Show Notes
The scene is set: two neighbors with very different ways of living. One is large, long-lived, free-to-roam, blimp-like. The other: small, shorter-lived, confined, butter-like. These are the people's fish, occupying international waters and places on earth that are quite impossible for us to truly experience from the perspectives of these amazingly adapted, beautiful fish. Get to know the "albatross" of the abyssal plain, the unfortunately (or fortunately?) named Robust Assfish, AND the Atacama Trench Snailfishes in our first ever compare and contrast episode. Our guest, Dr. Thom Linley, is Curator of Fishes at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and co-host of The Deep-Sea Podcast. Other episodes you might like: S3:E25 - Mariana Snailfish: Trench Fish Extraordinaire S4:E13 - The Unassuming Bony-eared Assfish!
Read more: Fishes of the hadal zone including new species, in situ observations and depth records of Liparidae: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063716300656 Independent radiation of snailfishes into the hadal zone confirmed by Paraliparis selti sp. nov. (Perciformes: Liparidae) from the Atacama Trench, SE Pacific: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12526-022-01294-0.pdf
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Get to know the Grass Carp, a behemoth of a vegetarian with its very own "coming to America" story. Katrina and Guy delve into how it's situated on the fish family tree, compare and contrast it with other invasive carp and goldfish, and unveil the latest fan mail requests.
Meet the gem of the Georgia Piedmont, the Yellowfin Shiner! On this episode we learn all about the color-popping spawning habits of Yellowfins and other species in the Hydrophlox genus, their association with nest-building species like Bluehead Chubs and stonerollers, and where to spot them. You'll also get tips on successfully keeping native fish in aquaria and how to make friendships with other fish nerds. Our guests are Michael Wolfe with the North American Native Fishes Association and Bryson Hilburn from the University of Georgia and this episode is dedicated to one of our listeners.
Meet the Kala, also known as the Bluespine Unicornfish! From the horn on its head to its blue spines and tail tassels, this leathery-skinned fish is a wonder to behold and a culturally-important species in Hawaii. You'll learn about the limu-eating habits of this fish and what is known about its age and growth, the practice of "pono" science, how management informed by lawai'a, how to be a good visitor within Hawaii's ahupua'a's, and what is still to be learned about this species! Our guest, Maria "Baba" Angst from Moloka‘i, is with Hawaii's Department of Land & Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources.
Get to know the Peppered Shiner: a beautiful little endemic fish that holds a special seat in the waters of Arkansas and Oklahoma, particularly in Arkansas' Saline River where it can still be reliably found. We discuss the habits and preferences of this fish, its place in shoaling communities and where it lives, and what people can do to help ensure it doesn't blink out. We also learn about the challenges of aging juvenile minnows and what questions still need to be answered. This week's guest is Clemson PhD student Mack Calvert.