Evolution
Facing the music: calls from one of the worlds most endangered dolphins
The Study: Melo-Santos, G., Figueiredo Rodrigues, A.L., Tardin, R.H., de Sá Maciel, I., Marmontel, M., Da Silva, M.L., May-Collado, L.J. 2019. The newly described Araguaian river dolphins, Inia araguaiaensis (Cetartiodactyla, Iniidae), produce a diverse repertoire of acoustic signals. PeerJ: e6670. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6670 River Dolphins Inia araguaiaensis was first discovered in 2014 and is one of […]
How could putting 3-D glasses on cuttlefish change the way we think about vision?
3-D glasses-wearing cuttlefish can show us more than just the latest fashion trends. They can also teach us about evolution and may even help us develop new algorithms for machine learning! Ashley MarranzinoI received my Master’s degree from the University of Rhode Island where I studied the sensory biology of deep-sea fishes. I am now […]
East African Lake Fosters a Melting Pot for Cichlid Evolution
Darwin’s famed finches weave a tale of evolution in isolation. Joana Meier and her research team now find that evolution, specifically adaptive radiation, may not actually require such complete isolation to stimulate the creation of new species. Rishya NarayananRishya is a multimedia science communicator with an MS in Media Advocacy from Northeastern University, specializing in […]
The Slow Burn: Slower Metabolisms May Help Mollusks Avoid Extinction
By looking at fossils found in the Western Atlantic, Dr. Luke Strotz and a team of scientists at the University of Kansas and Oxford have come across an intriguing idea: that an animal’s metabolism may be linked to how likely the species is to going extinct. Kristin HuizengaI am a PhD student studying Biological Oceanography […]
Red dead algae
Life on earth has been evolving for a long time – billions of years! The timing of when different kinds of life developed is controversial, but can tell us about the conditions of earth in the past. A group of scientists in Sweden looked at ancient fossils from India, and found what they describe as […]
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: Using an Invisibility Cloak for Deep-Sea Camouflage
You may not have to go to Hogwarts to find an invisibility cloak of your own. Although, the trip to this extreme environment full of transparent crustaceans may be just as tricky to get to. Read more to find out how hyperiid amphipods are able to make themselves invisible! Ashley MarranzinoI received my Master’s degree […]
Throwing Babies out with the Sea Ice: Ringed Seals Response to Ice Decline
As the Earth warms, sea ice declines. What happens to those animals who rely on the ice? Today’s oceanbites looks at one animal, the ringed seal, and how it may be affected by climate change! Rebecca FlynnI am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.S.) and the University of Rhode Island (M.S.). I […]
Like a champion Casanova in the sky
After migrating thousands of miles from their southern wintering grounds, males of a certain species of shorebird log thousands more miles scouring the summer territories for fertile females. It’s pretty nuts. Abrahim El GamalAbrahim is a PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego where he studies marine chemical biology.
Clamate Change: How clams may be able to cope with a warming world
Global temperatures are increasing at a rate never before seen in Earth’s history. Although efforts to mitigate this are still very important, it is also important to study and understand what is going to happen to the plants and animals that live here. Evidence of climate change already surrounds us, and the more we know, […]
Ain’t no killing the killifish (for now): on the virtues of genetic diversity
Atlantic killifish are spared extinction in the face of pollution thanks to their remarkable genetic diversity. Abrahim El GamalAbrahim is a PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego where he studies marine chemical biology.
Swashbuckling spiders sailed the high seas
Long before the Vikings reached North America, a group of coastal spiders was already sailing around the world using prevailing winds, currents, and rafts. Brittney G. BorowiecBrittney is a PhD candidate at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, Canada, and joined Oceanbites in September 2015. Her research focuses on the physiological mechanisms and evolution of the […]
Grunts and Gnathiids: One Fish’s Daily Migration to Escape Parasites?
Animals move for a number of reasons. The French grunt leaves the coral reefs at night for seagrass. A group of scientists proposes and provides good evidence for why they might do that! Read on to discover whether they’re leaving to avoid being parasitized? Rebecca FlynnI am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame […]
Speed dating: how finding that special symbiosis saved some coral from climate change
Choosing the right symbiont might be a coral’s ticket to cheating global warming. Abrahim El GamalAbrahim is a PhD student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego where he studies marine chemical biology.
Who benefits from more CO2? Harmful algae.
Climate change will produce both winners and losers, but we might not like who ends up winning! New research shows that toxic cyanobacteria can rapidly adapt to increasing CO2 concentrations and outcompete other more desirable types of algae. Michael PhilbenI recently completed a PhD in Marine Science at the University of South Carolina and am […]
Loud and Order: How reef fish vocalize to keep schools cohesive
Many animals use vocalizations to send signals to their group, but never before has this been documented in fish, until now. Researchers have found a reef fish that uses vocalizations in order to keep their schools together. Read on to find out how. Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at […]
Killer whale pods: hunting dynamics
Killer whale pods spend almost all of their time together, with the exception of when they hunt. Why are they not social when they hunt? Could it be to ensure the survival of the newest and weakest pod members? Is it related to food availability? It is related to food preference? It is just a […]
Light on the Tree of Life: Evolution of Bioluminescence
The darkness can be scary sometimes–but that’s when evolution can get pretty crazy in its adaptations. Meet some of the fishes that can glow in the dark and learn about how many times this special ability evolved–it’s certainly surprised many scientists in the community! Andrea SchlunkI am a former PhD student from the University of […]
Parenthood: The Most Rewarding Experience or The Ultimate Sacrifice?
Our human parents make a lot of sacrifices for us! They devote their time and energy, provide for us, invest in us (monetarily, sure, but also emotionally), nurture us, attempt to teach us, make career decisions with us in mind, and lose a lot of sleep worrying about us. However, in the marine world things […]
Why Mom Cares.
Does mom care? If you are a skink from the wrong neighborhood she might, otherwise, you are on your own kid. Read about the evolution of paternal care traits in one skink population that is not observed in the others! Anne M. HartwellHello, welcome to Oceanbites! My name is Annie, I’m a marine research scientist […]
Fooled Ya! How marine animals stay hidden in plain sight
It’s April Fools’ Day! Today’s the day when you try to prank people, convince them your lies are true, and generally make mischief and act sneakily! Animals have to act like it’s April Fools’ Day everyday, and it probably isn’t nearly as much fun since their lives depend on it. Predators sneak up on their […]
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