Intro to Marine Bio 2016 - Day 2

Day 2 began in the lab classifying and identifying the benthic invertebrates that we had collected yesterday while on the boat.  We identified twenty-seven different species including a beautiful skeleton shrimp with eggs in her brood pouch!  Click the link to see a video through the microscope. 

Today the group also had the chance to tour two different museums at the Huntsman, one that is open to the public, the Fundy Discovery Aquarium and one that is only open to researchers, the Atlantic Reference Centre or ARC.  At the aquarium the students were able to view the salmon and harbour seal feedings, as well as enjoy the touch tanks.  The tour of the ARC provided a chance for the students to see a number of preserved deep sea animals including an angler fish, a gulper eel and a viper fish.  They even had the chance to kiss a porbeagle shark head!

We headed out to the beach this afternoon to explore the diversity of life that lives in the intertidal zone. The group found lots of crabs, barnacles and sideswimmers but were pushed inside by thunder showers. 

After a yummy supper at Anderson House we spent some time in the lab learning about the fascinating anatomy of sea urchins and sea stars.  Who knew echinoderms were so interesting!

We had a bit of excitement today when CTV Atlantic Live at 5 arrived to do a news piece on the Introduction to Marine Biology field course.    

In the classification lab.

A hermit crab with snail fur on its shell.

Observing and describing the animals.

Salmon feeding at the aquarium can get a bit wet!

The identification lab at the ARC.

Getting a tour of the ARC collection.

Jars and jars of preserved specimens. Cool!

Exploring the intertidal zone.

Beautiful sunshine before the thunderstorms pushed us inside.

Having a look at the urchins up close.

How rude! Urchins poop a lot!