Although corals are considered one of the earliest, most primitive animal groups on the planet, the stony corals that grace our reef aquariums with color and vibrance actually arose later than some of us have been led to believe. It is widely accepted that our ocean’s...
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Monday Archives: Siphonophorae: Corals’ Unique Cousin
Most of us are familiar with the Portuguese Man o’ War – a plastic bag-looking animal that can deliver a nasty sting. Although Portuguese Man o’ Wars somewhat resemble “true jellyfish”, they are not; they belong to a class within Cnidaria known as Hydrozoa. More...
An Overview of Marine Fungi and Their Ecological Roles
Sometimes regarded as rare or insignificant, marine fungi are both phylogenetically and ecologically diverse. Like all fungi, marine fungi are heterotrophic. Although a large portion of marine fungi are saprobes – organisms that feed on decaying organic matter, many...
Propagating Heliofungia
By Robert Loren The Long Tentacle Plate Coral (Heliofungia actiniformis) is a stunning, active coral capable of adding a splash of color and movement to any reef display. Although notoriously intolerant of tissue damage, Heliofungia has become a popular, sought after...
Marine Mesozoic Revolution
Throughout geological time, there have been many shifts in marine animal species. Amongst these shifts is a transition known as the Mesozoic Marine Revolution. This evolutionary phenomenon not only overturned a number of bottom-dwelling marine species, it transformed...
Aging Bony Fish
When conducting studies, many ecologists are posed with the question: How old is this fish? Because size is rarely a fair indication of age, the use of a more precise method is often required. The most prevalent method of aging bony fish is known as Otolith Analysis....
Overview of Sponges
Although commonly regarded as the most primitive multicellular animal group, sponges – members of the phylum: Porifera, are both diverse and interesting. Currently, this phylum is described as consisting almost completely of 3 distinct classes: Demospongea, Calcarea,...
Heliofungia Propagation
Although notoriously intolerant of tissue damage, the beautiful Heliofungia actiniformis is an exciting addition to any reef display. Willing to test this coral’s vitality, I made an attempt to propagate one. 1. The Heliofungia was forced to retract by hand. This...
Epulopiscium: A Microbial Giant
The bacterial behemoth, Epulopiscium fishelsoni, is truly unique. E. fishelsoni is commonly regarded as the largest bacterium discovered to date, having the size of roughly 1,000,000 Escherichia coli. Residing within the gastrointestinal tract of several tang fish...
Spawning Tridacna crocea in Captivity
Tridacna crocea is the smallest known species of giant clam. Because of its manageable size and remarkable color patterns, Tridacna crocea has become quite popular among aquarists. In lieu of this species’ popularity, an effort to aquaculture these clams has been...