Mangroves Support: Microorganisms Algae Invertebrates Fish Reptiles and Amphibians Birds Mammals Microorganisms Mangroves are an important part of estuarine food webs, producing large amounts of leaf litter. Leaves drop from the mangrove trees and are quickly decompose
This decomposed matter is referred to as detritus which
Southern Stargazer Astroscopus y-graecum This unusual, stout fish has completely adapted to spending most of its life buried in sand, waiting to ambush its prey and gulp it down whole. Its eyes, gill slits, nostrils and most of its mouth are on the top of its body, and its pectoral fins are
stargazer’s ability to produce electrical currents, live
The subcanopy of the pinelands consists of fire-resistant species such as the saw palmetto and cabbage palm. Florida slash pines (Pinus elliotii) occur in a range of elevations, taking root among limestone outcroppings and solution holes containing peat and marl. Surrounded by wet prairies
buckthorn (Bumelia reclinata), not shown dwarf live
Spinner Shark Carcharhinus brevipinna The spinner shark is a slender, gray-bronze shark named for its distinctive aerial „spinning“ behavior at the surface. When feeding, spinner sharks will often swim through schools of bait fish, spinning along their longitudinal axis, snapping at fish as
size than blacktips and have a distinctly marked black
Can insects create art? In huge numbers, bark beetles inscribe their life stories onto dead wood. Entire cities are carved out in each tree, cities that flourish one year only to collapse the next year from competition and disease. Like many human civilizations before ours, each bark beetle generat
Close: Incredible Insects Colorful Dancing Spiders Black
Northern Stargazer Astroscopus guttatus This stout fish has a special organ just behind its eyes that produces an electric shock which it uses defensively, so caution is advised when handling. It has completely adapted to spending most of its life buried in sand, waiting to ambush its prey a
stargazer’s ability to produce electrical currents, live
Adults live in coastal fresh water, but they h
Adults live in coastal fresh water, but they have a
broaden our horizons and inspire new conversations, no matter
broaden our horizons and inspire new conversations, no matter
Plants contain a vast array of chemical compounds, some of which can be poisonous to humans, pets and livestock. These toxic compounds benefit plants by deterring plant-munching insects, protecting against microbial infections and creating a barrier between injured and healthy tissues. Some plant sp
Rosary pea has shiny, hard, bright red seeds with a black
As Becky Reichart pressed against one of the sleek, bleached, white rib bones of the fully rearticulated 17-foot-7-inch Burmese python, one of the largest found in Florida, she commented, “They look delicate, but they’re actually really strong.” The bones tell the story of the snake’s life in the
“It was a matter of trial and error to find what adhesive
