SeaMonster blog
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Giant squid: Panda bear of the ocean?
Some people think so. Not in the sense of being cute and cuddly, of course. But in superstar potential. Think World Wildlife Fund’s iconic panda logo — who doesn’t recognize that image? A team of researchers has published a new paper in Biological Conservation arguing that ocean conservationists should take a page from WWF’s book…
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What are gelatinous plankton?
An amazing video about gelatinous plankton from MBARI. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HzFiQFFQYw&[/youtube]
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Cliff notes for the EPIC SM fisheries debate
Here, at Breaching the Blue, Mark Gibson’s great blog. Also check out his rundown of yesterdays Ocean day coverage here.
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Classic film series: Barnacles tell no lies
Alright. John has broken the ice in introducing invertebrate porn to SeaMonster. So I can’t resist a shout-out out to the grandaddy of ’em all, a true classic, and a runaway favorite for best soundtrack. Ladies and gentlemen, from 1991, it’s . . Randy Olson’s Barnacles Tell No Lies! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZQE0Z2aZHE[/youtube]
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Barnacle mating (x-rated!)
Warning: the following post may contain material not appropriate for children and some adults. Barnacles have sex. And as marine biologists are fond of saying, male barnacles have the largest “boy part” relative to body size in the animal kingdom. Male marine biologists frequently attempt to increase their own genetic fitness by sharing this information with…
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Sustainable supply for the seahorse trade
You’ve probably spotted by now that I have a bit of a thing about seahorses. And despite spending a year researching and writing my book, there’s always more to discover about these curious creatures. A little while ago, I picked up a thing or two from seahorse-keeping guru Shawn Garner at Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida.…
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Cuba journal: Top predators on the reef
Happy World Oceans Day everyone! Wow, it’s hard to compete with Helen’s whale shark story for a close encounter with an awesome sea creature! Since it’s still fresh in my mind, I’ll go with an experience from our recent trip to Cuba. At the risk of giving you a case of elasmobranch overload, this features…
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Happy World Oceans Day & some memorable seamonster moments
It’s World Oceans Day. Horray! It’s like a second birthday, a day when we get to do what we like… at least when it comes to talking about how awesome the oceans are. So, here at Seamonster we’ve decided to share with you some of our most awesome moments underwater – when we each met…
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Jellyfish have eyes AND brains!
A great article in the NYT by Natalie Angier about the surprising complexity of jellyfish: For all their noble antiquity, jellyfish have long been ignored or misunderstood by mainstream science, dismissed as so much mindless protoplasm with a mouth. Now, in a series of new studies, researchers have found that there is far more complexity…
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Laura Bush on marine reserves
A great op-ed in the WSJ by Laura Bush on the importance of marine reserves celebrating the admirable legacy of her husband in implementing several massive marine reserves. Our ocean frontiers are disappearing, and it is up to us to conserve the most important wild areas that remain. Our first national park was named not…
Got any book recommendations?