Epinephelus striatus These large, oblong fish can change both color and gender, and live at the rocky reef bottom of tropical Western Atlantic waters. They are usually a light buff to pink color with striking darker bars and spots, but can change to very light or very dark quickly. There is some
Danger to Humans There have been reports of ciguatera poisoning from human consumption
Friends, beer and . . . butterflies? Is this how we do conservation now? Our scientists have worked hard to identify and study species at risk of extinction for decades, but they know it takes a village to pull them back from the brink. So, they got creative with beer and butterflies. Way bac
of fun talking to guests about the cool Schaus Swallowtail butterfly that was in danger
Ginglymostoma cirratum These bottom dwelling sharks are usually yellowish-tan to dark brown and, as adults, average around 7.5 to 8 feet long and over 200 pounds (Rosa et al. 2006). They are nocturnal, scouting the sea bottom for crustaceans, mollusks and stingrays during the night before returni
Danger to Humans Nurse sharks are not generally aggressive and usually swim away
Albula vulpes This elusive, silvery fish is prized among fishers, but because of restrictions and its many bones, it is often released instead of brought in as food. These hard-to-find ‚gray ghosts‘ appear dark blue-green from above with silver sides streaked with darker grey. Due to their fe
Danger to Humans Bonefish pose no threat to humans, though ciguatera poisoning may
Seriola dumerili This large fish is slender and agile, and can grow to be more than 6 feet long. Its is mostly a silvery white color, with a darker gray or bluish coloring from above. This is a popular recreational fish but because it is in the of the apex of the marine food chain, the larger one
Danger to Humans Large greater amberjacks have been implicated in cases of ciguatera
Atractosteus spatula These elongated torpedo-shaped ‚living fossils‘ have long, broad snouts with two rows of sharp teeth in their mouths. Their scales are heavy and overlapping like chain mail, and their small fins are set far back near their abbreviated, irregular caudal (tail) fin. They genera
Danger to Humans Due to its large size and sharp teeth, the alligator gar is capable
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 they move through t
Danger to Humans Although the spinner shark is not considered dangerous to humans
History of the United States Endangered Species Act Conservation efforts to save species of plants and animals from extinction began in the early 1900s. A species of plant or animal is considered extinct when there are no living members of that group found alive anywhere on Earth; in other words, a
The ENDANGERED category applies to any species considered to be in danger of becoming
Galeocerdo cuvier Tiger sharks are named for their distinctive color pattern. The body is gray with dark gray vertical bars or spots on the flanks with a pale or white underside. The markings are especially distinctive in juveniles but diminish with age. Tiger sharks are among the largest of
Danger to Humans The tiger shark is a formidable predator and second only to the
Pristis clavata Although sawfish look like sharks, they are actually highly modified rays. The rostral ‚teeth‘ are specialized denticles. The dwarf sawfish is the smallest sawfish species, reaching 3.1 m (10 ft). Very little is known about its behavior. Order – Rhinopristiformes Family – Pris
Danger to Humans All sawfishes are harmless to humans if left undisturbed.
