[Rhodes22-list] A new use for Le Menagerie

[Jim White]

   When the winds abate to a reasonable velocity here (they're still
   gusting to +30mph ), I'm going to take several grad students out on Le
   Menagerie to collect a critter called Aplysia (common called sea-hare
   or "inkfish"). This unshelled gastropod (slug) swims on top of the
   water, using extensions of it's "foot" as wings. When it's disturbed
   it releases a mildly toxic purple ink as defense. We'll just put out
   enough sail to make a bit of headway (might even drift) and snatch
   them up with long handled dip nets, keeping them alive in an aerator
   equipped icechest. They're sort of rare this time of year- so I
   anticipate a full day of underway on this project. Aplysia are about
   10"-12" and weigh around a pound...several species, but the one we're
   concerned with is Aplysia brasiliana.
   The Marine Biological Laboratory, a division of UTMB (University of
   Texas Medical Branch) has been interested in this organism for a
   number of years. You see, Aplysia exhibits a giant neuron, very handy
   in nerve research, and a lot of advances in understanding things like
   spinal cord injury have been accomplished using this critter.
   Additionally, a tiny colonial animal which is considered a "fouling"
   organism, something called a tunicate (Botryloides and Botrillis sp.
   in this case) is currently of interest to us as well. I  have several
   PVC racks of glass slides on which I am culturing tunicates adjacent
   to Le Menagerie in her slip. This critter just doesn't do well in
   captivity, but I guarantee you, it loves boat hulls (even ones with
   relatively new bottom paint), and dock lines. What's so cool about
   this organism (a hemichordate for all of you zoologist types) is that
   there are researchers from MD Anderson Hospital (maybe you aren't
   familiar with this one...it's a world class cancer treatment/research
   hospital in Houston Tx.) who are studying these little fellas for keys
   to understanding replicative diseases  (cancer, AIDS).
   Ultimately, unglamorous and ignored marine biota like these might
   benefit us in ways we can't even imagine.
   Pretty nifty stuff huh?
   Jim White
   Le Menagerie