Through the Ears of a Fish

by Ed Kluender, guest blogger

Ask a fish its age or where it's been and what it ate for lunch, and chances are it couldn't tell you.  It could probably hear your question, though, with the help of its inner ear bones, called otoliths.  Otoliths are one of the most useful tools in a fish biologist’s toolbox.  When removed and studied, otoliths can reveal a fish’s age, growth rate, and some history of where it’s been. 

Otoliths are similar to the bones in human inner ears.  They are three pairs of small stone-like structures, called the lapilli, sagittae, and asterisci (singular: lapillus, sagitta, asteriscus).  Otoliths are suspended in fluid-filled sacs, and as in humans, help with balance and orientation. 

Inner ear structure and otolith location in typical teleost fish.  The sagittae and lapilli are the two typically used for aging fish.  Source: David Secor, University of Maryland. 

Dolphin Deaths a Boon for Sharks?

By Tobey Curtis, Guest Blogger

It's been a tough year to be a dolphin. The Miami NFL football players aren’t the only dolphins making headlines lately. Over the last year there have been hundreds of mysterious dolphin deaths along the US Atlantic coast. By late summer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had declared two “Unusual Mortality Events” for bottlenose dolphins, one in the Mid-Atlantic (New York to South Carolina), and one in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon. To date, nearly 800 dolphin deaths have been confirmed in the Mid-Atlantic region, and over 70 in the Indian River Lagoon.

Number of dolphin strandings by state for 2013 (red) and the 2007-2012 average (blue). Source: NOAA Fisheries Service

While investigations are still underway, possible culprits

Scary stuff!

by Brandon Peoples

It’s a quiet autumn night. The full moon barely penetrates the thick, low-hanging fog. An unsuspecting group is returning home from their evening activities. They’re in a dangerous area, but they know they’ll be safe if they stick together and move quickly. They’ve been lulled into a false sense of security …little do they know that just out of eyeshot, they’re being stalked by a killer.

Paid to go fishing

by Ed Kluender, Guest Blogger

It’s happened to most of us in fisheries field research, whether loading up the shock boat at a ramp, stopped at a gas station for tater wedges and bad coffee, or on the river when you run into someone who’s paying a guide to be there for nearly the same reason we’re there on the clock.  

It starts with the initial, “What are you doing with all that weird gear?”  Upon explanation is the inevitable, “Man, it must be nice to get paid to go fishing!”  

I’ve seen a range of attitudes after this.  Oddly enough, one of the more common responses is an uncomfortable mixture of resentment, cynicism, and anger that one could actually make a career of being on the water studying fish.

Humpback Chub are an endangered species native to the Grand Canyon.  As a tourist, you can pay upwards of $1000 to visit this spot.  As a fish biologist, you can make overtime pay there.  Photo: Kristen Pearson

When the quick cure causes long-term danger: Who knew antibiotics could be such a problem?

by Dr. Dana Sackett

Whether for an ear infection or something more serious, chances are we have all had to take antibiotics at one point in our lives. Despite this regular use of antibiotics, few people know where they come from or that our overuse of these drugs are causing some serious problems in our aquatic environment.

Antibiotics come from the chemical warfare that occurs between microscopic organisms that have developed natural defenses to protect themselves from other microscopic organisms. For example, penicillin, one of the earliest and most widely used antibiotics, was discovered when Sir Alexander Fleming observed that mold (Penicillium notatum) produced a natural substance that destroyed bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) in 1928. Since this discovery, hundreds of these bacteria-killing substances have been discovered and many are synthesized and mass produced as our own personal weapon against disease causing bacteria.

(Source)

The Other Side of Fall Leaves

By Steve Midway

Around this time of year throughout much of the northern hemisphere, we take pause to notice the beautiful spectrum of colors presented in fall foliage.  Have you ever wondered what happens to all of those leaves, where they go, and what types of animals may benefit from this fall bounty?

Leaves change from green to yellow to red before being deposited
in rivers and fueling a long-term food chain. (Source)

How Obama's fish made me question my view of "species"

By
Brandon Peoples

Just what "is" a fish species? Etheostoma clinton may say, "...it depends on your definition of 'is'." 

Last year, researchers Steve Layman and Richard Mayden discovered five new species of darter—tiny colorful fishes in the perch family. They named the new species after "environmentally-minded" politicians, most notably Barack Obama (Teddy Roosevelt and Al Gore also made the list). These “new” species had been hiding from us in plain sight—the southeastern US.

Five new species of Etheostoma were recently described in the southeastern US. Photos by J. Tomelleri. Source. 

Wait…how did five unknown fish species go undetected for so long right under our noses?    

Finding Nemo lied to your kids, and they will do it again in the sequel: Finding Dory!

By Patrick Cooney

The Disney film, Finding Nemo, lied to your kids!  Disney would simply argue that they altered reality to create a more entertaining storyline, but read below for the true story, and you tell me which you think is a more entertaining.

Disney forced them to hide the truth!

The Fish Are Fighting Back!

As the mist swirls from the tannin stained Okefenokee Swamp water, prehistoric behemoths lurk below waiting to “maim”, “strike”, “clobber”, and “attack."  Lacking teeth, they utilize their sheer size and sharp bone-like protrusions against us humans.  Weighing up to 220 pounds and reaching lengths of eight feet, the stealth attackers have struck people in boats traveling at 40 miles per hour.  Boaters beware, Gulf sturgeon are out to get you!

Tim Ross

Collisions between wildlife and vehicles are a common occurrence, just take a look at the side of the road on your