Gifts from the MaST Center

Guests who were around at Pacific Science Center’s Salt Water Tide Pool at noon Friday got the wonderful experience of meeting a bevy of new creatures.

Staff and volunteers from Highline Community College’s MaST (Marine Science and Technology) Center led by Kaddee Lawrence, with expert information from Rus Higley, hand delivered a group of exciting Puget Sound organisms. These new residents are for us to share with anyone who wants to learn more about the diversity of our regional shoreline.

In addition to bringing an infusion of bright color, the animals are an assorted mix of species. Best of all, they are a mix of non-aggressive animals that will not try to eat each other.

Many of the sea stars in our collection are Pisaster species, among the most predacious of all creatures in the intertidal zone. Yet, we love how durable they are, and how happily they eat readily available shellfish. With the new sea star species, we hope to have animals that are easily cared for and unlikely to eat other members of the exhibit. If these sea stars do well, the folks at MaST have offered to help us replace our current Pisaster population with these less hungry brethren. We will then plan a second round of new animals to include chitons, limpets and other animals that easily get eaten. Already our exhibit is more diverse by the addition of:

2 - Red sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus)
1 - Purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus)
1 - California sea cucumber (Parastichopus californicus)
1 - Kelp crab (Pugettia productus)
2 - Vermillion sea star (Mediaster aequalis)
2 - Blood stars (Henricia leviuscula)
1 - Mottled star (Evasterias troscheli)
1 - Sun star (Solaster dawsoni)
25 - Plumose anemone (tiny)(Metridium sp)
2 - Swimming anemone (Stomphia coccinea)

We can’t say “thank you” enough to the scientists at MaST. However, if you find yourself down in Des Moines, at Redondo Beach on a Saturday morning, stop by and thank them for us! The program hosts a weekly open aquarium, where the public meets their animals and their wonderful staff and volunteers. This is a great way to extend your knowledge of marine life.


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Fresh Sheet – October 26, 2013

This week we received shipments from El Salvador and Suriname which include the popular Halloween Butterfly, Catonephele numilia. How many other black and orange butterflies can you find in our Tropical Butterfly House? Jump on your broomstick and fly on in!



El Salvador

22 - Archeoprepona demophoon (Hubner’s Prepona)
25 - Battus belus (Belus Swallowtail)
35 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
20 - Catonephele numilia (Halloween Butterfly)
20 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
15 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
10 - Heliconius hortense (Mountain Longwing)
15 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
12 - Lycorea cleobaea (Large Tiger)
40 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
25 - Morpho polyphemus (White Morpho)
11 - Myselia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)
25 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
10 - Papilio pilumnus (Three-tailed Swallowtail)
13 - Archeoprepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)
10 - Papilio torquatus (Band-gapped Swallowtail)
14 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 322


Suriname

40 - Battus polydamas (Polydamus Swallowtail)
10 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
40 - Papilio androgeus (Queen Page)
40 - Heliconius melpomene (Postman)
40 - Dryas iulia (Julia Longwing)
10 - Anartia amathea (Scarlet Peacock)
40 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
10 - Mechanitis polymnia (Polymnia Tigerwing)
40 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 270

Grand Total = 592

“Fresh Sheet” is our weekly shipment report of pupae on display in the emerging window. Visit Pacific Science Center’s Tropical Butterfly House and meet our newest residents.


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New! Improved! Naked Mole Rat Cam

Seven months after the launch of our first naked mole rat cam, we are excited to introduce a live-streaming, eye-level, wide-angle web cam with audio! With the Dropcam Pro camera, fans can watch as well as hear these industrious critters.


Just what can you expect to see? Take a look at this recent video of a determined naked mole rat transporting a carrot through the tunnels.



For more fun, click on this link: http://pacscilife.blogspot.com/2013/03/naked-mole-rat-cam.html

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Fresh Sheet – October 12, 2013

It must be getting close to Halloween! This week’s shipment of pupae from El Salvador will produce lots of orange and black butterflies. Do you have a favorite?


El Salvador

15 - Archeoprepona demophoon (Hubner’s Prepona)
15 - Battus belus (Belus Swallowtail)
25 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
28 - Catonephele numilia (Halloween Butterfly)
07 - Colobura dirce (Mosaic butterfly)
15 - Consul fabius (Tiger Leafwing)
08 - Dryadula phaetusa (Banded Orange Heliconian)
10 - Eurytides thymbraeus
10 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
15 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
06 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
15 - Lycorea cleobaea (Large Tiger)
48 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
20 - Morpho polyphemus (White Morpho)
28 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
12 - Papilio pilumnus (Three-tailed Swallowtail)
15 - Archeoprepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)
20 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 312

“Fresh Sheet” is our weekly shipment report of pupae on display in the emerging window. Visit Pacific Science Center’s Tropical Butterfly House and meet our newest residents.


Read more!