Whether you love them or fear them, this Children’s Book Meetup is sure to help you understand a little bit more about one of the ocean’s most well-known predators – sharks! On Saturday, December 5, 2020 the Florida Museum and the Alachua County Library District (ACLD) met to talk all things sharks
how they eat, the challenges they face, and whether or not certain species pose a danger
The Florida Museum of Natural History’s Environmental Archaeology Program received a nearly $800,000 National Science Foundation grant to curate some of its most delicate specimens and vital data, documenting 14,000 years of biodiversity in vulnerable regions around the Caribbean. Environmental a
damaged material and digitize handwritten specimen labels and other information in danger
Bullnose Ray Myliobatis freminvillii These smaller rays rarely grow more than 3 feet wide, their sharply angular pectoral discs wider than their bodies are long. Their heads protrude distinctly from their find space, giving them a duck-billed look in profile. Ranging from chocolate to gray o
Danger to Humans The bullnose ray is harmless to humans.
Lutjanus jocu This snapper earned its name from the long canine teeth that show even when its mouth is closed. They are sturdy almond-shaped fish that are usually olive-green on top, fading to coppery pale underneath, and they have a distinct white triangular bar under their eyes. These nocturnal
Danger to Humans Although they are commercially fished, the dog snapper has been
Gymnura altavela These broad, flat diamond-shaped rays are much wider than they are long, with a short tail that has one or more serrated spine at the base. They are generally dark brown, sometimes with pale-rimmed dark spots or blotches. They have been reported at almost 13 feet wide, but averag
Danger to Humans The spiny butterfly ray is harmless to humans as it is not aggressive
While several high-profile shark bites made headlines last year, the total number of shark attacks globally took a nosedive. The University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File reported 66 unprovoked shark bites in 2018, down from 88 in 2017 and 26 percent lower than the most recent five-yea
Life on Earth Unique dove species is the dodo of the Caribbean and in similar danger
Narcine bancroftii Like the name suggests, this is one of the rays that can create an electric shock from 14 to 37 volts, from specialized organs that run along their bodies. These small rays have a circular pectoral disc, with a stout tail that as two small dorsal fins and a triangular caudal (t
Danger to Humans Lesser electric rays have been know to knock humans down with their
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary The National Marine Sanctuaries Act of 1972 authorized the designation and management of marine environments with special national significance due to their conservation, recreational, ecological, historical, scientific, cultural, archaeological, or educat
endangered species: a species in danger of becoming extinct that is protected by
Amphibians are exceptionally good at being small. There are salamanders the size of your thumb nail, pygmy newts that live in moss patches and feast on microscopic insects, and inch-long African frogs that spend their entire lives in and around the banks of small puddles. In fact, the title for the
Life on Earth Unique dove species is the dodo of the Caribbean and in similar danger
Atlantic Guitarfish Rhinobatos lentiginosus Guitarfish look somewhere between a shark and a ray, with the dorsal and caudal fins on the back half of its tubular body, and a narrow pectoral disc at its head. The Atlantic guitarfish is one of the smallest, growing to almost 30 inches, and gray
Danger to Humans The Atlantic guitarfish is considered harmless to humans.
