SERTC: Events and News

July 2008 - R. King and S. DeVictor were invited to the Warren Lasch Conservation Laboratory (Clemson University) in North Charleston to examine invertebrates found within the hull of the raised confederate submarine “The Hunley”. In the process of conserving the remains of the Hunley, archaeologists found iron casts and preserved exoskeletons of numerous isopod crustaceans. These were identified as a single species, Politolana polita, by R. King.

In June 2008, SCDNR issued a press release on the discovery in South Carolina of the island apple snail, Pomacea insularum, a large nonindigenous freshwater snail native to South America. Reproducing populations of the snail were brought to the attention of the SCDNR by residents living near several shallow manmade ponds in Horry County, where it had apparently existed for an undetermined number of years previously. More information on this invasive species, which has become a significant pest in Florida over the past 3 decades and has now spread northward into Georgia and South Carolina, can be found on the webpage of the SCDNR Aquatic Nuisance Species Program.

SCDNR has issued a press release on the presence of Megabalanus coccopoma, a large exotic barnacle, in coastal South Carolina waters. The barnacle has been reported along the southeastern US Atlantic coast recently, where it has been observed attaching to boats, floating docks and beach groins in large numbers

SCDNR has issued a press release on the presence of Asian green mussels in coastal South Carolina waters. The fast-growing species of marine mussel, native in coastal and estuarine waters from the Persian Gulf to Hong Kong, now has a foothold in Lowcountry waters, and it may be around for a while if winter temperatures aren’t low enough to kill it off completely. More information on this mussel can be found on SERTC's archived Featured Species: The Asian Green Mussel.

Archived:

Dr. Rachael King attended an amphipod workshop in Ft. Lauderdale, FL hosted by Dr. James Thomas of the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, July 10-14, 2006.

During the week of June 19-23, 2006, SERTC staff conducted a collection cruise aboard the R/V Lady Lisa, sampling inshore, offshore and mid-shelf along the coast of North Carolina.

SERTC staff Dr. Elizabeth Wenner, Susan DeVictor, and Nadia Meyers participated in a cruise aboard the R/V Nancy Foster (May 27 -June 3, 2006) to study marine invertebrates within and outside Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

Dr. Rachael King attended the Annual Summer Meeting of The Crustacean Society in Juneau, Alaska (May 22-26, 2006). She presented a paper on the morphological and genetic differentiation of an isopod introduced to the parts of the Eastern United States: Title: A newly arrived isopod in the eastern United States: Synidotea laevidorsalis or S. laticauda?

Susan DeVictor visited the Smithsonian Institution in March 2006 to study the NMNH octocoral collection and to receive octocoral specimens donated to SERTC by Dr. Stephen Cairns.

SERTC hosted an Amphipod Taxonomy Workshop on October 10-13, 2005. Please see the workshop page for more information.

SERTC hosted a Taxonomic Workshop on the Echinoderms of the South Atlantic Bight May 2-4, 2005, instructed by Dr. David Pawson and Dr. Stephen Stancyk. For more information please see the workshop page.

SERTC hosted a Larval Fish Taxonomic Workshop January 11-14, 2005, instructed by Dr. John Olney, Dr. John McGovern, and Dr. Joanne Lyczkowski-Shultz. For more information please see the workshop page.

SERTC hosted a DELTA (Descriptive Language for Taxonomists) Workshop October 25-29, 2004, instructed by Jim Lowry and Terry McFarlane. For more information please see the workshop page.

Dr. Rachael King and Susan Thornton-DeVictor participated in the Ocean Explorer 2004 "From the Estuary to the Abyss: Exploring Along the Latitude 31-30 N Transect" cruise aboard the Harbor Branch R/V Seward Johnson, August 20-September 1, 2004. Using HBOI's Johnson Sea-Link submersible, they sampled and investigated marine life along the 30-31N latitude on the Blake Plateau at depths of up to 900 meters. (Daily logs submitted during the cruise) The 2003 Charleston Bump and 2002 Islands in the Stream cruise logs are also available at that site.

SERTC hosted a Workshop on Taxonomy and Identification of Marine Fishes, with an Emphasis on Western North Atlantic Species on July 13-15, 2004, taught by Dr. Antony Harold at the Grice Marine Laboratory, College of Charleston. See the workshop page for more information.

On January 21-23, 2004, SERTC held a workshop on the taxonomy of decapod crustaceans from nearshore coastal and estuarine waters of the southeastern US. Taught by Dr. Darryl Felder, Dr. Richard Heard, and Dr. Elizabeth Wenner, the workshop hosted participants from various backgrounds and academic levels. A field trip to the Charleston Harbor provided the students with an opportunity to collect local species, and several practical sessions allowed them to work one-on one with the instructors. Click here to view photos of the workshop and participants.

Dr. Elizabeth Wenner and Susan Thornton-DeVictor participated in the NOAA Ocean Explorer cruise aboard the Harbor Branch R/V Seward Johnson, August 1-14, 2003. Using HBOI's Johnson Sea-Link submersible, they sampled and investigated marine life on the Charleston Bump at depths of up to 500 meters. To see daily logs submitted during the cruise, go to http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/explorations.html. The 2002 Islands in the Stream cruise logs are also available at that site. Click here to view an article about some of the interesting crustaceans collected on that trip.