Just about everyone wants to save the whales. Sharks get a whole week to themselves. The simple fact is, concerning the marine environment, it is the megafauna that gets all of the attention. Not to say that the attention is unwarranted; they are often amazing...
Typically, there is a greater number of rare species in diverse ecosystems. Because rare species have a small distribution or occur in very small numbers (or both), one might think that they generally do not play important ecological roles. However, a study recently...
It is actually quite simple: a fish joins a large group, it is able to share information about its environment with the group, and it gains a distinctive edge (especially against predators) that enables it to survive and reproduce. To most fish biologists, the...
It is easy to liken coral reefs to tropical rainforests; much like these remarkable terrestrial biological hotspots, coral reef habitats are widely held in awe on account of their astounding abundance and diversity. That notwithstanding, coral reefs can just as easily...
Let’s face it: marine aquaria are eternal works in progress. However large, well-equipped and expertly maintained they may be, they are always capable of throwing new challenges at their keepers.…
For so many aquarists, one of the most satisfying activities is observing trophic interactions amongst the animals in their keep-that is, watching them eat. Some of these interactions are quite conspicuous (feeding live foods to carnivorous fishes or adding hermit crabs to eradicate nuisance algae, for example).…
Public aquaria have been exhibiting live aquatic animals for quite some time. Amazingly, a number of institutions across the world are around centenarian age. Perhaps even more astounding is how long some of the specimens in their collections have been kept. Many...
It may be a bit surprising that previously undescribed species can still be discovered in an area such as the rocky reefs of the Tamar River Estuary in Tasmania, which is fairly well studied and frequently photographed by recreational divers. Yet, that is exactly what...
By Kenneth Wingerter Of all of the flora and fauna that can be displayed in aquaria, fish have always, by far, received the most attention. Arguably, the lasting popularity of ornamental fish owes mainly to their often vibrant coloration. Seemingly few people who work...
The deep sea biome is said to be less understood and less explored than the Moon. Nearly any serious expedition into deep sea ecosystems reveals new species, or even entirely new habitats. Often, these notoriously slow-growing biological communities are thought to be...