Cherokee Long Dock has a significant claim to prominence on an Island that has, with its Cays, a good few docks to admire. The impressive 770 foot wooden dock is the longest wooden dock in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, as its plaque proudly proclaims. The waters of Cherokee Sound are very shallow in places, and as the tides retreat, so sandbanks appear and the rest is barely covered by the sea. Hence the need arose for a very long dock to serve the very small community of Cherokee.
Before the roads were built – in relatively recent memory – Cherokee was an isolated settlement. There was a shortcut connection by boat to a now-abandoned dock at the nearest community, Casuarina, across the Sound. However, non-tide-dependent access from the open sea was vital for supply boats and mail boats. Access to the sea was needed by the fishermen.
The plaque documents the history of the dock, the damage inflicted by hurricanes, and the ‘countless hours of labour’ by local people- ‘men, women and children’ – to preserve the dock.
Royal terns and other seabirds use the dock to rest; and as a safe place from which to fish
Photo credits: David Rees and his wonderful drone (header); Larry Towning (2, 3); Amanda Diedrick (4, 5, 6, 7, 9); Karen Eldon, Velma Knowles (8); last image from a FB friend with thanks and many apologies – I’ve lost my note of who took it… to be added if possible; short vid from Youtube.
The little blue chromis Chromis cyanea will be instantly familiar to any snorkeler or scuba diver on the coral reefs of the Bahamas. These ever-present small fish – 6 inches long at most – are remarkable for their iridescent deep blue colour that flashes as they dart in and out of the coral and anemones of the reef.
Although at first sight this chromis species – one of many – looks blue all over, adults have a black dorsal stripe and black edging to their fins. They make colourful additions to aquariums, though to my mind they look far more attractive nosing about the reefs foraging for the zooplankton upon which they feed (see header image for details…)
The blue chromis was the second fish species I encountered on my first ever reef dive, at Fowl Cay Marine Preserve with Kay Politano. The first fish was the endearingly inquisitive sergeant major with its smart black and yellow stripes which came right up to my googles to eyeball me. I loved that, even though my pitiful swimming technique meant that I had plenty of other distractions, not least remembering to breathe. Air, that is, rather than water.
SO JUST HOW BIG ARE THESE FISH, COMPARED, SAY, TO A BLUE TANG?
Blue Tang with blue chromis in its wake
All photos Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scube, except the penultimate by James St John, taken in San Salvador
Time for another in the WTF? series, featuring weird (begging their pardons) or not very fish-like fish. The Sand Diver Synodus intermedius is a type of lizardfish found in subtropical waters and often around coral reefs. They can grow up to about 18 inches long and a prime specimen might weigh a couple of pounds. The markings are quite variable but one common characteristic seems to be a tendency to look somewhat down in the mouth; and to possess jaws full of tiny sharp teeth.
Sand divers have two rows of teeth on their upper jaw and three rows on their lower jaw. Not content with that, they also have rows of teeth on the palate and tongue. Were they 50 times the size, they would be truly awesome.
The rather primitive appearance of the sand diver is explicable from fossils, which show that their forbears were active in the Jurassic / Cretacean periods.
HOW DO THEY GET THEIR NAME?
Sand divers often bury themselves in the sand with only their head showing. They are so-called ‘ambush predators’, and burial is one method they use. Another is simply to lie on the sandy bottom, or on reef surfaces and wait for passing prey. Their colouring provides very good camouflage.
WHAT’S ON A SAND DIVER MENU?
A good mix of small reef fishes. Bar jacks, blue chromis, wrasses, fairy basslets, small grunts and so forth. At their own level they are quite fearsome predators.
ARE THEY ON THE HUMAN MENU?
Well, I knew someone would ask that, so I carried out a search. The answer seems to be no. I have found nothing to suggest that they are edible, or that anyone has tried (or if they have, survived to tell the tale). Incidentally, the best way to find out if something is edible by humans is to search for a recipe. There are no sand diver recipes.
STOP PRESSJason Knight has drawn my attention to a comment in WhatsThatFish.com(no relation) by one ‘Jenny’, who commends Sand Divers as food (“they cook up just as good as hogfish!”). So yes, they are edible and there is one recipe…
The reefs of the northern Bahamas, as elsewhere in the world, are affected by two significant factors: climate change and pollution. Stepping carefully over the sharp pointy rocks of controversy, I’ve avoided the term ‘global warming’ and any associated implication that humans (oh, and methane from cows) are largely to blame for the first factor; but on any view, ocean pollution is the responsibility of mankind (and not even the cows).
That said, an exploration of the reefs of Abaco or Grand Bahama will reveal not just the astounding variety of mobile marine life but also the plentiful and colourful static marine life – for example the beautiful and Christmassy orange cup coral in the header image. Here are some more corals from the reefs, with a mix of sponges added in.
This rather intriguing photo shows a hermit crab’s conch home that presumably the occupant grew out of and left behind in the delicate coral branches as it went search of a more spacious shell dwelling.
Credits: All these wonderful photos are by Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba; tendentious reef health observations are mine own…
The jocularly-named WTF? series is designed to shed an underwater spotlight on some of the odder denizens of the coral reefs and surrounding waters. I don’t want to earn a reputation for being ‘lookist’, but frankly the appearance of some of these creatures – I give you BATFISH or FROGFISH or REMORAS as examples – is baffling. The filefish group is not as extreme as some in the downright weird category, but if you see one you might just find yourself muttering into your facemask “wtf?”
Filefish (Monacanthidae) are found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. They are related to triggerfish, trunkfish and pufferfish, and have regional names that include leatherjacket, foolfish, and shingle. There are more than 100 species of filefish, of which only a few are found in Bahamian waters. The species featured here are a mix of scrawled, white-spotted and orange-spotted filefish.
HOW DID THEY GET THE NAME?
In the image above, you can just see a flattened spine on top, above the eye and pointing backwards. This is the ‘retracted’ state. There is a small secondary spine that serves to prop up the main spine when it is in the upright position. This is it seems, the file – although the Greek-derived family name Monacanthidae literally means ‘one thorn’. So why isn’t it a thornfish, you may well ask. And I may well not respond.
This filefish’s ‘spine’ seems to have flopped over to one side
These fish have snouts with small mouths and specialized teeth with an inner and outer set on each jaw. They are to an extent shapeshifters, and can quickly make themselves appear larger for defensive purposes. In some individual species, there are marked differences in body shape and coloration.
An orange-spotted filefish with its spine erect, making for a cave – a place of safety
The fins of a filefish are small, and they are rather sedate swimmers. Sometimes they simply like to drift with their heads pointed downwards, eyeing patches of seagrass or seaweed for prey. Some species are largely vegetarian. Others eat small invertebrates. Some even feed on corals. Their predators – especially the juveniles – include tuna and dolphins (mahi-mahi).
ADDITIONCapt Rick Guest has helpfully expanded on juvenile filefish:“The juveniles hang under sea weed and flotsam eating small shrimps and crabs there. They, in turn become food for Mahi and other pelagic fish. The main thing with these guys is that the bigger they are, the more likely they are to be Ciguateric”.
At his suggestion I will write a post about the problem of the Ciguatera disease when I have had some time to do the research.
ARE THEY EDIBLE?
Good question. The answer, broadly is yes, though I don’t know if that applies to all species of filefish. They are certainly eaten in large quantities in the Far East. I don’t know about the Bahamas or the wider Caribbean. If anyone does, could you very kindly add a comment to this post. Recipes welcome!
Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They avoid deep waters, preferring coastlines where sponges are abundant and sandy nesting sites are within reach. They are normally found near reefs rich in the sponges they like to feed on. Hawksbills are omnivorous and will also eat molluscs, marine algae, crustaceans, sea urchins, fish, and jellyfish.
Hawksbill Turtle Range (Nat Geo)
WHY ARE HAWKSBILLS CRITICALLY ENDANGERED?
Despite the protection of their shells, turtles are predated on by large fish, sharks, octopuses, and (unlawfully) humans.
Hawksbills are slow breeders, mating only every 2 or 3 years, which is the first drawback to species survival.
Having laid the resulting eggs on a beach, the female returns to the sea. The eggs hatch after a couple of months. Unless, of course, some creature – and that includes humans – has got to them first…
Hatchlings are hugely vulnerable as they make their way from the nest site to the sea. However fast they scurry along, crabs and in particular flocks of gulls are faster. Also, they may have to negotiate impossible obstacles washed up onto the beach (see below). The attrition rate of tiny turtles at this stage is very considerable.
SO, HUMANS ARE BASICALLY IN THE CLEAR, RIGHT?
Humans can take most of the credit for the turtles plight leading to their IUCN ‘critically endangered’ listing, in these mostly illegal ways:
Killing adult turtles for food or…
…for their beautiful shells
Digging up turtle nesting sites to take the eggs as food
Catching turtles in fishing nets as unintended but often inevitableBYCATCH
Providing a rich stew of plastic, styrofoam & other dietary or physical hazards in the ocean
Degrading or destroying the nesting sites, & indeed the reefs on which turtles depend
A hatchling tries to clamber over beach rubbish to get to the sea
A straw is extracted from a turtle’s nostril (small pics on purpose – I spared you the long video)
This poor creature was found just in time
Assorted plastic effects (the turtle trapped in the beach chair was off Man-o-War Cay)
PLEASE CAN WE GO BACK TO HAPPY PICTURES?
Healthy hawksbills happily living the northern Bahamas reef life
Credits: Melinda Riger & Virginia Cooper of Grand Bahama Scuba for the main photos; Melissa Maura, Nathan Robinson, Friends of the Environment and other FB sharers for the small images; National Geographic for range chart and information
Gina the Manatee, Eleuthera – expectant mother (BMMRO)
BAHAMAS MANATEES: GINA’S CALF NEEDS A NAME!
Earlier this year I posted the welcome news that Bahamas manatee Gina was beyond any doubt pregnant. You can read about it HERE. Gina has been living for some time in Eleutheran waters, under regular observation by the BMMRO. At the turn of the year, she was re-tagged in Harbour Island, Eleuthera, when her pregnancy was discovered. I promised to give an update and this is a perfect moment. Gina’s calf was safely born and is growing fast. The pair have spent a lot of time in and around Spanish Wells, Eleuthera. Recently they have begun to move further afield, and there have been several sightings with some great photos shared on FB and in particular on Felice Leanne Knowles’s terrific BAHAMAS MANATEE CLUB page, some of which are included here duly credited.
Gina’s calf is currently just called “Gina’s calf”. Its gender is unknown, and it will take a close inspection from below to ascertain from its… I don’t have to go on with this, do I? The point being that the chosen name will need to be unisex because it may take a while until there is sufficient development of the… I don’t have to go on with this either, do I? Let’s see the nameless calf at once! Details of the competition at the end of this post…
Gina with her newborn calf, July 27 (BMMRO) (note apparent prop scars on Gina)
Spanish Wells, October 26 (π Junea Pinder / BMMRO)
Gregory Town, November 5 (Lynne Hirzel / BMMRO)
Hatchet Bay, November 13 (π Jeffrey Louis / BMMRO)
November 18: Now you see it… (π Norma Roberts / BMMRO)
…and now you don’t…
THE COMPETITION
ATTENTION TEAM MANATEES!!! Due to a consistent influx of sighting information and photos, we would like to add Gina’s calf to our catalogue. It would be nice for it to have a NAME!! We cannot monitor these manatees without your help and it is only fitting that YOU name the manatee. The deadline for name suggestions is November 29th, 2015 and the winning name will be revealed on November 30th, 2015. The member with the winning name suggestion will receive an official manatee club T-Shirt!!
RULES
1. The name must be submitted on the Club PageBahamas Manatee Clubas an individual post – DO NOT comment your suggestion. 2. The name must be unisex – we do not know the sex of the calf yet. 3. A meaning or description must be submitted along with the name. 4. Please do not submit any derogatory or explicit “names.” 5. If you are submitting on behalf of a child who is not on Facebook, please add their name to the post as well.
Spread the word! Tell your friends and families to join the club and help us with a name!! The name will be selected on it’s meaning or description as it relates to marine mammals OR The Bahamas. The amount of “likes” per post will also go into consideration during the selection process.
Regretful Note: I made the stupid mistake of being amongst the very first to post my suggestion, meaning that after a day or two I’d get no likes at all, as more people got involved and my offering sank slowly. But there’ve been plenty of much better ones since, so probably just as well!
For more information about West Indian manatees, you can visit the MANATEE PAGE. There are several links there to specific manatee stories.
Finally, here is a great manatee map that Felice has recently made, showing which of the increasing number of manatees is where at the moment. Just think, only 4 or 5 were known about four years back. Now look!
Credits: primary founts of Bahamas manatee knowledge Felice & BMMRO; Photos BMMRO, Junea Pinder, Lynne Hirzel, Jeffrey Louis, Norma Roberts
The Atlantic spadefish looks very much like an angelfish, and indeed it is called that – or ‘white angelfish’ – in some places. Actually, it has quite a collection of colloquial names of which ‘moonfish’ is the most attractive sounding. It is not a true angelfish, however, and despite appearances it has a kinship with the weird and wonderful BATFISH.
Unlike the batfish, the spadefish is demonstrably fishlike AND edible. They can grow up to 3 foot long and have become a popular gamefish for three good reasons: they are abundant; they fight hard; and they are dinner. The perfect combination.
All photos: Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba, with thanks
“OPHELIA READY FOR HAMLET”: BAHAMAS REEF FISH (27)
It’s a couple of years since I originally posted about the various species of HAMLET that inhabit the reefs of the Bahamas. I feel you are (geddit?) ready to see some more of these colourful little fish. Last time out, I worked over the Shakespearean possibilities quite thoroughly so I’ll spare you a repeat (apart from the inevitable title pun). If you really want to revisit the famous Hamlet Cigar ad or hear the theme music (Bach’s Air on a G String, shamelessly ‘borrowed’ by Procol Harum for ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale), you’ll find them HERE. Or just move straight on to 5 related but very different looking Hamlets cruising the Bahamas coral reefs.
INDIGO HAMLET
BARRED HAMLET
BLACK HAMLET
SHY HAMLET
BUTTER HAMLET
Credits: all photos Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba
Adult male Blainville’s Beaked Whale with barnacle-encrusted teeth protruding from its lower jaw
WHALE TALES FROM ABACO (2): MALE BLAINVILLE’S BEAKED WHALE
This second post about the Blainville’s Beaked Whales of Abaco, Bahamas, relates to a prolonged encounter with a group of mothers, calves and a male. This was our second BBW sighting on the same day in March: the first is described HERE. Click the link to find out more details about these wonderful creatures, with plenty of close-up photos.
We had been invited by Charlotte and Diane of the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation BMMRO to spend a day with them on the research boat. This was our first chance to get close to whales, a chance made far more likely by (a) being with experts and (b) their specialist equipment…
Our first sighting was a short distance south of Rocky Point, as we moved into the deeper, darker ocean waters of the Bahama canyon, with the shoreline still clearly visible. We then visited HOLE-IN-THE-WALL in the RHIB and took a close look from the sea at the damage and destruction of the famous Hole caused by HURRICANE SANDY.
On the way back we paused as we got to the same area where we had seen the group earlier in the day. Within minutes, several whales came straight towards us. This photo shows 3 adults and, almost submerged, a calf.
For the next hour or so, they played around the boat like very large dolphins moving in slow motion. Usually these whales make a deep dive every 20 minutes or so and stay underwater for about the same time before resurfacing. These ones stayed with us throughout.
3 adults with 2 calves
Mostly they stayed quite – or very – close to the boat. Sometimes they swam across the bow or even under the boat. From time to time, they would move off some distance. Each time we thought they were moving on, and each time they soon returned. After a while the females and calves were joined by another whale – the less common sighting of a male replete with barnacle-encrusted teeth protruding upwards from his lower jaw.
The male initially stayed slightly further away from the boat than the others, perhaps assessing the threat to the group. Then he too joined in, passing and repassing the boat, swimming away and returning, remaining on the surface and offering a wonderful view of his noble head (see header image and below).
Looking at my photos later, I realised that a second male must have joined the group for a short time. The image below shows a male with far fewer barnacles – certainly not the male we had been watching.
It was remarkable to see these huge creatures behaving in much the same way as dolphins, swimming playfully around and under a boat, moving away, then returning for more. These whales are some 15 feet long and weigh about 2000 pounds. They were inquisitive, unafraid (even with calves in the group) and gentle. Maybe they sensed that they have been to subject of years of intricate research by Diane and Charlotte that will materially assist with the preservation their species. More likely, the group were simply enjoying themselves in the sun with a peaceful intruder in their territory.
You don’t have to go miles offshore to see whales in Abaco waters
BMMRO research RHIB with Diane BMMRO HQ, Sandy Point, Abaco
Credits: All photos RH except one; Charlotte & Diane for a brilliant day out; Mr Blainville for a brilliant whale; Mrs RH for snapping me snapping the whale – a photograph that was featured in a competition in the Guardian Newspaper.
It’s been a while since I was in a crabby mood, but autumn is here and there’s a sharp nip in the early morning air… What better time to visit a selection of the many crab species found on Abaco.
GHOST CRAB
I thought I had some good photos of these cute little guys with their ‘Carson the Downton Abbey Butler’ white gloves. However, Tom Sheley (header and below) has perfectly caught the tide-hanging that they enjoy, sometimes disappearing completely or perhaps leaving just their twin periscopes showing.
HERMIT CRAB
Many people’s favourite small crab, with their endearing house-moving habits as they grow. Excellent for racing, too (see HERE). Here’s one taking its mobile home up a tree; and another tucked safely into a nerite[Capt Rick Guest amends]Magpie Shell, Cittarium pica, (used to be Livona pica), the living animal of which is the 3rd most consumed animal behind Lobster & Conch in the Caribbean. They are Littoral around Shorelines and are also used as bait.
BLACK-BACKED LAND CRAB
Faithful guardians of my rod (there are 2 there)!
LAND CRAB
STONE CRAB
ARROW CRAB
CLINGING CRAB
BLUE CRAB
HORSESHOE CRAB (LIMULUS)
Credits: Tom Sheley (1, 2, 3); Keith Salvesen (4,7,8,9,15); Charlie Skinner (5,6); Melinda Riger (10,11,12,13); Leodec (14)
The giant anemone is found in the shallow reefs and lagoons of the Caribbean and western Atlantic. These are, of course, animals and not plants, with many tentacles that surround their mouth. They attach themselves to rock or in rock crevices, mooring themselves securely against the swell of the waves.
Giant anemone with ‘Speckles’, a spotted moray eel
ARE THEY USEFUL?
One important feature of a healthy anemone population is the shelter they give to certain small fish and cleaner shrimp species. They act as bases for FISH CLEANINGactivities, a vital role in the undersea community.
HOW DO THEY HAVE… ERM… SEX?
The sex lives of anemones seems particularly complicated (as they would doubtless think about humans). Cutting to the chase, reproduction involves the synchronous spawning of eggs and sperm, with fertilisation occurring in the surrounding water. The fertilised eggs become larval and spread in the water column, which increases their chances of survival. They settle on the BENTHOS, where they develop a “pedal leg” (rather in the manner of a gastropod) which in due course they will use to move from A to… A plus a very short distance.
These anemones come in many colours. The tentacles often have tips of various hues, and are the only free-floating part of the animal. The body is safely attached to the rock.
The giant anemone has primitive defensive mechanisms. It needs them, because it crawls so slowly that successful escape by moving is unlikely. Instead they reduce their size by drawing their tentacles into, or as close as possible to, their gastric cavity. They make room for this by forcing most of the water out. This reduces their overall size and of course removes – or at least diminishes – the ”50 colourful tentacles waving around” predator-magnet problem. But also…
…they have a trump card. The tips of the giant anemones’ tentacles are packed with cells that contain a toxin. When stimulated, the cells (‘nemocysts’) “explode out of the capsule, impaling the attacker”. The toxin is then discharged, causing extreme pain and paralysis. How cool is that? It’s the superpower we’d all like to have! Or is that just me?
This is also how an anemone feeds, by quickly paralyzing its prey with the ‘toxic tentacles of doom’. The prey is moved to the mouth and swallowed whole…
Credits: Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba, with thanks as always
The creole wrasse is a small wrasse species, with adult males reaching about 12 inches long. During its life, a creole wrasse changes colour significantly. A juvenile is almost completely violet-purple. As it matures, it develops patches of yellow on the rear part of its body.
Creole wrasse are found throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the western Atlantic from Florida south to Brazil. The habitat includes Bermuda, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Creole wrasse are social fish that live in groups around coral reefs. They are found in shallow water, but may also be seen as deep as 100m.
The groups of wrasse feed on plankton, small jellyfish, pelagicTUNICATES, and invertebrate larvae. These fish are active in groups by day. At night each fish finds its own safe crevice in the reef to sleep.
ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO KNOW?
Yes indeed. Their intriguing breeding regime – how unlike our own dear species. The creole wrasse is aprotogynous hermaphrodite. The largest fish in a group is a dominant breeding male, while smaller fish remain female. If the dominant male dies, the largest female changes sex. The mature males congregate atleksto breed, at which they display and are approached by females before mating with them. [note: these leks are reminiscent of certain clubs in the less reputable parts of some towns and cities. Or so I am told]
It’s been a while since the last Rolling Harbour musical diversion, but the colour of this wrasse nudged my memory back to 1968 and DP’s first album (line-up Mk 1 of several hundred, or so it seems). Hence the post title. Anyone who remembers this ‘wasn’t there’. Anyone who doesn’t obviously wasn’t there either…
I don’t think this guy thinks much of that. And quite right too
All phish photos by Melinda; DP cover borrowed from Am@z@n; MP3 moi
Melinda Riger, doyenne of the deep and photographer to the stars (brittle stars, basket stars, starfish etc), undertook her 5000th dive a few days ago. She swims with sharks almost daily, and points her lens at the varied reef life she encounters along the way. Her gold prize for the dive turned out to be one of the smallest creatures she encountered: the seahorse. Hippocampus (Ancient Greek: Ἵππος, horse and Κάμπος, sea monster) is a unique fish, deriving from the pipefish, with more than 50 species known worldwide. I can feel a Rolling Harbour fact list coming on…
10 SEAHORSE FACTS TO DAZZLE YOUR FRIENDS WITH
Only seahorses and razorfish swim upright / vertically all the time
Their tails are prehensile and enable them to moor on coral, seagrass etc
They have no scales, but skin stretched over bony plates arranged in rings
The ‘coronet’ on a seahorse’s head is unique to the individual
Seahorses are pathetic swimmers: the slowest have a top speed of 5′ per hour
They feed by ambush, rotating the head and sucking prey in with their snout
A seahorse’s eyes can move independently of each other, like a chameleon
The Bahamas is home to H. erectus and the dwarf seahorse H. zosterae
Despite rumours, they don’t mate for life. Some may stay together for a season
The smallest seahorse in the world – the pygmy – is a maximum of 15mm long
MAKING BABY SEAHORSES: A MOST UNUSUAL ARRANGEMENT
There’s no getting round it: seahorse courtship and reproduction is highly unusual. Here is a summary of how it goes (there’s a lot more to it, but life is short):
COURTING This may last for many days. They may change colour; they swim together; they entwine tails; they attach themselves to the same strand of coral or seagrass and turn slowly round it in unison (a so-called ‘pre-dawn’ dance). The final courtship dance may last several hours while the male & female prepare for the next stage.
EGG TRANSFER When the time is right the female transfers her eggs – hundreds of them – via herovipositorto the male, in the process of which they are fertilised. Handily, he has inflated a special egg pouch located on his abdomen. She then buggers off.
GESTATION The fertilised eggs grow inside the egg pouch of the male and develop into baby seahorses. This process may take from 10 days to a few weeks. During this time, the female will visit for a short ‘morning greeting’ and some intertwining action.
‘BIRTH’ In due course the male ejects the baby seahorses from his pouch using muscular contractions. These may number from five to (get this!) 2,500 at a time; on average 100–1000. Job done. Then the tiny seahorse babies are on on their own…
THREATS TO SEAHORSES
The attrition rate of baby seahorses through predation is high (as for most fish species), but the prolific breeding rate reduces the effect on the overall populations. As so often, there are human-related threats, not least habitat destruction, overfishing and pollution. There’s a less expected problem: the importance of seahorses in Chinese medicine. Their presumed healing qualities are used to treat impotence, wheezing, enuresis, pain and to assist labour. For these purposes, some 20 million seahorses a year are caught and sold. Increasingly they are reduced to pill or capsule form.
Seahorse values depend on the species, but weight for weight dried seahorses retail for *unbelieving face* more than the price of silver and almost that of gold in Asia, from US$600 to $3000 per kilogram. Ours not to reason why.
USELESS SEAHORSE FACTS
Seahorse is an anagram of seashore
The Seahorses were an English rock band, formed in 1996 by guitarist John Squire following his departure from The Stone Roses. They split in 1999
Devendra Banhart’s song ‘Seahorse’ contains these inspiring lyrics: I wanna be a little seahorse I wanna be a little seahorse A little seahorse I wanna be a little seahorse I wanna be a little seahorse I wanna be a little seahorse I wanna be a little seahorse
I’m losing the will to live. Let’s meet Otis.
Introducing Otis, Melinda’s seahorse that lives under her dock
SEAHORSE MATING DANCE (4 MINS)
MALE SEAHORSE GIVING BIRTH
All photos: many thanks to Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba; sources, many and manifold including Wiki which is pretty good on this kind of thing! Fab seahorse gif by Alex Konahin
For some time now, there has been understandable concern about the increasing evidence of mangrove die-back in the Abaco Marls and elsewhere in Abaco waters. Scientific investigations are ongoing and you will find some of the survey results so far on the excellent Abaco Scientist interactive mapHERE. You’ll find other relevant and authoritative mangrove material if you check out theBLOGmenu of the website.
The ‘200 sq. miles’ in my map is debatable, depending what one includes. Other estimates are of 300 or even 400 sq. miles. Whichever, the Marls cover a massive area of mangroves, islets, flats, channels and wonderfully diverse wildlife. A large proportion of the many species – fish, birds, turtles etc – depend on the complex ecology of the mangroves for food, shelter and breeding. Depletion of the mangroves from whatever cause will have a direct effect on the creatures of the Marls.
Ryann Rossi, a PhD student with North Carolina State University, has been researching the worrying phenomenon of mangrove die-back in the Marls this summer. She has written an interesting and informative account (conveniently in the RH ‘Facts about…’ style) that was published in Abaco Scientist last week. The blue links will take you to the ABSCI site for further information on each topic. I’m grateful to Ryann and ABSCI for permission to use the material.
Five Things to Know About the Mangrove Die-back in The Marls (at this point, anyway)
1. This die-back appears to be the result of multiple stressors acting together. Think of it in the sense of our own body – when our immune system is down, we are often more susceptible to getting sick. The same thing is likely happening to the mangroves.
2. It appears as though a fungal disease may be taking advantage of already stressed mangroves and causing die-back. We did preliminary surveys across Abaco and found fungal lesionsnearly everywhere. However, the fungus was present in different densities in different areas. In the die-back area nearly all the leaves remaining on trees have lesions. We think that this pathogen capitalized on the mangroves being weakened by other stressors such as hurricanes, which cause extensive leaf drop, change in the movement of water, change in sedimentation and erosion.
3. We are still working on identifying the pathogen associated with the lesions we’ve found. We are confident that it is a fungus and are currently growing fungal cultures in the lab to examine defining morphological characteristics in addition to using DNA sequencing to identify the culprit.
4. We have documented the presence of the Robust Bush Cricket (Tafalisca eleuthera) in the die-back areas as well as other areas with high densities of lesions. These crickets are documented to consume Red and White mangrove leaves. As such, we were concerned about their potential role in die-back. We set out a caging experiment to exclude the crickets from certain dwarf Red mangrove trees to see just how much grazing they may be doing in the die-back area. This experiment is ongoing.
5. The take home: there is likely more than one causal agent of the die-back in The Marls. Many factors govern mangrove productivity and functioning: nutrient availability, salinity, sedimentation rate, herbivory, and disease are just a few of the factors that contribute to overall mangrove function making it very difficult to pin point which factors may be driving the die-off. On the bright side, we are confident that we have a lead on the causes and we are working hard in the field and laboratory to fully understand what is going on in The Marls.
This summer Stephanie Archer and I continued research efforts focused on determining the cause of the mangrove die-off in The Marls (work funded by the National Science Foundation). Our efforts were predominantly focused on the fungal pathogen we found associated with the die-off site. We created a small citizen science and outreach project to document the presence or absence of the pathogen across Abaco. This project consisted of short surveys and leaf collections. In total, 92 areas were surveyed including locations from Abaco and San Salvador. We also took this outreach project to the annual Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF) teacher training conference. There we disseminated survey packets to teachers from islands throughout The Bahamas who will help us collect more data on the presence (or absence) of this pathogen on other Islands.
Three men on a skiff – Abaco Marls
On Abaco, we constructed an experiment to investigate the role of grazing and the presence of fungal lesions on Red mangroves. We simulated grazing using crafting scissors to cut small sections on 600 leaves in 4 different mangrove creeks. We observed the leaves for 28 days to determine if cutting leaves predisposed leaves to fungal infection. At these sites we also trapped for insects to gain an idea of what kind of grazers may be chewing on the leaves. We also did a series of disease incidence surveys that will be routinely monitored for disease progress over the next 2 years. These surveys will allow us to systematically track the progress of the disease. In addition to our field work, we spent many hours in the laboratory isolating fungi from leaves to grow in culture. These cultures were brought back to North Carolina State University and will be sequenced in order to help us identify the fungal pathogen responsible for making the lesions on the mangrove leaves.
The Banded Coral Shrimp Stenopus hispidus is also known as the banded cleaner shrimp because it cleans other fish (seeTAKEN TO THE CLEANERS); and ‘boxing shrimp’ because its stance and the large pincers on the third set of legs give the creature the appearance of a boxer ready to fight.
These shrimps are widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical waters around the world where coral reefs are found. Their striking colour scheme makes them instantly recognisable.
BANDED CORAL SHRIMP ON STAR CORAL AT NIGHT
BANDED CORAL SHRIMPS: 10 FACTS TO BANDY ABOUT
BCSs are decapods, having 5 matching pairs of legs / claws on each side
They can be found as deep as 200 metres in the ocean
They are also found in aquaria, but need careful management because…
They are generally aggressive to other BCSs & shrimps in the same tank and
They need room for their long legs and antennae to move freely around
However, rather sweetly, they are monogamous and do not eat their partners
Diet-wise they are omnivore carnivore scavengers
They are said to be amusing to watch as they rush round a tank after food
Not a good shrimp to breed: the larvae get stuck in the filtration or get eaten
In the sea, they act as ‘cleaner’ fish to larger fish species (see below)
In its capacity as a cleaner shrimp, the BCS solicits passing fish by slowly waving its long, white antennae. It then uses its three pairs of claws to remove parasites, fungi and damaged tissue from the fish. See the video example below.
BANDED CORAL SHRIMP CLEANING A PASSING YELLOW TANG
BANDED CORAL SHRIMPS IN A VASE SPONGE
Credits: Melinda Riger (Grand Bahama Scuba); Johan Fredriksson; Alexander Vasenin; Laszlo Ilyesr; R. Ling; LiveAquaria, Fishlore [nb not all pics are from the Bahamas, but the BCS is the same the world over…]
Gina (adult female) and her calf – last seen August 6th, 2015 in Spanish Wells Key feature – numerous paddle cuts; white oval scar on left side of back; linear scar on posterior right side of body
BAHAMAS MANATEE MAGIC ON ABACO & BEYOND
Four years ago, there were no manatees in Abaco waters. Then a couple of adventuresome sirenians made the trip over from the Berry Is. and since then, there have been at least one, sometimes two and occasionally three resident on Abaco. And for slow, gentle, animals they certainly move around, too. In the past, I wrote quite often about the manatees, charting their journeys based on satellite tracking and sightings. I reported the tantalising prospect of the young male, Randy, hooking up with young female Georgie in Cherokee Sound, only to turn back when he reached Little Harbour. You can read more about the manatees of Abaco on my manatee pageHERE.
Georgie’s epic trip (Sept 12) continued to Cherokee Sound; and Randy’s ‘pursuit’ (Sept 14)
The most comprehensive source for Bahamas Manatee information is now to be found by joining the open Facebook group BAHAMA MANATEE CLUB, skilfully curated by Felice Leanne Knowles. There, you can follow the meanderings of your favourite Abaco manatee, watching as he or she moves around the island and cays. In recent months there have been sightings of single or pairs of manatees in several places, including Sandy Point, Little harbour, Marsh Harbour, Schooner Bay and Hope Town Harbour (where two are right now). Here’s an excellent example of how, just like a Beach Boy, an Abaco manatee gets around. In July, Randy moved from Sandy Point to Schooner Bay in 2 days. The big question is, did he travel round the longer top route, as he has in the past; or (more likely in the time taken) via Hole-in-the-Wall?
Randy the Abaco Manatee goes swimabout
Felice has just produced a great map that shows the present locations of all the Bahamas manatees currently recorded. She has also supplied photos and information about them. Most have names and are well-known to the research team and the locals where they stay. There is one new calf – Gina’s – this year. One or two manatees are new on the scene and have yet to be identified or named.
Manatees Throughout The Bahamas
The map shows the last location of the named manatees. The pink dots label females, the green dots label males, and the yellow dots label unknown manatees. The number of unknown manatees has been approximated to reduce error. The photos are of the individual manatees with dates and specific locations of their most recent sighting. We do not have enough data and photos to confirm the unknowns labeled. Any help from the public would be greatly appreciated. Send sighting reports tohttp://www.bahamaswhales.org/sightings/index.htmlNB Felice points out“Full body and paddle photos are very important for the identification of manatees. Facial shots do not provide enough information for a manatee to be identified”
Georgie (sub-adult female) Last seen in Casuarina, Abaco 9th July, 2015 Key feature – 2 pink scars on the right posterior of her body
Randy (sub-adult male) Last sighted in Hope Town August 12th, 2015 Key feature – triangle cut on right side of paddle
Unknown (adult, presumed female) with Randy Last seen in Hope Town August 12th, 2015 Key feature – 3 prop scars on the posterior right side of body
Gina’s Calf Last seen August 6th, Spanish Wells Key feature – none yet, just really tiny!
Blackbeard (adult male) Last seen in Lyford Cay August 13th, 2015 Key features – triangle cut on right side of paddle (similar to Randy’s); oval scar on centre of paddle; three prop scars on the back and linear scar
Kong (adult male) Last seen in Great Harbour Cay Marina, February 25th, 2015 Key feature – triangle cut on the left side of paddle; linear scar across the back; oval scar on the back near paddle
J.J. (sub-adult female) Last seen in Great Harbour Cay Marina, Berry Islands, February 25th, 2015 Key feature – 3 small semi-circular cuts out of paddle at the very end
Rita (adult female) Last seen 23rd March, 2014 Hawks Nest Marine, Cat Island Key feature – Large triangle cut on right side of paddle; two small triangular cuts side by side forming a “w” on the left side of paddle
Unknown adult, West Grand Bahama – Key feature: too distant!
You may have noticed that several of the manatees shown carry scars attributable to prop wounds. Almost all carry injuries of some sort. Because manatees are slow, gentle, inquisitive and trusting creatures, they are especially vulnerable in harbour areas for obvious reasons. Elsewhere than the Bahamas, boat-strike is one of the main causes of manatee mortality. The BMMRO recently issued the above advisory notice because of the uncertainty about the rights and wrongs of watering manatees from docks with hoses and feeding them lettuce etc. Overall the message is that, though creatures of wonder, they are better off being admired but left to their own devices. They are adept at finding the fresh water sources they need, and their sea-grass diet is amply provided for. Dependence on humans, however well-meaning, is actually harmful.
Credits: first and foremost, Felice Leanne Knowles; also BMMRO, Charlotte, & Diane for permission to make free with their material and photos from the get-go; any other photographers of the manatees shown and posted via BMMRO / FLK (Cha Boyce, Jessica Mullen,Otis Wilhoyte I think, maybe others…)
WHALE TALES FROM ABACO (1): BLAINVILLE’S BEAKED WHALES
Back in March we were invited by Charlotte and Diane of the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation BMMRO to spend a day out with them on the research boat, a chance we jumped at. I had been writing on and off about the organisation’s whale, dolphin and manatee research since the very early days of this blog. We’d seen bottlenose dolphins in Abaco waters, but never whales. This was the big day…
Our first sighting was a short distance south of Rocky Point, as we moved beyond the turquoise water of the low sandbanks into the deeper, darker ocean waters of the Bahama canyon beyond. Whale territory. The shoreline was plainly in view to the east; and to the north, on the horizon, was the massive bulk of the ‘fun ship’ parked at Castaway (Gorda) cay.
Beaked whale or fun ship for a day out? You decide…
A Blainville’s beaked whale noses towards the research vessel
The Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) is also known slightly less politely as the dense-beaked whale. It is named forthe French zoologist Henri de Blainville who first described the species in 1817 based on his examinations of a piece of jaw or ‘rostrum’ — the heaviest bone he had ever come across — which resulted in the name densirostris (Latin for “dense beak”).
The beak breaks the surface
The BMMRO has carried out intensive research on the species for a number of years in the northern Bahamas, with detailed documentation of sightings and photo identification of individual animals. More recently, these whales have been the subject of incredibly detailed research into their species intercommunication through vocalisations – mainly clicks and click patterns. To view Charlotte’s PhD thesis for St Andrew’s University click HERE (and many congratulations, Dr Dunn…). Just reading the contents table will give a good idea of the scope and complexity of the research.
The blowhole, used for breathing, in close-up. You can hear this in the video below.
Our amazing first encounter with 6 whales lasted nearly an hour. Usually, they stay near the surface for 20 minutes or so, then they do a deep dive lasting roughly 20 minutes before resurfacing. But on this occasion they behaved more like huge dolphins, swimming towards the boat, around it, under it, then drifting away again before returning.
Given their length of some 15 feet and weight of about 2000 pounds, it was a extraordinary experience to see them at such close quarters.
The Blainville’s range is extensive and in general terms they may be found in tropical and sub-tropical waters worldwide. They are by no means uncommon, but apart from the data collected by the BMMRO it seems that comparatively little is known about them. Their diet is thought to consist mainly of squid found at depth. They are protected by a variety of Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, Protocols and so forth throughout the worldwide range.
The research boat is equipped with sonar the can pick up the click and whistles of whales and dolphins from a considerable distance. It was remarkable to watch a group of cetaceans and to be able to hear them loudly and animatedly communicating with each other..
Another vital aspect of the research is poop scooping. As soon as the whales had gathered round the boat, Charlotte slid into the water with her scoop net… the cloudy poop yields a mass of information about an individual creature. I wrote about this interesting job, often tasked to interns (who practice with coffee grounds) in‘FAMILIAR FECES’.
Charlotte expertly wields the poop scoop
Then, all too soon, it was deep dive time. The whales moved off from the boat and slowly, without show or splash, disappeared. And we went to investigate HOLE-IN-THE-WALL at close quarters. The next post will feature an adult male Blainville’s beaked whale, with his massive barnacle-encrusted teeth protruding upwards from his lower jaw.
The remains of a neat and undramatic deep dive
In this very short video of two whales right by the boat: you can actually hear their breathing.
BMMRO research RHIB with Diane BMMRO HQ, Sandy Point, Abaco
Credits: All photos RH; Charlotte & Diane for a brilliant day out; Mr Blainville for a brilliant whale
CARIBBEAN REEF SQUID: SUPERPOWERS & SEX LIVES REVEALED
The Caribbean reef squid Sepioteuthis sepioidea is a small squid species of the Caribbean Sea and the Floridian coast. Its fins extend nearly the whole length of the body and undulate rapidly as it swims. Recently, it has been discovered that this squid is capable of brief flight out of the water.
Reef squid tend to form small shoals in and around reefs. It is by far the most common squid species in its range, and can be sighted both close to the shore and quite near the surface (although that increases the risk of predation by seabirds).
A silvery squid swimming just below the surface
Squid are voracious eaters, dragging their prey to their mouths and using a beak to cut it up. Their target species are small fish, molluscs and crustaceans. They have a ‘raspy tongue’ known as a radula which further breaks up the food for easy consumption.
Squid at Fowl Cay Marine Preserve, Abaco
SQUID SUPERPOWERS (SUPERCOOL)
Squid can change colour, texture and shape
This enviable power is used defensively as camouflage or to appear larger if threatened
It is also used in courtship rituals, something that humans would find most disconcerting
Colour patterns are also used for routine squid-to-squid communication AND GET THIS:
A squid can send a message to another on one side, and a different one to a squid on the other
SQUID SEX (1) “ROMANCING THE SQUID”
A male will gently stroke a female with his tentacles
The female will (most likely) flash an ‘alarm’ pattern
The male soothes her (don’t try this at home, guys) by blowing and jetting water at her
If he’s not getting on well, he’ll move off and repeat the routine until she sees his good points
However this on / off courtship can last for hours until at last he succeeds by…
…attaching a sticky packet of sperm onto the female’s body (romance is not dead)
She reaches for it and moves it to her “seminal receptacle”
Meanwhile he stays close, emitting a pulsing pattern, as well he might after all that
She then finds a safe place to lay her eggs. Job done.
SQUID SEX (2) IT ALL ENDS BADLY
As soon the female squid has laid her eggs, she dies at once
The male squid live a bit longer, and may have other packets to stick – then he dies too
It’s all horribly reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet. Without the balcony scene.
USES OF SQUID ON ABACO
Squid are prolific in the seas around Abaco, which is fortunate because they form a large part of the diet of some whale species, particularly the Blainville’s Beaked Whales that are commonly found in Abaco waters. I have a post on these magnificent creatures in preparation right now, and am in the process of sorting out suitable photos from a large number taken during a research expedition in March.
More Squid at Fowl Cay Marine Preserve, Abaco
Credits: As ever (for underwater pics) Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba; also Ellen Sokol of Kiskeedee Sailing Charters, who kindly sent me the Fowl Cay photos; also Ed Brown, Clark Anderson and Nick Hobgood for ‘open-sourcing’ their great images
Well here’s a rum do. About four years ago, this somewhat minority interest blog emerged ‘mewling and puking’¹ into the world, guided by an incompetent male midwife whose basic training had been about 4 weeks of exposure to Abaco, its fishing, its wildlife, its geography and its history. ‘Bananaquit’ might as well have meant taking up a plantain-free diet. ‘Grassquit’ might have been the local word for ‘keep off the lawn’. And that’s before all the flowers. And the reef fish. And everything else that turned up during the storm-wracked voyage of discovery via polydamus swallowtails, manatees, spider wasps and batfish that led slowly to the calmer waters of ‘rather better informed (if no wiser)’.
Anyway, at midnight last night some unknown person kindly made the 250,000th visit to the blog, a target that once seemed inconceivable. In the past month, the 1000th person also signed up as a follower, another source of amazement. The reality is that despite Abaco being a sparsely-populated microdot island in a huge world, there are a great many people on the island or associated with it who are passionate about it and its extraordinarily diverse natural history. That knowledge makes curating this blog both easy and pleasurable.
I checked my stats for the last year to find out where hits from the top 10 countries – and for fun the bottom 1o – came from. Here’s the answer. Rather shamefully there was also a country I had never knowingly heard of, Palau (Micronesia). There follows a selection of a few photographs that have been popular over the years, mostly my own but the underwater ones are from Melinda Riger and Virginia Cooper of Grand Bahama Scuba.
Top 10 Bottom 10
SEARCH TERMS
The most popular searches – omitting posts about hurricanes, which always generate a lot of traffic – have concerned Abaco Parrots, Lignum Vitae, Sea Glass, the Loxahatchee poster series, Tarantula Hawk Wasps, Sea Biscuits / Urchins, Yellow Elder, Parrotfish, Shipwrecks, Hutias, Hole-in-the-Wall, Lionfish, Remora, and Abaco Maps. The most leftfield search of all was‘How dispose of dead bodies?’, by someone who had clearly strayed into the wrong category of website…
It would be strange to end this little celebration without a tip of the hat to Peter Mantle, old friend and genial doyen of the Delphi Club, for his wholehearted encouragement and support for the production and publication of THE DELPHI CLUB GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF ABACO. This hefty tome, published in March 2014, showcases the wonderful and varied avian life on Abaco and has proved very popular – indeed well beyond our expectations. Although I appear nominally as author on the cover, it is in fact an extraordinary collaborative effort by some 30 people. The book’s success further demonstrates the commitment of Abaconians and other who love the island to Abaco’s rich natural heritage in an age of rapid change; and provides another good incentive for me to continue with the blog. Next stop: 500,000!
ROLLING HARBOUR ABACO 
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