Largetooth Sawfish Pristis pristis Although sawfish look somewhat like sharks, they are actually rays. They have an elongated snout or „rostrum“ that is studded with teeth that they swing from side to side to stun schooling fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates upon which they feed. Large to
Danger to Humans Unprovoked, the sawfish is considered very docile.
Insects of all stripes are in the midst of a vanishing act, a catastrophic sleight-of-hand occurring so rapidly that scientists can’t keep up. Things get even trickier when you consider that insects have a complex life cycle with eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. Are they all disappearing at equal rat
Life on Earth Unique dove species is the dodo of the Caribbean and in similar danger
The human environmental footprint is not only deep, but old. Ancient traces of this footprint can be found in animal bones, shells, scales and antlers at archaeological sites. Together, these specimens tell the millennia-long story of how humans have hunted, domesticated and transported animals,
of hutia, several species of which are currently vulnerable to extinction or in danger
Rhizoprionodon terraenovae This small, slim shark rarely grows more than 3.5 feet long, and has a distinctly long, pointed snout, and large eyes. It likes to forage in surf zones and estuaries, so it comes into contact with humans frequently. It is not considered dangerous though because most bit
Danger to Humans Shark fishing boat.
The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count concluded last week with volunteers tallying bird sightings in 28 countries throughout North, Central and South America. Despite inclement weather, the count marked another exceptionally good year for birds in Gainesville, Florida, where volunteers observed
of multiple species from the sky, which work together to confront the suspected danger
In a new study published in PNAS, researchers have extracted the first ancient DNA from Caribbean parrots, which they compared with genetic sequences from modern birds. Working with fossils and archaeological specimens, they showed that two species thought to be endemic to particular islands were on
They’re one of the only native parrots in the region not in imminent danger of extinction
After our last trip, I had made some adjustments to the design of our long line but needed a special kind of rope. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic-related shipping delays, it took quite a while for the line to arrive, and we had it diverted to the field. We spent a day measuring out and prepping the ne
Since we were not in immediate danger I took to the internet.
The Florida Museum’s Randell Research Center was hit by two major hurricanes this year. Helene rolled along the Gulf Coast in September, and less than a month later, Milton slammed into the peninsula between Tampa and Fort Myers at a nearly 90-degree angle. The area was subjected to 120 mph winds
Life on Earth Unique dove species is the dodo of the Caribbean and in similar danger
Call it a galactic joy ride, but on Oct. 23, 2007, NASA’s 120th shuttle mission launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with hundreds of thousands of miniscule stowaways stashed inside the solid rocket boosters, unbeknownst to anyone. Had they hitched their ride on the main shuttle, the gobs of my
Life on Earth Unique dove species is the dodo of the Caribbean and in similar danger
Hippocampus erectus These specialized fish are poor swimmers and rely on their coloring and texture to camouflage themselves among coral, seagrass, or mangroves where they ambush much smaller prey by sucking them into their toothless snouts. They choose a mate for a season or a lifetime, have com
excellent camouflage, and their body structure of bony plates, they have little danger
