceful tribes of the Caribbean. They had many warlike tactics & were believed to have mandatory combat training. They were taller, bulkier, & stronger then the Arawaks due to the emphasis of being a warrior & being able to defend their home. They utilized their marine resources often & had a strong fishing industry. Fish was one of the most common foods, they also were believed to have bred some fish. They had large boats which were most similar to a modern day Canoe, these boats could hold up to 12 persons. They used these to raid the Arawaks as well as to fish. They also utilized the ocean in other ways often. They fought with the other tribes of Trinidad such as the Arawaks who were relatively peaceful. They hunted mammals as well. They revered the bones of their elders or family members & they burnt off fat from their enemies or prisoners of war during battle rituals. They were labelled as cannibals & savages by the Spanish on their conquest, this was in an effort to justify conquering their lands & enslaving them. They may have practiced cannibalism to a certain extent. They were on average approximately 5 feet 5 inches. They had a brown hue to their skin similar to that of a Mexican person. They did not appear to wear clothing of any kind. The women would paint their skin with a red dye known as Roucou which is made from the extract of the seeds of the Achiote tree. The women also circled their eyes with black pigment. The male’s would also painted their bodies and on occasion wore feathered headdresses, jewelry & piercings of all kinds through their lips, and large hoop jewelry through their noses. Nose piercings were fairly common among both genders. The male’s also wore the Caracoli which was a necklace of small bones along with the teeth of defeated enemies from which a crescent-shaped bone carved ornament was suspended. The Caracoli necklace was worn to represent the courage of the wearer, it was typically worn by men & there isn’t much evidence that it was worn by women. It is also important to note that most men spoke Island Carib languages, however women spoke mostly Arawakan languages. They often used bow & arrows when hunting or fighting. This weaponry unfortunately was not useful in the Spanish invasion. The Arawaks of Trinidad Before Colonization Note: This is only entails history of the Arawaks in Trinidad, not the Arawaks that lived in South America. The Arawaks were a peaceful tribe that presided prominently in South American & the great Antilles & the northern lesser Antilles. However they were quite commonly found on the island of Trinidad. They spoke languages from the family of Arawakan languages. It is important to note that the Arawaks were not just 1 tribe. They were called Arawaks because they were relatively peaceful & friendly tribes. They made elaborate & complex pottery techniques. They figured out how to raise fields in order to improve certain crops growth & health. They were advanced agriculturally & had vast fields for their crops. There is also evidence that suggests that they had a regional export system & practices for exportation. They had advanced boats used for maritime related areas. They also had various practices to mix coal with dirt in order to make black earth, black earth is a sustainable fertilizer that is largely found in the Caribbean. According to Micheal Heckenberger an anthropologist, pottery and other cultural traits show these people belonged to the Arawakan language family, a group that included the Tainos languages / creoles, the first Amerindians that Christopher Columbus encountered. It was the largest language family to have ever existed in the pre-Columbian Americas. The Arawaks are much less documented then the Caribs as before the Spanish they were through a genocide via the Caribs. Their culture was largely wiped out by the Caribs but took the final hit by the Spanish & their conquest through Trinidad. The mainland Arawaks & the Trinidadian Arawaks were quite different, they had similar cultural aspects however they were not carbon copies. Trinidad’s Natural Disasters Trinidad is in a so called “Hurricane safe-zone” when it comes to hurricane formation. However that does not mean that it doesn’t get the odd hurricane every now & then. When hurricanes do come around to Trinidad they can be particularly catastrophic as well, & with that being said let us delve into the 4 major hurricanes that have affected Trinidad. No. 1 The 1933 Hurricane Of Trinidad The 1933 hurricane of Trinidad was the first extremely active hurricane of the 1933 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane was formed eastern adjacent of the lesser Antilles on June 24th 1933. It then began travelling westbound gaining hurricane status along the way, towards the lower lesser Antilles. On June 27th 1933 it struck Trinidad with winds of up to 110 miles per hour. It caused approximately 7.2 million US dollars in damages & 49,445,156 Trinidadian & Tobagonian dollars. Calculating for inflation that would be approximately 156,830,400 million US dollars or 1,077,424,848 Trinidadian & Tobagonian dollars. There were 35 reported fatalities due to the hurricane. No. 2 Hurricane Flora Hurricane flora is among the deadliest & most destructive of all Atlantic hurricanes. It is the 5th deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record. It was the 7th tropical storm & the 6th hurricane of the 1963 Atlantic hurricane season. It formed in what is known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone on September 26th. It was first located 755 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Isles. It remained weak & rather calm until September 29th when it began rapidly developing & on that day gained tropical Storm status. It dissolved on October 13th 1963. It was a category 4 hurricane with winds that reached up to 150 miles per hour. There were 7,193 total direct fatalities from the hurricane. It caused 773.4 million USD in damages at the time. It is important to note that it did not just affect Trinidad. Calculated for inflation it caused 670,537,8000 Billion USD in damage. No. 3 Hurricane Ivan Hurricane Ivan was a category 5 hurricane that rocked the Gulf of Mexico & the United States Of America. It went everywhere from Virginia To Trinidad. It caused $26.1 billion in damages. Calculated for inflation in 2022 it would be 39,456,0000 USD. It was from September 2st 2004 to September and 25th 2004. It caused 92 direct fatalities & 32 indirect fatalities. It targeted all of the following islands, provinces, & countries: Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, Barbados, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Grand Cayman, Cuba, Yucatan Peninsula, Florida, & Alabama. No. 4 Hurricane Tomas Hurricane Tomas was the twelfth hurricane of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. It formed from a tropical wave east of the Windward islands on October 29th. It was a category 2 hurricane that went through the Caribbean. It lasted from October 29th 2010 to November 11th 2010. It had winds of up to 100 miles per hour. It caused 44 total fatalities on all islands. It’s flooding also heavily intensified a Cholera outbreak in Haiti. That indirectly caused an unnumbered amount of fatalities. The direct damage from the hurricane costed approximately 463.4 million USD in 2010. Calculated for inflation that would be 629,297,200 million USD. Trinidad’s Economy & Stock Market Trinidad has a a relatively strong & reliable economy. They have a large oil industry which gives them a high GDP per capita. Their GDP in 2022 was that of 21.53 Billion USD, & their GDP per capita in 2020 was 15,384.04 USD. They are ranked at the 3rd wealthiest country by GDP in all of the Caribbean. They at the time of publishing are recognized by the World Bank as a high income country. Their main industries & main exports as of 2022 are as follows: petroleum & petrochemicals, oil & natural gas, steel products, beverages, cereal & cereal products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus fruits, vegetables, & cut flowers. Their GDP by sector in 2017 was agriculture: 0.4%; industry: 48.8%; services: 50.8%. Their median income for 2020 was 21,444 USD or 145,750.15 Trinidadian & Tobagonian dollars. The median household income of 2020 was 88,125 USD or 598,966.24 Trinidadian & Tobagonian dollars. The stock market that Trinidadian & Tobagonian companies use is the Trinidad & Tobago Stock exchange or TTSE. There are a total of 27 listings on that exchange. It is the nation’s centralized trading market for selling shares, buying shares, & other securities. Directories & Credits https://www.aspiringmindstandt.com/caribs https://www.mpm.edu/research-collections/anthropology/online-collections-research/east-indians-trinidad/history https://www.stockex.co.tt/reports-summaries/ Our Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- Charles Wyville Thomson
Todays article is a special, it is a part of our marine hall of fame or MHF collection. It will concern the marine scientist known as Charles Wyville Thomson. However first, Happy Holidays to all of our dearest readers. On December 20th we celebrated an official 6 months of publishing. We formally thank all of our readers for their support & contributions towards our Nonprofit. On New years we have decided that we will be publishing an extra article. This article will be about all the upcoming project’s & information on planned crowd-science events. This will start the New year in a clearheaded manner, in which all readers will have access to the knowledge of any & all planned events by The Persaud Foundation. As another announcement, The Persaud Foundation is officially the foundation that owns The Persaud Catalog. For reader’s interested in purchasing copyrights, Email thepersaudfoundation@gmail.com & we will be back to you as soon as possible. Now todays article will concern the Marine Biologist known as Charles Wyville Thomson. Charles Wyville Thomson was a Scottish marine scientist who revolutionized oceanography for the better of science. He is most well known for being the Chief Scientist on the Challenger Expedition. The Challenger expedition was scientific expedition that took place between 1872 & 1876. It took place on the naval vessel known as the HMS challenger. In his article we will discuss his Early Life, his career, & his Honorables, achievements, & accomplishments. With that being said, Let us delve into the life of Charles Wyville Thomson. His Personal Life & Education Charles Wyville Thomson was born on March 5th 1830 in the Scottish town of Bonsyde, Scotland. However the legitimacy of this is debated as some sources state that he was born in Linlithgow, Scotland. His father was a surgeon who worked for the British East India Company. It is not exactly known what inspired his love for the ocean, or if he had an inspiration at all. He was educated at the independent boarding school of Merchiston Castle School, which is located in Edinburgh. It seems that he was educated at Mechiston Castle School from 7 years of age to 15 years of age. In the year of 1845 he left Merchiston & began studying medical sciences at the university of Edinburgh. However after 3 years of studying medical science, he was forced to give up this field of study due to poor health. At this point his attention turned to the natural sciences, it was also at this point where he began focusing on oceanic sciences in particular. He also decided to join the Botanical Society of Edinburgh in 1847. After joining this society Thomson became the secretary to the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh. In the year of 1850 he was enrolled in a course of botanical studies which was taught by the at the time famous Scottish botanist John Hutton Balfour at the university. After taking this course he was soon was appointed lecturer of botany. These 2 most likely have a causal relationship however that has never been proven. In 1853 He married Jane Ramage Dawson. His Career In 1851 he became a professor of botany at the Scottish University of Aberdeen. In 1853 he became a professor of natural history in the Irish university of Queen’s College, at Cork. A year later he was nominated to be the chair of mineralogy & geology at the Queen’s University of Belfast, & in 1860 was transferred to the chair of natural history at the same institution. While at Belfast, Thomson began to establish himself as a marine biologist with his published studies of coelenterates, polyzoans & fossilized cirripeds, trilobites, & crinoids. He also became interested in determining whether life exists at great depths in the sea. This curiosity led to many things such as the challenger Expedition, which would go onto shape the oceanographic field. The challenger expedition will be discussed later in the article. Thomson managed to persuade the British Royal Navy to grant him use of HMS Lightning & HMS Porcupine for deep sea dredging expeditions in the summers of 1868 & 1869. It is not known how exactly he managed to do this as the ship’s original purposes were not for exploration or even for research purposes. During his experiments with the HMS Porcupine & Lighting, it was seen that some form of life existed down to depths of 650 fathoms (3,900 feet or 1,188.72 meters). At the time this was absolutely shocking due to the lack of knowledge of deep sea creatures. It was also seen that all marine invertebrate groups are present at this depth, & that deep-sea temperatures are not as constant as had been supposed, but vary considerably, & indicate oceanic circulation. In 1869 Thomson was made a fellow of the Royal Society for his work with oceanography. He described the details & accomplishments of the two expeditions in his most popular study know as "The Depths of the Sea" (1873). In the year of 1868 Thomson assumed the duties of professor of botany at the Royal College of Science in Dublin Ireland. Due to this & several other contributing factors, in 1870 he received the natural history chair at the University of Edinburgh. The remarkable hydrographic & zoological results which Thomson had demonstrated, in addition to the growing demands of ocean telegraphy, soon led to the Royal Navy to grant use of HMS Challenger. This was a a steam-powered corvette of 2,300 tons, for a global expedition. Charles Wyville Thomson was selected as chief scientist aboard the ship, & the ship left port on the 21st of December, 1872. It departed from the port in modern Portsmouth England. The challenger expedition took place on the HMS challenger. During this expedition & afterwards, he managed to capture & examine species at over 300 fathoms (1,800 feet or 548.64 meters) deep. The expedition ended in the year of 1876. It was somewhat constantly ongoing as it temporarily docked at certain locations around the world for purposes. This expedition went on to change the way that oceanography as an industry. It provided a lot of important information to the point where without the majority of the information the nautical mapping system that we currently have would not exist. Unfortunately, Thomson passed away on March 10th of 1882 just a mere 5 days after his birthday at 52 years of age. His Honorables, Awards, & Achievements Over The Course Of His Life The Queen's Royal Medal. Being The Chief Scientist aboard the Challenger ship. Directories / Credits https://www.britannica.com/biography/C-Wyville-Thomson https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/t/charleswyvillethomson.html http://scihi.org/charles-wyville-thomson/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The Oceans Surrounding Trinidad
Today’s article will discuss the oceans that surround the island of Trinidad. The island of Trinidad is a tropical paradise with its oceans being a large attraction. They have clear waters with bustling marine life that can be seen from many places. The oceans are diverse & incredibly interesting. Trinidad is off the coast of Venezuela, and is approximately 1,980 square miles. In this article we will discuss the salinity, temperature, marine geography & terrain, the main marine ecosystems, the documented marine flora & fauna, the ocean acidification & climate change, & the conservation of Trinidad’s surrounding oceans. That will be at the very end of the article. With that being said, let’s delve into this tropical heaven. The Salinity, Temperature, Tides, & Basic Information & Marine Geography Of Trinidad’s Oceans The monthly temperature averages for Mayaro Beach sea water of for each month of the year 2022 is as follows: January 27.2222° Celsius/ 81° Fahrenheit, February 27.2222° Celsius/ 81° Fahrenheit, March 27.2222° Celsius/ 81° Fahrenheit, April 27.7778° Celsius/ 82° Fahrenheit, May 27.2222° Celsius/ 81° Fahrenheit, June 26.6667° Celsius/ 80° Fahrenheit, July 24.4444° Celsius/ 76° Fahrenheit, August 30° Celsius/ 86° Fahrenheit, September 30° Celsius/ 86° Fahrenheit. Those are all of the official averages of the surface sea temperatures. Trinidad is an island approximately 1,980 square miles & it is 8.06 Nautical/Marine miles (9.275282 regular miles or 14.927119435 kilometers) off the coast of Venezuela. The ocean surrounding it is that of the Atlantic meaning that there are more salt deposits & however lower salinity levels. The riptide can get dangerous in the summer months. It is recommended to watch for warnings by the coastal guard & weather stations to be safe. Year-round it is recommended for swimming, the warmest month is September so it is recommended to go during that month. There is no current within 152.4 meters (500 feet) of the island. The surf usually doesn’t get higher than approximately 3.5 meters year-round. The surf is typically highest in the Spring & lowest in the Spring as well. Spring is a quite chaotic season for tides & tidal researchers, it is important in this month to listen to warnings so as to not accidentally go in the ocean during a dangerous tide. Within 5 miles of the island (4.34488 Nautical/Marine miles or 8.04672 kilometers) the water gets as deep as 196.9 (60.01512 meters), this is off the northwestern side as the further western, southern & eastern sides all are closer to coastal Venezuelan waters. They do appear to have saltwater rivers as well as saltwater marshes. They also appear to have air-exposed saltwater lakes. They have a set of caves known as the Gasparee underwater caves. They span about 100 feet below sea level. This will be explained in depth in its respective ecosystems section. The saltwater marshes are primarily along the northwestern coast of the island. This does not cause disturbances in the salinity levels thankfully. The Main Marine Ecosystems There are hundreds of marine ecosystems of Trinidad. They have a surprisingly diverse selection of ecosystems from moist marshlands to colourful coral reefs. Each of these holds unique species that define Trinidad. With that being said let’s delve into the marine ecosystems of Trinidad & Tobago. Coral Reefs (The Buccoo Reef) The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago is well known for its coral reefs. They are primarily found near Chacachacare & all around Tobago. However there is one reef in particular that is the most important reef, & that is the Buccoo reef which is off the southwestern side of Tobago. The Buccoo reef is found largely in shallow waters with a variety of wildlife. The shallowest parts are approximately 2 meters deep. However it can span to be 25 meters deep in some areas. It is one of the largest ecotourism sights in all of Trinidad & Tobago. The Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Ministry estimates that 90% of all documented visitors went to Buccoo reef while traveling through Tobago. These areas usually have higher salinity levels as well as more salt deposits. They usually have smaller organisms such as fish, crab, & octopi. However sharks are fairly common in Trinidad’s reefs. These are the most diverse out of all of the main marine ecosystems. Sand Flats The sandy flats are areas of the ocean that are barren to much life & only have few marine invertebrates & occasionally seagrass. These aren’t as common but along some of the northeastern sides of Trinidad these are found. They are found mostly & nearly exclusively along coastline areas. They usually have things such as crabs & sea cucumbers. In this area salinity levels are usually highest as they are found so close to the coast. These however are somewhat arguably one of the ecosystems that has been damaged the most by climate change. Temperatures have skyrocketed in areas that are usually much cooler forcing these animals out of their domiciles. Coastal areas were once some of the coldest oceanic areas for this area & now that temperatures have skyrocketed they have no reliable place to find these colder areas now. Gasparee Caves The Gasparee Caves are a set of underwater caves that exist in Gaspar Grande, Gaspar Grande is off the coast of Trinidad. Gaspar Grande is 0.6099131 miles off the coast of mainland Trinidad. They span approximately 90 to 100 feet underground. Unfortunately the underwater parts are not charted. There are no marine animals that live in the caves that we know of. However there is marine vegetation. This area is largely freshwater. Caroni Marshland Trinidad has a saltwater marshland known as The Caroni swamp. It is the second largest mangrove wetland in all of Trinidad & Tobago. It is located along the western coast of the island. The majority of it is along the coast however there are some very inland parts. It consists of swamps, mangroves, lagoons, & channels. It is currently a designated & protected wetland. Sea snakes are fairly common here & are some of the marine apex predators. It has moderate salinity levels in some parts & freshwater in others. They are an amazing place to visit in the safer parts however it is not recommended to go into the areas with more swamp. The Documented Marine Fauna Of Trinidad’s Oceans There are hundreds of marine species around the island. It is especially appealing to tropical fish & other animals that live in warm climates. You see, Trinidad is especially unique. Trinidad has protected oceans which makes it a sanctuary & a protected area for marine life. However not all of it is protected, but reportedly the penalties are increased for destruction of the ocean. Most of the marine creatures of the island were actually native to South America at one point but migrated to Trinidad & the lesser Antilles. There is currently a list of 5 marine turtle species that are found around Trinidad. One of these turtles is the Leatherback Turtle which can be found along the beaches of Trinidad. The West Indian Manatee is also a common visitor & they are often found near & in the Caroni Marshland. The southern stingray is also quite common along the beach. Sharks are also common with species such as Rhincodon Typus (Whale shark) & Carcharodon Carcharias (Great white shark) are also commonly found offshore. Another species that is found & unfortunately being overfished, is Sphyrna Lewini (Scalloped Hammerhead). They are unfortunately being overfished & are currently critically endangered. Dolphins can also be regularly reported off the northwestern coast. A brief list of marine animals found off the coast of Trinidad is as follows: Moray eels, parrot fish, angel fish, hawksbill turtles, loggerhead turtles, green sea turtles, olive ridley turtles, huge grouper, marlin, barracuda, kingfish, & red snapper. The lower salinity levels make it appealing to these creatures as unfortunately the salinity levels are skyrocketing in most places. Another thing is that the marine food supply is in abundance which is also a component. The Documented Marine Flora Of Trinidad’s Oceans There are thousands of marine plants in Trinidad. You see, Trinidad is among one of the most marine biodiverse places on the planet. There unfortunately is no complete list of all documented marine flora. However we do know that there are a total of 198 documented marine macro-algae species. Thanks to the environmental research programme of Trinidad, we have an inventory & a way of monitoring the seagrass beds. We officially have a list of all documented seagrasses in Trinidad. This programme involved graphing the distribution of existing seagrass, as well as determining the status of these seagrasses. It is important to note that this programme was conducted from April 2001 to September 2001. Seagrass was found to be in higher volumes along the northwestern areas of Trinidad. Especially along the island of Chaguaramas & Carenege Bay. There were a total of 3 species of seagrasses that were found around Trinidad. These species are known as Thalassia testudinum (Turtle Grass), Halophila decipiens (Caribbean seagrass or Paddle grass), & Halodule wrightii (Shoal grass or Shoalweed). However, an additional seagrass was recorded in Tobago, this seagrass is known as Syringodium filiforme (Manatee grass). As mentioned before, there are 198 documented marine macro-algae. These macro-algae were found to often be mixed in with the seagrass beds. The most common genera of these macro-algae being Dictyota, Acanthophera, Padina, Sargrassum, Caulerpa, & Chaetomorpha. That is not to say that there are not more genera than the ones listed above. A map was graphed of the seagrass distribution. Below you will find the maps depicting the seagrass distribution of Trinidad & Tobago. These maps were made by the environmental research programme of Trinidad & Tobago How Climate Change & Ocean Acidification Are Affecting Trinidad’s Oceans Climate change is a major issue for the Caribbean, but especially Trinidad. The water temperatures are growing higher than ever before in a short timespan. Since the species don’t have time to adapt or really migrate, they have to fight like never before. Since food for marine creatures is scarcer now, they end up quickly decreasing in population. Since 2000 the temperatures have been steadily on the rise. Ocean acidification is plaguing the Caribbean as well. Ocean acidification is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, largely because of human-caused burning of fossil fuels, and deforestation, for the past 150 years. When carbon dioxide contacts sea water, it forms carbonic acid. Carbonic acid gives off positive H+ ions, which causes increased oceanic H+ concentrations and decreased oceanic Ph. Since Trinidad relies heavily on tourism, they spend heavily on fossil fuel energy. In 2020 they spent approximately 35.51 million Trinidadian & Tobagonian dollars on fossil fuel. This has caused catastrophic damage to Trinidad’s oceans & coral reefs. However, Trinidad & Tobago officials are currently working to cut emissions by 1,700,000 metric tonnes by 2030. This plan is currently in action & is providing relief to marine animals both around Trinidad & the Caribbean. Announcement! We interviewed 1 Trinidadian ichthyologist/marine biologist. This is an interview that is only found on The Persaud Catalog. This exclusive interview will be released on December 31st along with the marine hall of fame article. We will also release beach reviews in the December 31st article. More exclusive content will also be featured in this article. Stay tuned for this wondrous read! You won’t want to miss it. Directories & Credits https://www.ima.gov.tt/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Seagrass-inventory-report . https://tt.loopnews.com/content/tt-aims-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions-15-2030 Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The Portuguese Man-O-War Of Trinidad & Tobago (Physalia Physalis)
This month’s article theme will be covering, Mayaro Beach, Trinidad. We were sponsored by 2 anonymous donors to go on an expedition to Trinidad & Tobago. Mayaro Beach is on the southeastern side of the island of Trinidad. Trinidad is an island off the coast of Venezuela. It is approximately from the closest point, 8.06 nautical miles (9.275282 miles or 14.927119435 kilometers) off the coast. It is known for its beauty & its superb ocean scenery. Trinidad is one of 2 sister islands that make up the country of The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. These islands are also known for their diverse marine wildlife. One of the species that composes this wildlife is none other than the famous Man-O-War. Man-O-War keep washing up on Manzanilla Beach which is causing issues. However what really is this mysterious jellyfish? Let’s delve into The Man-O-War. The Life Of The Man-O-War Unfortunately it’s not exactly clear when the Man-O-War was discovered & who it was discovered by. From current knowledge they usually grow to around 30 feet, however some can larger than 165 feet. The average life expectancy of one is approximately 1 year. We don’t exactly know how long the man-o-war species has existed. Most of the species is not very territorial as they hunt in colonies of up to 1000. However this does not mean they cannot be territorial, as sometimes they can become cannibalistic & eat their own kind. They are black, dark blue, or violet in colour. They appear with a fan-like crest atop their head which is usually see-through with a purple or blue line outlining the top. They have long thin tentacles that share the same colour as the bell. The Physalia Physalis bell is approximately 4.72 to 11.8 inches (11.9888 to 29.972 centimeters) in width. The bell’s approximate length is between 2 to 5.1 inches (5.08 to 12.954 centimeters). Their diet usually consists of crustaceans pelagic creatures, & different types of invertebrates. However on occasion they have been known to consume small fish. They consume them through a tactic called reeling in which they paralyze their prey with their venom before consumption. These jellyfish imposters’ predators are as follows: sea slugs, sea turtles, crabs, large fish, & the blue dragon. As of December 2022 they are not considered an endangered or threatened species. They are in the category of least concern on the IUCN red list. They have never successfully been captured & contained for observation, which leaves hundreds of questions about this mysterious creature unanswered. The Mating Behaviours, Cycles, & Tactics Of The Man-O-War Man-O-War have some very strange mating procedures. Scientists believe that they reproduce in large gatherings. Each colony or group of these creatures is either all female polyps or all male polyps. Each polyp releases gametes into the water in order to be fertilized. The gametes form zygotes which gives us the end result of a larvae which hatches into a juvenile Man-O-War. They do not care for young at all whatsoever. They are hermaphroditic, they all contain both the ability to release eggs & sperm. This means that even when alone, they are able to still fertilize the egg into a larvae. During their large mating gatherings they release all of their eggs & sperm into a column like area in order to be fertilized. They do appear to have a specific season when mating is most active, those being the fall & late summer months, however we can assume that this is a year-round event. They do not seem to be in a more aggressive state once they go into the large mating gatherings. It is believed that the gametes are released from the Man-O-War’s mouth. They are made in a separate bodily cavity and then ejected out of the mouth into the column to be fertilized or to fertilize. This is how the colonies of the Man-O-War are formed. The colonies are formed when the Man-O-Wars are in a juvenile state. The Distribution Of The Man-O-War The Man-O-War is an incredibly versatile animal that has adapted to living in some incredible places. They float around tropical areas everywhere from Trinidad to surprisingly, Canada. They are typically surface animals that stay in the sunshine zone of the ocean. This leads to many of them washing up on the shore. They are fond of the Atlantic & Indian ocean. They can be found throughout the Gulf of Mexico & the Caribbean as well. In Florida they are becoming a sort of hazard to tourists as they have been washing up upon the beaches. They can still sting you days after complete death. This causes a plethora of issues for people who want them in captivity. You hold the best chance at seeing one either in Florida, Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, or any other island in the Caribbean. They are quite common now, with their population estimated being in the hundreds of thousands. The Scientific Details Of The Man-O-War The Man-O-War is an incredibly strange yet interesting animal. You see it is not exactly jellyfish, it is its own species. They have a unique genus & family, these are both composed of 2 species with those being Physalia Physalis & Physalia Utriculus. Each man-o-war is composed of smaller units called zooids. These Zooids hang in clusters underneath a large gas filled structure called the pneumatophore. New zooids form by budding as the colony of zooids begin to expand. There are 7 known types of zooids that have been described in the Man-O-War. There are 3 of the medusoid type which are gonophores, nectophores, & vestigial nectophores. As well as 4 of the polypoid type with those being free gastrozooids, tentacle-bearing zooids, gonozooids, & gonopalpons. The pneumatophore which functions as the bladder, is the most conspicuous part of the Man-O-War. It is translucent & tinged blue, purple, pink, mauve, magenta, or even occasionally a soft black in colour. It may be 9 to 30 centimeters (3.54331 to 11.811 inches) long & in length be 15 centimetres (5.90551 inches) above the water. The pneumatophore functions as both a flotation device & a sail for the colony, this allows for the creature to drift similarly to a sailboat. The gas in the pneumatophore is part carbon monoxide, this carbon monoxide is being actively produced by the Man-O-War, & part atmospheric gases (nitrogen, oxygen & noble gases) that diffuse in from the surrounding air. In the event of an attack, the pneumatophore can deflate & release gas on will, allowing the colony to temporarily submerge into the sea. Their phylum is Cnidaria. Cnidaria is a phylum that holds over 11,000 marine species with defining characteristics, one of those defining characteristics is that they all have cnidocytes. They also all have 2 basic life stages with those stages being a swimming medusae & a sessile polyp. Their class is Hydroza. Hydroza is a class that is home to a number of jellyfish species. All of the species that are under the Hydroza class are jellyfish or jellyfish like. Their order is Siphonophorae. This order as of 2022 holds 175 species. Siphonophorae are all either salt water jellyfish, or freshwater jellyfish, however some unique species like Man-O-War Can be found in this order. Their sub-order is Cystonectae. The species under the sub order of Cystonectae are floats like the Man-O-War. This means that they use the protrusion atop their head to sail in the direction of wind. Their family is Physalis. The Physalia Physalis is the only species in this specific family. Creatures in the Physalis family are composed of four specialized polyps & medusoids. How To Treat A Man-O-War Sting Man-O-War stings are common among beaches of the Atlantic & the Pacific. This presents the problem of persons getting stung by the Man-O-War. In the event that you are stung here is what you should do. Step 1. Get Out Of The Water Get out of the ocean water if you are in it & onto dry land. Do not stay in the water once stung. Step 2. Use A Gloved Or Clothed Hand To Remove Any Tentacles The Man-O-War Tentacles will stick on. You need to remove them in order to stop the nematocysts from stinging. Do not attempt to remove the tentacles with bare hands. Remove them as soon as possible. Step 3. If You Have It Apply Topical Lidocaine Or A Concentrated Vinegar Solution Lidocaine cream will help reduce pain swelling or even in some cases remove nematocysts from the skin. Nematocysts are the stinging parts of the tentacle. However if neither of these are available hot water being constantly applied will work. Vinegar is also a quite reliable treatment for not only Man-O-War stings but many other kinds of jellyfish stings. However lidocaine cream will work more reliably. If you are going to a marine area where jellyfish in general are common it’s always good to have lidocaine cream on you. Step 4. Go Seek Medical Attention Go to nearest hospital to have the site that was stung looked at. In the rare case that you are allergic to the Man-O-War you could have complications. Make sure to not wait & do soon after steps 1 through 3. Directories https://www.dimensions.com/element/portuguese-man-o-war-physalia-physalis Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The Documented History Of Carriacou Island
Today’s article will discuss the overall history & marine history of Carriacou Island. Carriacou Island is an island in the lesser Antilles, it is owned by Grenada. It sits in the Atlantic Ocean only a 90-minute ferry ride from mainland Grenada. It is only about 13 square miles in size. It was also not always belonging to the county of Grenada. It is the largest island in the Grenadines. Carriacou Island is home to some of the world’s last untouched coral reefs. However Carriacou wasn’t always known for this. At one point it wasn’t the tourist hot spot that it modernly is. Now let’s delve into the history & marine history of Carriacou Island, Grenada. The Discovery & Documented History Of Carriacou Island There are conflicting dates as to when exactly Carriacou was discovered, however Carriacou was formally discovered by the French in 1656. The island was discovered by a certain Père Du Tertre. Pere Du Tertre was a turtle fisherman from Guadeloupe. Upon discovery he reportedly said “ The most beautiful of all the little isles is Carriacou…”. In 1750 the first census was conducted, from this census it was reported that 199 people lived on the island all with varying ethnicities. In 1762 it officially became a French colony. However in 1783 it was ceded to British rule. It was ruled as a French Grenadian territory from 1763 to 1779. It was ruled as a British Grenadian territory from 1783 to 1974. The church had large power in this British Grenadian territory. In 1791, Gun Point (Rapid Point) which had been a division of the Grenadines was made latitude on the island, but the point belonged to Saint Vincent and the rest of Carriacou belonged to Grenada. From those points it was used to house cotton, sugar, lime, & indigo dye plantations. These plantations were established by English settlers. These industries then became the main industries for Carriacou up until slavery was abolished. While evidence may not be sufficient, the windmills of Carriacou are associated with the crushing of sugar cane. Between 400 & 100 BC, people from South America journeyed to the island. They also introduced the psychedelic drug known as “Cohoba” to the island. It was originally inhabited by the Arawaks who were a group of indigenous peoples who originated from northern South America, as well as the Caribs who were the indigenous people of the lesser Antilles. It is theorized that heavy food sources for these indigenous peoples were fish & other seafood. At one point there was a total of 3,153 slaves that were enslaved on the island. The Stock Market Of Grenada & Carriacou’s Economy The stock market for Grenada is known as the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange, or the ECSE. The main industries of the island are lime juice, commercial fishing, & the industry that is most heavily relied on, tourism. ECSE is the first regional securities market in the Western Hemisphere & regional exchange. It was established by the bank currently known as Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. It serves the countries & territories of Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Monserrat, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, & Saint Vincent & the Grenadines. The ECSE is headquartered in the city of Basseterre which is the capital of Saint Kitts & Nevis. They also have a blog which provides daily financial tips & daily trading reports. Grenada is a middle-class country & has a mixed economic system. This includes types of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning & government regulation. Grenada’s GDP in 2020 was 1.089 billion dollars USD. The sectors of the GDP are as follows: agriculture 11%, industry 20%, & services 69%. They have a strong economy that doesn’t have seemed to have taken a hit. Their median household income is 43,594$ USD. Their official currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar or the XCD. This means that in Grenada’s currency their median household income is 117,814.97 XCD. The median rent for an apartment in the metropolitan areas is 1,234.18 XCD or 456.67 USD. Carriacou’s Government Systems Grenada is a democratic country with a democracy & a Grenadian constitution. They are one of the most politically stable countries of the West Indies. They are an independent Commonwealth realm, meaning that they are a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of nations. It is officially governed under a multi-party parliamentary system whose political & legal traditions & ideologies closely resemble that of the United Kingdom. They currently have a prime minister & a cabinet, & a bicameral Parliament with an elected House Of Representatives & an appointed senate. The citizens enjoy a wide range of civil & political rights which are guaranteed under the Grenadian constitution. The rights of the Grenadian people can widely be compared to those of the Canadian People. Grenada is an overall safe country averaging at a 53 on the corruption perception index. A History Of Carriacou’s Man Made & Natural Disasters Grenada has had a rough time when it comes to hurricanes & tropical cyclones. They have had a total of 13 major hurricanes & tropical cyclones as of now. With that being said let’s delve into the most notable of these hurricane & tropical cyclone catastrophes. No.1 Hurricane Emily Hurricane Emily was a category 5 Atlantic hurricane that lasted from July 11th 2005 to July 21st 2005. It is the earliest-forming Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record that was in official hurricane season. It caused over $1.01 Billion USD in damage. It targeted mainly the Windward Islands & surrounding Caribbean Areas. However Texas, Mexico, Guyana, & Venezuela were also affected. There are 22 known fatalities from this event. No.2 Hurricane Ivan Hurricane Ivan was a category 5 hurricane that rocked the Gulf of Mexico & the United States Of America. It went everywhere from Virginia to Grenada. It was from September 2st 2004 to September and 25th 2004. It caused 92 direct fatalities & 32 indirect fatalities. It targeted all of the following islands, provinces, & countries: Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, Barbados, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Grand Cayman, Cuba, Yucatan Peninsula, Florida, & Alabama. No.3 Hurricane Hazel Hurricane Hazel was a category 4 hurricane & was the deadliest out of the 1954 hurricane season. It is not exactly known how many fatalities were sustained however it is estimated at between 591 to 1,191. It destroyed 40% of all coffee trees in Haiti at the time. It lasted from October 5th 1954 to October 18th 1954. The original damages caused about 382 million dollars but to calculate for inflation it would cost about $4,207,000,000 in modern-day currency. The Geological Formation Of Carriacou Island Carriacou Island along with the rest of the lesser Antilles were formed by the subduction of the North American & South American plates beneath the Caribbean plate. Convergent plate margins, where two oceanic plates are colliding, often produce megathrust boundary earthquakes. This collision of the plates caused islands to rise out of the fragments of the tectonic plates. This process started approximately 40 million years ago. It’s not exactly clear when the process was completed. Directories / Credits http://www.paleophilatelie.eu/country/grenada.html https://carriacou.biz/history/ https://www.workingabroad.com › c...Carriacou History and Culture - WorkingAbroad https://www.puregrenada.com › aboutHistory of Carriacou - Pure Grenada https://www.ecseonline.com/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa
- The Marine Hall Of Fame: Isabella Aiona Abott
Tay'sdo article is part of a special called “The Marine Hall Of Fame”. In this article we will explain a famous female marine biologists life, career, honorables, achievements, & accomplishments. Today's marine biologists name, is Isabella Aiona Abbott. Abott is a Hawaiian marine biologist who did many of her works with various Hawaiian institutions. She is the first native Hawaiian woman to be the recipient of a P.h.D in a scientific area. Abott is one of the few experts on pacific marine algae. She was also an ethnobotanist. She lived from June 20th of 1919 to October 28th of 2010. This segment publishes on the 25th of every month. With that being said, Let us delve into the life of Isabella Aiona Abott. Her Early Life & Her Personal Life She was born Isabella Kauakea Yau Yung Aiona on the 20th of June 1919. She was born in the Hawaiian city of Hana on the isle of Maui. Her Hawaii name means “the white rain of Hana”. Her father was Chinese while her mother was a native Hawaiian. When she was young, her mother taught her about edible seaweeds. This may have been what sparked an interest in marine biology. She was also taught the importance of marine diversity. She was the only girl in her family of 8 siblings. She grew up in Honolulu near Waikiki. She graduated from the boarding school known as Kamehameha schools. She went on to receive her undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in 1941. She received her masters degree in botany from the University of Michigan in 1942. After that, she received her P.h.D in in botany from University Of California, Berkeley in 1950. She met her husband, zoologist Donald Putnam Abott from UC Berkeley. However he was also a student at University of Hawaii, Mānoa. They decided to move to the small town of Pacific Grove, California. At this point her husband began teaching at Hopkins Marine Station, which was run & operated by Stanford University. Unfortunately, she had issues finding a position in marine biology as at the time people were rarely even considered for those types of Jobs. However, She did individually study many types of algae along Californias coast. During this time she developed recipes that involved Nereocystis Luetkeana (Bull Kelp). Her Career In the year of 1966 she became a research associate & lecturer at Hopkins Marine Station. During this time she also complied research which she later turned into a book on marine algae of the California coast. She was awarded the Darbaker Prize by the Botanical Society of America in 1969 for this. It is not known if this affected Stanfords decision. However soon after in 1972 Stanford promoted her to a full professor of marine biology. She was the first woman & person of colour to fill this position in the history of Hopkins Marine Station. In 1982 both Donald & Isabella retired and moved back to Hawaii. This is where she was hired by the University of Hawaii to study ethnobotany. She studied mainly Hawaiian seaweeds. It is at this point that she became a leading expert in Hawaiian seaweeds, especially the subgroup of them known as Limu. This is how she got the nickname “First Lady Of Limu”. She is credited with discovering over 200 algae / seaweed species. Several of which are named after her. For example a genus of red algae is named after her, it is known as Abbottella. In 1993 she received the Charles Reed Bishop medal. In 1997 she received the Gilbert Morgan Smith medal from the National Academy Of Sciences. She was a professor of botany until he retirement in 1982. She & her husband then moved back to Hawaii. However she continued her research & became a professor again at a Hawaiian university. She also served on the board of directors at the Bernice P. Bishop Museum. In November of 1997 she co-authored an essay in the Honolulu Star Bulletin which was criticizing the trustees of Kamehameha Schools. This led to its a full reorganization of the group. In the year of 1998 she was elected a fellow of American Association For The Advancement Of Science. In 2005 she was named the living Treasure of Hawai’i. In 2008 she received a lifetime achievement award from the Hawaii Department Of Natural Resources for her studies in relation to the coral reefs of the pacific. On the 20th of June 2016, the University of Mānoa announced a coral reef cleanup of invasive algae species near Waikiki in her honour. On may 26th of 2022 it was announced that a new lecture hall at Hopkins Marine Station will be named after her to commemorate her legacy. A grand opening for the lecture hall happened on the 27th of May. The lecture hall holds nearly 100 seats. Her Botanical Works Isabella A. Abbott (1947). Brackish-Water Algae from the Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Science. Isabella A. Abbott (1961). On Schimmelmannia from California and Japan . Gilbert Morgan Smith; George J. Hollenberg; Isabella A. Abbott (1969) Marine Algae of Monterey Peninsula, California. Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-804740197 . Isabella A. Abbott (1970). Yamadaella, a new genus in the Nemaliales (Rhodophyta). Phycologia Isabella A. Abbott; Munenao Kurogi (1972). Contributions to the systematics of Benthic Marine Algae of the North Pacific: Proceedings of a seminar on the contributions of culture, laboratory, field and life history studies to the systematics of benthic marine algae of the Pacific ; Japan–U.S. cooperative science program, August 13–16, 1971 . Sapporo, Japan: Japanese Society of Psychology. Isabella Aiona Abbott; Eleanor Horswill Williamson (1974). Limu: an ethnobotanical study of some edible Hawaiian seaweeds . Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden. Isabella A. Abbott; George J. Hollenberg (1976). Marine Algae Of California. Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-2152-3 . Elmer Yale Dawson; Isabella Aiona Abbott (1978). How to know the seaweeds. W. C. Brown Company. ISBN 978-0-697-04892-9 . Isabella A. Abbott; Michael S. Foster; Louise F. Eklund. "Pacific seaweed aquaculture". Proceedings of a symposium on useful algae, March 6–8, 1980; Pacific Grove, California . California Sea Grant College Program, Institute of Marine Resources, University of California. Isabella Aiona Abbott (1990). A taxonomic and nomenclatural assessment of the species of Liagora (Rhodophyta, Nemaliales) in the herbarium of Lamouroux. Isabella Aiona Abbott (March 1992). Lā’au Hawai’i: traditional Hawaiian use of plants. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Press. ISBN 978-0-930897-62-8 . Isabella A. Abbott (1995). Taxonomy of Economic Seaweeds With reference to some Pacific species . California Sea Grant College Program. Eight volume series from an international workshop hosted by the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, July 1993 Isabella A. Abbott (April 1996). New Species and Notes on Marine Algae from Hawai'i. Pacific Science. University of Hawai'i Press. Isabella A. Abbott (July 1996). Ethnobotany of seaweeds: clues to uses of seaweeds. Hydrobiologia. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Alan J.K. Millar; Isabella A. Abbott (1997). The new genus and species Ossiella pacifica (Griffithsieae, Rhodophyta) from Hawaii and Norfolk Island, Pacific Ocean. Journal of Phycology. G.T. Kraft; Isabella A. Abbott (1997). Platoma ardreanum (Schizymeniaeae, Gigartinales) and Halymenia chiangiana (Halymeniaceae, Halymeniales), two new species of proliferous, foliose red algae from the Hawaiian Islands . Cryptogamie, Algologie. Isabella Aiona Abbott (1998). Some new species and new combinations of marine red algae from the central Pacific. Phycological Research. Isabella Aiona Abbott (1999). Marine red algae of the Hawaiian Islands. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Press. ISBN 978-1-58178-003-1 . Isabella Aiona Abbott; John Marinus Huisman (April 2004). Marine green & brown algae of the Hawaiian islands. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Press. ISBN 978-1-58178-030-7 . Isabella A. Abbott; John Marinus Huisman (June 2005). Studies in the Liagoraceae (Nemaliales, Rhodophyta) I. The genus Trichogloea. Phycological Research. M.S. Kim; I.A. Abbott (March 2006). Taxonomic notes on Hawaiian Polysiphonia, with transfer to Neosiphonia (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta). Phycological Research. Isabella A. Abbott; David L. Ballantine (April 2006). Ganonema vermiculare sp nov (Liagoraceae, Rhodophyta), a new species from Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea . Botanica Marina. C.F. Gurgel; R. Terada; I.A. Abbott; et al. (April 2006). Towards a global phylogeography of Gracilaria salicornia (gracilariaceae, rhodophyta), an invasive species in Hawaii, based on chloroplast and mitochondrial markers. Journal of Phycology. Isabella Aiona Abbott; Roger R. B. Leakey (June 2006). Craig R. Elevitch (ed.). Traditional trees of the of the pacific islands: their culture, their environment, their use. Permanent Agriculture Resources. ISBN 978-0-9702544-5-0 . Isabella Aiona Abbott; John Marinus Huisman; Celia M. Smith (2007). Hawaiian reef plants. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program. Roy T. Tsuda; Isabella A. Abbott; Peter S. Vroom; et al. (April 2008). Additional marine benthic algae from Howland and Baker Islands, central Pacific. Pacific Science. Roy T. Tsuda; Isabella A. Abbott; Peter S. Vroom; et al. (October 2010). Marine Benthic Algae of Johnston Atoll: New Species Records, Spatial Distribution, and Taxonomic Affinities with Neighboring Islands. Pacific Science. Isabella A. Abbott; David L. Ballantine; Daniel C. O'Doherty (July 2010). Morphological relationships within the genus Lophocladia (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) including a description of L. kuesteri sp nov from Hawai'i. Phycologia Isabella A. Abbott; David L. Ballantine (July 2012). Veleroa setteana, n. sp (Rhodophyta: Rhodomelaceae), from the Hawaiian Archipelago, including Notes on the Generitype. Pacific Science. Directories / Credits https://womenshistory.si.edu/stories/marine-botanist-isabella-aiona-abbott-and-more-women-know-asian-american-and-pacific-islander https://news.stanford.edu/report/2022/05/26/trailblazing-marine-botanist-isabella-abbott-honored/ https://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/december/izzie-abbott-obit-120710.html https://maui.hawaii.edu/hooulu/2019/03/14/a-celebration-of-womens-history-and-dr-isabella-aiona-abbott/ https://www.ksbe.edu/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Ochoa ReplyForward