March 15, 2009 - Gulf Specimen Marine Lab
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One of our favorite places to visit when we are in Florida is the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Panacea. The creatures that they have gathered from the Gulf of Mexico are displayed in tanks for the public to see. Here are a few of them.
Polka-dot Batfish are found along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina through the Florida Keys and up the western coast of Florida to the Panhandle. They are also found in the Bahamas and Mexico. They use their fins to “walk” along the bottom of the ocean. Batfish are part of the angler fish group whose members have a projection from their head that looks like a fishing rod with a lure on the end of it. They use it to lure their prey within striking distance. Batfish don’t have any teeth, and their diet consists of small snails, hermit crabs, worms, and shrimp.
The Gulf Specimen Marine Lab is doing research on the Lesser Electric Ray. One of the interesting things they have found is that the ray pulls sand from the ocean bottom through ducts behind its eyes. A tiny portion of this sand consists of heavy minerals like titanium, magnetite, rutile, garnet, and zircons. They don’t know why, but these minerals are separated out and concentrated in the inner ear of the ray. There are many species of electric rays. Some species produce an electric charge of only 8 volts but others can shock you with up to 220 volts. The Lesser Electric ray can generate a charge of 14-37 volts. It is found in depths up to 180 feet and is common in the Gulf of Mexico. The ray uses its electric charge to stun its prey. This one is only about a foot long but mature males can reach lengths of 33”.
Florida Spiny Lobsters are found in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. One of the differences between them and the American Lobster is that they do not have claws. Spiny lobsters hide during the day and are active at night. They will eat almost anything but prefer snails, clams, crabs, and urchins. It takes about 2 years for them to grow large enough to be legally harvested. They can live 8-10 years, shedding their shells as they grow, and end up weighing 15 pounds. Florida has an annual lobster harvest of about 6 million pounds, which is worth about $20 million. In dollar value, that is the largest commercial fishery in Florida. In the spring, adult female lobsters move into deep water to lay thousands of eggs. During this movement, they walk single file in a line as if they were marching. After the eggs hatch, the young lobsters are at the mercy of the ocean currents. Eventually they wash into shallow water and live among the rocks and vegetation.
There are many species of Scorpion Fish and the lab had this one in a tank. All Scorpion Fish have poisonous spines and you can get a painful reaction if you try to handle them or accidently step on one. They are masters of disguise and often hide on the sea bottom waiting to catch a passing shrimp or fish. Some species of Scorpion Fish are used in aquariums. They are favored because of their beautiful flowing fins.
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