Caranx ruber The bar jack is a classically almond-shaped silvery fish with greyish-blue tints to it. It looks like other jacks, but gets its name from the distinguishing dark bar that runs down its back and into its caudal fin (tail), usually accompanied by a bright blue stripe. These schooling f
Danger to Humans The majority of cases of ciguatera poisoning in St.
E. O. Wilson once referred to invertebrates as “the little things that run the world,� without whom “the human species [wouldn’t] last more than a few months.� Although small, invertebrates have an outsized influence on their environments, pollinating plants, breaking down organic matter and speedin
Life on Earth Unique dove species is the dodo of the Caribbean and in similar danger
When the bones of an ancient heron were unearthed at a North Florida fossil site, the find wasn’t made by researchers but by two Florida Museum of Natural History volunteers. A previously unknown genus and species, the heron has been named Taphophoyx hodgei (TAFF’-oh-foy-ks HAHJ’-ee-eye) in honor
Life on Earth Unique dove species is the dodo of the Caribbean and in similar danger
Globally acclaimed artist and beloved Florida Museum of Natural History collaborator Naziha Mestaoui passed away on April 29. She was 44 years old. Mestaoui’s interactive, grand-scale outdoor projections highlighted the connections between all living things, and the Paris-based artist was per
Life on Earth Unique dove species is the dodo of the Caribbean and in similar danger
Chiloscyllium punctatum These elongated, slender carpet sharks have lobed fins and an asymmetrical caudal (tail) fin. The young ones are medium brown with darker brown banding, but that fades to a solid brown as they mature. They live between the shore and the reef on muddy sea floors, where they
Danger to Humans Considered harmless to humans, the brownbanded bamboo shark may
Trygonorrhina dumerilii This oval shaped ray has a very rounded pectoral disc that is dark yellow-brown on top with irregular grayish bands outlined in darker brown. The long tail has two small dorsal fins and an asymmetrical caudal fin, and the total length of this ray, including tail, can be as
Danger to Humans The southern fiddler is considered harmless to humans.
Bathytoshia centroura This is the largest of the whip-tail stingrays, growing over 7 feet wide and more than 660 pounds. Its diamond-shaped disc is dark brown or olive above and almost white below. The tail is black, and can be two and a half times the length of its body. Caution is suggested whe
Danger to Humans The roughtail stingray does not attack people; however, if it is
Carcharhinus brachyurus This shark gets its name from its bronzy-grey to olive-green coloring. It is the only species of requiem shark in the genus Carcharhinus that lives in temperate rather than tropical waters. They occur throughout the world but the distribution is patchy, with what appear to
Danger to Humans According to the International Shark Attack File, the bronze whaler
Mobula hypostoma This smaller eagle ray looks like its cousins, with its diamond-shaped pectoral disc that is twice as wide as it is long, and its dark gray black top and ivory white underside. But the Atlantic devil ray is smaller, growing to only about 48 inches wide, and its long tail lacks a
Danger to Humans Rays in general are considered harmless and inoffensive.
Eucrossorhinus dasypogon This unusual carpet shark has a fringe along the front of its flat head, and an elaborate camouflage pattern, ideal for its ambush style of hunting. It usually grows to about 4 feet long, with broad, rounded pectoral fins, and a series of lobed fins back to its asymmetric
Danger to Humans The tasselled wobbegong may bit in self defense or if a human foot
