MBL March Madness: Woods Hole Wonders Division
This division focuses on some amazing organisms found right in Woods Hole. The waters here are teeming with ecological diversity. The Gulf Stream brings animals and plants from southern waters to Woods Hole, while the colder waters of Cape Cod Bay host mainly northern marine forms. For decades, scientists have flocked to Woods Hole to study the organisms in the local waters and saltmarshes.
Meet the Organisms:
Striped Bass
Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) is a migratory fish native to the East Coast of the United States. They are anadromous fish that spends the early part of their lives in freshwater before moving to saltwater. Each spring, adult striped bass travel from the ocean into tidal freshwater rivers along the Atlantic Coast to breed. They then return to the ocean, where some migrate as far north as the Bay of Fundy, a journey that can be over 700 miles.
Little Skate
The little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) is a cartilaginous fish found across the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. It is a close cousin of sharks and rays and is an important model organism for biological and medical research. MBL scientists use skates and their embryos to study skeletal development.
Oyster Toadfish
The oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) lives in the northwest Atlantic from Massachusetts to as far south as Florida. Its mottled coloring provides camouflage that allows it to lie in wait and ambush prey, which include crabs, shrimp, squid, and small fish. Toadfish are also useful for inner-ear research as their broad, flat heads allow access to the otolith organs, which are used for equilibrium and balance as well as hearing.
Sea Robin
The sea robin (Prionotus carolinus) is named for its expanded pectoral fins that resemble bird wings. The first three fin rays separate from these wings during early sea robin development and can be used as “legs” to walk along the ocean floor. Scientists at the MBL are studying sea robins as a model for understanding the evolution of traits, including new modes of locomotion.