Green Options » marine research

Psychedelic Hopping Fish Classified as New Discovery

Jake Richardson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:18:09 +0000

A very unusual fish spotted laster year by scuba diving operators near Ambon Island in Indonesia has been proven to be unique.

University of Washington fish expert Ted Pietsch conducted DNA tests on the angler fish. Recently he confirmed through his analysis that indeed, it is a newly discovered species.

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Climate Change Researchers Discover Three New Species

Jake Richardson — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:37:24 +0000

Australian and American researchers who were searching the ocean floor of the Tasman Fracture Zone for corals to help them understand climate change, have discovered several deep sea species.

Using a remote device at depths of 4,000 meters the researchers spotted a carnivorous sea squirt previously unknown to humans (pictured above).

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13,000 Species Documented in Marine Census

Jake Richardson — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:24:19 +0000

A team of international researchers has released the results of an extensive survey of the Antarctic and Arctic oceans.

The census showed 7,500 species in the Antarctic and 5,500 in the Arctic. The total number includes several hundred thought to be newly discovered species. In addition it was discovered, astonishingly, that 200 or more of species are common to both oceans - though they live 11,000 kilometers from one another.

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635 Million-Year-Old Animal Traces Discovered

Jake Richardson — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:17:56 +0000

New research in the South Oman Salt Basin shows evidence of animal life dating back much further than the first appearance of other significant life forms.

Chemical traces of the minute marine sponges, called demosponges were observed by a research team led by the University of California, Riverside geochemist Dr. Gordon D. Love. Desmosponges include the species most consumsers are familiar with: the bath sponge. These over 500 million-year-old sponges however, were probably much smaller due to a lack of oxygen available during their geological period. The fact that they existed 200 million years before plants appeared on land, shows just how very old they are.

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Whale Shark Tagging Expedition off Kenya Coast

Sam Aola Ooko — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:08:13 +0000

In Mombasa, Kenya, there is a popular saying that if you have not sampled shark meat, you probably have never been to the East African coast. But it could well be a belief because I have seen people go to great lengths to afford a dish; it is a very expensive delicacy. But that is a story for another day. Let us focus on the whale shark, which is making all the news in that part of the world.

An ongoing satellite tagging expedition to the ecosystem of the world’s biggest fish is a mix of both adventure and science. I rue missing this whale shark census expedition, running from February 18 to March 2, conducted in a safari setting!

Dr. Brent Stewart, a marine biologist at the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute in San Diego, California, is conducting the expedition with local collaboration from the East African Whale Shark Trust (EAWST) to study the ecology of whale sharks along the Kenyan coast. Local experts, Volker Bassen and Nimu Njonjo, have ensured public participation in the annual project at a small fee; this adds to the adventure in research and education and a huge exciting step for Kenya’s marine ecology conservation efforts.

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Ocean Heat Powers Underwater Glider

Shirley Siluk Gregory — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:10:55 +0000

A green-energy ocean glider has cruised back and forth between the islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix more than 20 times since its launch in December. Being tested by researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Webb Research Corporation, the robotic glider uses ocean heat to warm wax-filled tubes that then expand to generate mechanical energy that drives the vehicle.

Photo courtesy of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, taken by John Lund.