Heather Spence, Marine Biologist

The Lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a rapidly spreading invasive species, and has arrived to sites near Cancun. We must keep this fish from establishing here! It is a voracious eater and will displace native species, and disrupt the fragile balance of the reef ecosystems. Also, it is poisonous!

What can you do to help? If you are in Cancun, you can help by keeping a lookout for this fish, and reporting sightings to the cancun national parks office or to me via this website (leave me a comment or send me an e-mail). In fact, tonight the parks office is presenting to tour guides about the fish and to bring them into the monitoring effort.

You can also help by discouraging people from selling invasive species outside of their native range, and most of all – DO NOT RELEASE PETS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.  The lionfish was introduced into non-native environments by people releasing their pet fish into the water.  You may think you are setting your pet ‘free’ but in reality, you are setting up a massacre, of native species that get displaced, and of the offspring of your invasive fish as we try to eradicate it from the area to restore the ecosystem.

Lionfish

Remember to turn your lights off this Saturday, from 8:30-9:30pm, your time, wherever you are in the world. This is a demonstration of our need to come up with solutions and ways to save energy, our natural resources, and the one and only planet that is our home. For more information about the hour and activities around the world, you can check out the earth hour website.

This is also an opportunity to enjoy the natural light of the earth, you might be surprised. Take the time to go outside and star and moon gaze. To participate in star counting research and other earth hour activities, and to learn more about light pollution, you can check out the website for the International Dark Sky Association.

The performers of “Tabula Rasa,” including the members of the company Pez Gordo, and me, will be performing a clown, spoof, spectacular, musical, circusy, surprising, show on Friday, March 26, at 6pm, in Casa de la Cultura.  Come and enjoy!

There will be a Flamenco Show with live cello music (by Heather), dancing, puppets and more tomorrow night at the Casa de la Cultura.

Flamenco show – “Tabula Rasa”
Saturday, March 14
8pm
Casa de la Cultura
Avenida Yaxchilan
$80 MXP

Also there will be another performance on March 27th, at 6pm, also at
the Casa de la Cultura.

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DIA DEL FLAMENCO Y LA AMISTAD

“Yo soy yo y mi circunstancia” reza el dicho, pero dicen también que
hay muchos yoes que están en la misma circunstancia, la experiencia
creadora de cada individuo es indispensable, y sobre todo lo que
decida hacer con esa experiencia.

El ser y hacer se conjugan en Tabula Rasa (que es lo mismo que decir
TABLA LIMPIA). Quién soy, de dónde vengo y hacia dónde voy, de qué me
sirve esto que la vida me dejo, ¿y si de pronto cierro los ojos, borro
todo y empiezo de nuevo? Recomenzar desde la nada, desde un sueño,
hacerlo crecer con pasión e imaginación, únicas herramientas con las
que cuenta un artista. Palpar y sentirlo vivo, compartirlo y… dejarlo
ir, sólo para volver a comenzar de nuevo, esa, es la audacia del
creador.

Tabula Rasa, es toda una experiencia, donde la creatividad del artista
se pone de manifiesto. No es sólo danza, no es sólo poesía (selección
de textos de Xavier Villaurrutia), no es sólo marionetas… es un
momento en el tiempo, donde nos permitimos experimentar, compartir y
departir; un momento que al final sólo será el punto de partida para
crear otros sueños, otras sonrisas, otras lágrimas y ¿por qué no? Otra
vida… Después de todo, somos creadores, ¿qué otra cosa podemos hacer?

Seaing is believing. Seeing, and hearing, for yourself the amazing life, colors, and dynamics of the ocean environment is invaluable. Divers invariably have a greater appreciation of the underwater world after experiencing it first hand. Not only do you get to see things you don’t normally see walking on the shore or even snorkeling, but you experience the alien deep water environment, with the changes in pressure, currents, and changes in light and sound. Different locations seem like different worlds – even the same location at a different time of day is completely different. Some organisms are active during the day, some at night, some at twilight or dawn.

So dive in and experience the ocean world for yourself. Just make sure to get the proper training, and always go fully informed, with the proper equipment, and a buddy you trust.

Heather Spence, Marine Biologist, night diving in Puerto Morelos. (Photo Credit: Hitamar Palma Munoz)

Diving at night reveals a different world.  Animals such as snapping shrimp are more active at night. Turn off the light and note the natural lights and sounds around you.

On Tuesday, Patricia Santos (CONANP), Hitamar Palma Muñoz (CONANP), David Delaney (McGill Univ), and I, went for an evening dive in Puerto Morelos, looking – and listening – for snapping shrimp.  We found a handful of Alpheus armatus, and here are the photos to prove it, thanks to Hitamar (Guardaparque, Parque Nacional Arrecife de Puerto Morelos)!

This species is distinctively bright red, as you can see.

Photo credit: Hitamar Palma Muñoz

They are very little, but make quite a racket.

Photo credit: Hitamar Palma Muñoz

Great snap.

Photo credit: Hitama Palma Muñoz

The shrimps are found hiding in curly sea anemones, with which they have a symbiotic relationship.

Photo Credit: Hitamar Palma Muñoz

Well, this is a test post but if it works, then it means that my blog posts will also show up on Facebook!

cross your fingers…

Question:

Hi Steven, nice to hear from you. Protists are a very interesting group, and an important one for marine biology and reef ecology, because members of this group (more specifically, the group “dinoflagellates”) are responsible for ‘red tide’ which is also called harmful algal blooms, and others form symbioses with corals. Protists, including dinoflagellates, are tricky, though, because they are small, diverse, and not clearly classified. Many of them don’t have common names. You might check out this site  http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/C/Conus_marmoratus/