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Species Highlight: Poison Dart Frog

Poison dart frogs got their moniker from indigenous Central and South Americans using the toxins the animals secrete through their skin on hunting arrows. We talked to aquarist Connor Craig to learn more about some of the Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s newest (and deadliest) residents.

Poison dart frogs can be found in nature in the humid rainforests of Central and South America. Their vivid coloring is a form of protection from would-be predators. “A poison dart frog’s bright color advertises the fact that it’s poisonous, so they don’t get eaten,” says Craig adding that although darts frog come in a variety of hues, their color doesn’t correlate to how poisonous they are.

Their deadly poison comes from the frog’s diet of different small insects like ants, small flies and beetles. In the Aquarium, the poison dart frogs eat fruit flies, pinhead crickets and a vitamin supplement to ensure proper nutrition. “The controlled diet doesn’t allow for the development of the poison for which these animals are known,” says Craig.

The only natural predator of the poison dart frog is the fire-bellied snake (Leimadophis epinephelus), which has developed a resistance to the frog’s poison. However, the biggest problems facing poison dart frogs are related to human activity. “One of the first signs that something is wrong in an ecosystem is if indicator species, such as amphibians, start to decline,” Craig says. “Many species of amphibians are threatened from human activities like deforestation, the pet trade and deteriorating water quality.”

While deadly, imagine if their poison could be used to make someone feel better. Scientists are using the toxins blue poison dart frogs secrete to study how nerves conduct electricity to help them create new human painkillers.

Get an up-close look at green and black, Patricia dyeing and ‘Azureus’ blue dart frogs on your next visit to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Nature. It’s a curious thing.

– Hannah

5 Things I Learned: Cleaner Shrimp

Take a stroll down our Coastal Boardwalk Gallery and you’ll find all sorts of creatures. One of the most interesting that you’ll find in our invertebrate Touch Pool is the decapod crustacean, commonly known as a cleaner shrimp. These shrimp exhibit a cleaning symbiotic relationship with the fish they rid of parasites. Here are 5 facts that I have learned about cleaner shrimp.

You can come see a cleaner shrimp up close and even get a “mini-manicure” when they clean the dead skin from your fingers at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s Invertebrate Touch Pool. Nature. It’s a curious thing.

– Payton Burkhammer, Intern

Coral Reefs and Sunscreen

What can I do, here in Ohio to help protect the coral reefs thousands of miles away? The answer may surprise you. There are numerous ways YOUR individual actions can either hurt or help coral reefs around the world. One such action is the selection of your sunscreen! The sunscreen you have at home may contain chemicals that are extremely dangerous for coral reefs.

Image source: http://rethinkcleveland.org/home.aspx

Sunscreens are important to us they help prevent skin damage from the harsh ultraviolet rays of the sun. But, the protection of our skin comes at a cost, a few of the chemicals used in sunscreens have been found to have negative effects on coral reefs.  The ingredient oxybenzone is found in 65% of non-mineral sunscreens and it has recently been discovered to damage coral DNA. Oxybenzone, while thought to be an important ingredient for sunscreen has been found to negatively impact coral reefs across the globe.

Image Source: Halle Minshall

In 2005 Dr. Craig Downes and the United States National Park Service were working in collaboration to uncover the cause of coral losses in the U.S. Virgin Islands when they stumbled upon the role sunscreen played in coral death. The tourists, sunbathers, snorkelers and divers lathered in sunscreen and to enjoy turquoise blue waters were introducing chemicals that kill the very corals and damage the ecosystem they are trying to enjoy.

Image Source: https://slideplayer.com/slide/4629733/

It is estimated that every year swimmers, snorkelers and divers introduce 14,000 tons of sunscreen to coral reefs. This introduction of the harsh chemical components in sunscreen, sea temperature rising and ocean acidification have worked together to create the perfect storm for coral reef destruction. Corals are living animals, not plants, these tiny animals build the foundations of the reef out of limestone. The tiny coral polyps live in large communities and play host to a special alga called zooxanthellae.  The zooxanthellae live inside the coral and share food they produce from photosynthesis in return for their safe housing.

Image Souce: Halle Minshall

So, what can you do to help the coral reefs?

Consider looking into some of the many “reef safe” sunscreen options and/or avoiding the need for sunscreen by wearing a hat or UV-safe long sleeved shirt and pants to protect your skin.  Alternatively, stay indoors instead of in the sun entirely.  We need to be more aware of the impact of our actions even though they may seem inconsequential.  Some states have begun to regulate the chemical components in sunscreen to help keep their coral reefs healthy.

Do your part and think about what you put on your body and into the ocean and coral reef ecosystem!

5 Things I Learned: Weedy Seadragon

Is that seaweed or a weedy seadragon? Seaweed-like appendages camouflage the weedy seadragon, helping it blend in to its costal Australian habitat. Want to know more? Here are 5 things I learned, but beware, their laidback surfer vibe is relaxing enough to put you to sleep:

Weedy seadragons are a Near Threatened species found along the southern coastline of Australia. You can see weedy seadragons and learn more about conservation during your next visit to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Nature. It’s a curious thing.

– Hannah Moskowitz, Intern

Shark Conservation: 4 Ways You Can Help

Sharks are some of the oldest and most complex organisms in the world and their absence would likely have a huge impact on the ocean ecosystem and our world as we know it.  Today, more than 11,000 sharks are killed by humans per hour due to bycatch, finning and overfishing. With humans killing an estimated 100 million sharks a year, it’s critical that we work to protect them. Here are a few ways you can actively support shark conservation.

Education

One of the best first steps to helping our oceans and animals is to educate ourselves! Research organizations all over the world collect data and information about our effect on the environment. Evaluating their findings leads to discussions and discoveries of ways that we can make a better and more conscious impact on the world.  Sharks4Kids goal is to create a new generation of shark advocates through curriculum, games, and activities that can be accessed on their website.  Some other great places we can learn from include:

Charities/Research Organizations

Supporting local and global organizations making a difference is important too. Support can be in the form of monetary donations that allow scientists to fund research vital to understanding the environment.  It can also be in the form of advocating and sharing the knowledge we get from these organizations with others.  The Shark Research Institute in Princeton, NJ conducts some of the most well-known shark research in the world. With one of the largest collections of data on these animals, the Institute is able to provide credible information to the media and help deter misconceptions about sharks.  Their efforts to help change the image of sharks is revered worldwide. Some other great places to look into include:

Reducing Single-Use Plastic

Reduce, reuse, recycle—one of the best known conservation slogans of all time is still an important and effective way to help cut down on pollution that directly affects sharks. Reducing our reliance on single-use plastic can yield amazing results.  By reducing plastic usage less trash accumulates in the ocean and less sharks and their natural food sources such as sea lions and sea turtles will consume these items.  When we refrain from polluting our waters we can in turn make them cleaner and there will be less of a chance for sharks to  consume plastic which can be harmful.  Ocean 4 Plastic is an organization with a mission to remove plastic from oceans.  Their two largest projects located in Haiti and Bali guarantee one pound of trash removal per $20 donation.  Their website features a live count of how many pounds of trash have been removed from oceans by their projects.  They also host cleanups worldwide and build recycling infrastructure in certain locations. Some other great places that actively do this include:

Shopping Sustainably

Being mindful about where you shop for and what foods you buy can have a greater impact than you might think. For example, the shark fin trade and production of shark fin soup greatly depletes shark populations worldwide. Choosing to shop in places that don’t support or contribute to these issues can help our shark populations grow. The Animal Welfare Institute provides a map showing what restaurants in the United States currently produce shark fin soup.  They implore individuals to call those places and ask them to stop providing any products containing shark fins. Want to know more about the impact of your purchase? Check out:

And, if you want a more hands-on experience, come into the Greater Cleveland Aquarium to learn more about our sharks and why it’s so important that we keep them around!

– Kloby R.

5 Things I Learned: Anableps

Quickly swimming at the surface, Anableps anableps can be difficult to spot despite the fact that they swim in schools. Let’s get a closer look at these unique fish.

Nature. It’s a curious thing.

– Megan Brown, Intern

Be Wiser with Water

When Earth’s surface is 70% water, it’s easy to think that water is abundant. However, this is not the case.

Did you know that less than 1% of the Earth’s water is available to 7.5 billion people? This is because the majority of the Earth’s water is saltwater, leaving freshwater making up only 3%. Most freshwater is unavailable for use because it is trapped in glaciers, stored in the atmosphere and soil, too deep in the earth to attain, or highly polluted.

This leaves very little water to share between so many people. Especially when the average American uses between 80-100 gallons of water each day.

With this in mind, it is important to reconsider how we use water every day. Even as individuals, it is possible to make a big difference by changing our habits. Every drop counts!

Turn off the Faucet

This is the simplest bad habit to break! There’s no need to have the water running when you brush your teeth. You also don’t need to faucet running when you rinse food and dishes. Soak them instead!

Check for Leaks

One drip every second adds up to 5 gallons a day! Check your faucets, shower heads, and toilet for any leaks.

Stick to One Cup

Designate one glass or bottle to drink water from each day. You will avoid have to wash excess glasses

Shorten Your Showers

By shortening your shower by a minute, you can have about 150 gallons of water a month. If you can get your shower time down to 5 minutes, you’ll save 1,000 gallons a month!

 

Opt for the Dishwasher Over Handwashing

Washing dishes by hand results in constant running water. Meanwhile, a dishwasher will use about half the amount of water for the same amount of dishes. Using a dishwasher is less work for you anyways!

Only Do Full Loads

When using the dishwasher or washing machine wait until they are full to run them. This will save your 20 gallons of water per wash! You’ll also waste less soap and detergent.

Repurpose Water

A lot of water is wasted every day when it could easily be used for a different purpose. While waiting for the hot water, collect the cold water and use it to water plants. Collect rainwater to use for the same purpose.

Water is finite, and it is important to conserve this valuable resource. Make it a goal to have as little water flow down the drain as possible. Conserving water takes commitment, but the result is well worth it. You will not only make a huge difference on your water bill, but for the environment as well!

– Megan

 

Seadragons: The Seahorse’s Unique Relative

Seahorses are one of the most well-known and recognizable creatures in the ocean. Their long snouts and curly tails are clear giveaways of their identities. However, these characteristics are not exclusively associated with seahorses. Located in the waters of southern Australia lives an obscure relative of the seahorse: the seadragon. Seadragons are in the same family as seahorses (Syngnathidae) but they are different in a number of ways. Seahorses are quite common and are found in tropical and subtropical waters all around the world, while seadragons are exclusively found near Australia. Also, there are many species of seahorses (around 47) and only three species of seadragons.

Aside from taxonomic classifications and geographic distributions, the main differences between seahorses and seadragons are physical. Seahorses are known for having a prehensile tail, which means they can use their tail to grasp onto things such as plants or even each other. Since seahorses are not good swimmers, the prehensile tail allows them to anchor themselves so they do not get swept away by currents and can remain hidden from predators. Seadragons lack this prehensile tail and rely on camouflage to avoid predation. They have leaf-like appendages to resemble the underwater plants around them, allowing them to blend into their surroundings. In addition, seadragons have slightly longer snouts than their seahorse relatives.

Another one of the main differences between seahorses and seadragons is the way they carry their young. Both seahorse and seadragon young are carried by the males, but in different ways. Seahorse males have a fully enclosed pouch into which females deposit eggs; the males carry those eggs until the young hatch. Seadragon males have a spongy patch located underneath their tail where they carry the eggs.

Besides these main differences, seahorses and seadragons are actually quite similar. At the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, we have one seahorse and one seadragon species. The next time you visit, keep an eye out for the potbelly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) and the weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) and see if you can notice their differences!

Want to know more?

• Kelly, Jasey. “The Differences between the Sea Dragon & Seahorse.”

• MarineBio. “Leafy Sea Dragons, Phycodurus eques.”

• Ocean Conservancy. “Wildlife Fact Sheets: Seahorse.”

– Charlotte

Coral Reefs and Ocean Acidification

Coral reefs are some of the most important habitats that have developed over hundreds of millions of years on Earth.  Most people believe that corals are plants, but they are actually invertebrates with simple stomachs and a single mouth, much like jelly fish and sea anemone. Although they roughly occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor, coral reefs are home to about 25% of all ocean species!  They comprise the largest living structure in the world and can even be seen from outer space, and with all that biodiversity they are important to much more than just themselves.  Unfortunately, coral reefs are diminishing right before our eyes with climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and ocean acidification altering our oceans water chemistry.

Ocean acidification has caused the chemistry of our oceans to change drastically in a relatively short period of time.  Since the industrial revolution, the burning of fossil fuels for cars, industries and electricity has left the world in a cloud of continual CO2 emissions that collect in the atmosphere.  With our oceans taking up about two-thirds of Earth’s surface, they are the largest source of CO2 removal from air.  The oceans remove about one-third of all CO2 emissions from the atmosphere, but when too much carbon dioxide is absorbed into our oceans it can be harmful to the animals living within them.

When CO2 is introduced to saltwater, it causes complex chemical reactions that ultimately increase the acidity of the water. Ocean water pH stayed stable over the last 300 million years, around 8.2, which is the most comfortable region for corals to grow and flourish.  Since the industrial revolution, we have seen a pH shift from 8.2 to around 8.1 and 8.0 in certain regions of the world.  Although a 0.1 or 0.2 decrease in pH seems extremely small, it actually accounts for a 25% increase in acidity in only 100 years!  These drastic changes in the pH and temperature of the oceans in a very short period has left many of our animals in shock, especially our corals.

Corals natural environment and comfortable living conditions are quickly changing in a way that’s not unlike animals that lose their habitats to deforestation or natural disasters.  Most corals are not able to acclimate to the more acidic environments that have come about in the last 100 years.  In turn, corals become so stressed out by the changing water chemistry that they ultimately undergo coral bleaching events.

Individual corals are called polyps and multiple coral polyps in an area are called a colony.  There are both hard and soft corals that live in the ocean, but most of us have seen hard corals that live in shallow tropical waters.  These hard corals have a calcium carbonate structure that would be similar to our bones.  Polyps grow off this skeleton that contain algae called zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae not only give corals their bright, vibrant colors, but also support the life of these corals by helping trap food and offering protection.

During coral bleaching, acidic waters cause corals to “kick out” the zooxanthellae living in their polyps.  Once this happens, the coral is not able to protect itself or get the food it needs and in turn, the polyps begin to peel off the skeleton like fleshy material until only the calcium carbonate skeleton is left.

So why should we care about coral bleaching?  First of all, corals are one of best places for life to flourish!  With nearly 25% of all ocean species living on or near coral reefs, they offer homes, protection and food for many animals.  Coral reefs are also a great barrier to coastal areas when there are hurricanes and rough waters as they block water from flooding and destroying natural coastal regions.  Additionally, tourism in many places will drop off without the reefs.  Some regions depend on the natural beauty of coral reefs as a source of income for aquatic excursions.

Even though it might sound like corals as we know them have come to their end, there are steps we can take to have a positive impact.  Educating ourselves and others about the harmful effects of CO2 emissions is a critical step.  Emphasizing careful viewing of corals is also important. (Humans shouldn’t touch, pick up or take home wild corals any more than we should sharks, eels, jellyfish and other living things.) We can support research institutions such as Mote Marine Laboratory or the Coral Restoration Foundation Education Center that are devoted to learning more about coral and saving our reefs.  And, most directly, we can cut down on our CO2 emissions in any way possible.  This could mean using less energy and water at home, riding bikes to school or carpooling to the places you need to go, recycling products we use every day and making sure we aren’t polluting our water ways. For more information about coral bleaching, check out Chasing Corals, an amazing Netflix documentary that shows the harmful effects of coral bleaching and highlights some of the great people out there working to restore our reefs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6fHA9R2cKI