Archives for February 2019

By Breilly Roy; Sea of Change intern

Welcome to our fifth “Creature Feature!” Each week we briefly introduce you to some fascinating facts about a sea creature, why it is special and unique, and its conservation status. This week’s creature is the star of a song written by the band Heart and has one of the most daunting smiles in the ocean. Any guesses? It’s the great barracuda!

The great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) is known for its long body shape. Having an elongated torso, it looks like an underwater missile. This streamlined body shape allows the fish to move quickly underwater. They have been documented to swim in bursts up to 35 miles per hour! Not only does their speed help them escape hungry predators, but it aids in their hunting. Of course, their ferocious looking mouth also plays a big role in catching prey, though their vicious reputation is unwarranted – as with most sea creatures, if we respect them, they’ll do the same for us.

Unlike most fish, the great barracuda has two sets of teeth. Along the outside of the top jaw sits a row of smaller teeth, and behind them are dagger-like teeth. The bottom jaw houses long, needle-like teeth. Having dentition like this not only prevents the escape of prey, but it allows this top predator to grasp, tear, and cut up its catch before consumption.

As an adult they exhibit a nonsocial lifestyle, often hovering solitarily above coral reefs or wrecks looking for prey and defending their territory. Although, the great barracuda has been known to attack divers, such instances are rare. Some believe it is due to the species being attracted to a shiny object on a diver – so divers are warned to not wear watches or jewelry as a reflection might resemble the silvery fish the barracuda prey on. This species may seem scary, if you keep your distance, you have nothing to fear. The global conservation status of the great barracuda is of least concern according to the IUCN Red List. This species may seem intimidating, but when admired from afar one realizes the barracuda is an amazing fish that plays a vital role in its ecosystem.

By Raquel Gilliland and Breilly Roy; Sea of Change Foundation interns

Welcome to our fourth “Creature Feature!” For those of you joining us for the first time, each week we briefly introduce you to some fascinating facts about a sea creature, why it is special and unique, and its conservation status. This week’s creature is a distant relative of the snail and a master of disguise. Have you figured it out yet? It’s the common cuttlefish!

Cuttlefish belong to the phylum Mollusca which consists of organisms such as snails, clams, scallops, oysters, octopuses, and squid. One common feature of this particular phylum is that all members have/had some form of exoskeleton or shell. As these creatures evolved, some lost their shells. Cuttlefish have the remnants of this body armor, but it is located inside their bodies and is called the “cuttlebone.”

These cephalopods, which means “head foot” in Greek, are unique in that they can camouflage themselves with their environment, much like a chameleon. Unlike the reptile though, the cuttlefish can change not only it’s skin color but it’s texture as well. This expert camouflage is carried out by two different types of specialized cells, papillae cells for texture and chromatophores for color.

Beyond their unique skin, cephalopods are also known for their high intelligence levels. Cuttlefish have brain cells that are similar to humans. Using this information, scientists have learned more about how the human brain operates and hope to apply that knowledge to find cures for diseases.

Thankfully, this species (Sepia officinalis) is considered an organism of least concern according to the IUCN Red List. If their habitat is protected, these creatures should inhabit the oceans for thousands of years to come.

By Raquel Gilliland and Breilly Roy; Sea of Change Foundation interns

Welcome to our third “Creature Feature!” Each week we briefly introduce you to some fascinating facts about a sea creature, why it is special and unique, and its conservation status. This week’s creature is the graceful hawksbill turtle. These underwater reptiles belong to the family Cheloniidae. Turtles in this family are the only known turtles that have front limbs stronger than their back.

Hawksbill turtles can be found throughout the tropical oceans of the world, usually occupying coral reefs. As these animals are predominantly spongivores (they eat sponges), their narrow, pointed beaks, resembling that of a hawk, are a useful tool in removing the invertebrates from clefts in the reef.

In 2015, a hawksbill was found near the Solomon Islands during a night dive, but this was no ordinary reptile as this turtle glowed in the dark! Scientists determined that this female was exhibiting signs of biofluorescence. Unlike bioluminescence, biofluorescence is not a chemical reaction within an organism but rather an organism absorbs light and projects it as a different color.

Sadly, hawksbill turtles are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List and are decreasing in numbers. Due to their uniquely decorated shells, they are often harvested illegally and sold around the world despite their protection under CITES (Conservation on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

With proper conservation and preservation methods put into practice, such as reducing light pollution, plastic pollution, and nesting beach conservation, this ancient species has the potential to recover its declining populations.