Academic Update
Recently, the indo-pacific red lionfish has expanded its introduced range from Florida down into the Turks and Caicos Islands and beyond (see http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/lionfish_progression/lionfish_progression.html). Unfortunately, this beautiful fish is an invasive pest that is a threat to native fish communities. There are widespread efforts in the region to attempt to control this species’ populations. So, over the last two Saturdays the students have been helping in this effort by “hunting” for lionfish as a field exercise for the Marine Resource Management course. We systematically swept through areas of coral reef looking under every ledge and in every crevice trying to catch any lionfish that we see. Catching them is usually easy as they are not scared and can be scooped up in the aquatic equivalent of a butterfly net. However, the lionfish have venomous spines that cause a lot of pain if you get impaled. Immersing any pricked areas in hot water quickly gets rid of the pain so we keep a thermos of hot water on the boat just in case. No one has been pricked yet. During the field exercise we found 11 lionfish and we managed to capture nine of them. When we find a lionfish we record its location with a GPS, write down the habitat and what sort of structure it is sheltering under, in, or on top of. Lionfish do not generally move very far so we know where the two that got away are hiding and we will return to catch them at a later date. Once the lionfish are caught they are measured, quickly euthanized, and then we look inside their stomachs to see what they have eaten as well as look at their gonads to tell if they are male or female. Students will get the opportunity to continue lionfish hunting as a directed research project and also just for fun.
-Dr. John Claydon, Center Director

Student Reflections
The last few weeks at the field station the students have been absorbed with the field ID exams. The tests are conducted while snorkeling in small groups. The test giver points out twenty species out of a list of forty-sixty. The students must correctly identify and spell the species on their underwater slates…in Latin! With two tests down we are eagerly anticipating tomorrow night when we will be finished with our third and final ID exam.

Each exam focuses on a different aspect of marine life. The first test was on mangrove and seagrass species. The species on this exam ranged from different types of algae to the elusive lemon shark that prowls the seagrass beds. The second exam was on various reef fish, sharks and rays. The final test focuses on the different types of corals. This test is proving the most difficult to distinguish between the species. As there are about half a dozen different types of star coral that only vary from one another is small ways.

Despite the difficulty of memorizing Latin names, most of us agree that these test are still better than any we would take at home. It is exciting to be able to hop in the water and name almost everything I see. I will definitely take snorkeling over a lecture hall any day.
-Rachel Lynch, Trinity College

Today was a typical Saturday, spent cleaning, engaging with the community, and indulging in some good old-fashioned fun. The morning started out with the usual site clean-up. Some of the students cleaned the boats and vans, while others mopped, swept, and wiped down the common area. After site clean up, we had our weekly community engagement in which students partake in a variety of activities allowing students to give back to the South Caicos community. I played dodgeball with some of the local kids. It was a hot and sweaty match, but we all had our shirts off so it was cool. After community engagement, we had our waterfront activity for the day, and boy was it fantastic! Four students and I went to Shark Alley for a recreational snorkel to remember. Soon after we entered the water, we saw a reef shark. Some of the students were scared, but I wasn’t. I chased it down, trying to get a few good pictures, but once it teamed up with another shark and turned back my way, I nearly fainted. I streamlined it back toward the boat, leading me to a delightful encounter with an eagle ray. So majestic in its nature, gliding calmly  through the water as an eagle soars through the air. I felt like a bird among the clouds. While drifting back towards the boat, we had a very close encounter with yet another reef shark and boy was I scared! I saw my life flash before my eyes as it came within inches of my feet. Later on, we danced the night away in South Caicos fashion, the moon high and bright in the sky. What a delightful Saturday.
-Harrison Abry, Santa Clara University

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