1990 Volume 23 No. 1

DRUM & CROAKER f\4 Drum & Croaker Summer 1990 Volume 23, No. 1 DRUM & CROAKER SUMMER 1990 -VOLUME 22, No. 4 Aquarium Nets Sturgeon DRUM & CROAKER (From Sun Herald, Biloxi,MS July 29,1990.) a publication for and by The J. L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium--just call it "the aquarium at public aquariums. Point Cadet"--has landed a coup. The facility now boasts a new exhibit Gulf of Mexico sturgeon, a prehistoric fish that is an endangered species in Mississippi. Issues are published quarterly. "Our aquarium was chosen as the first facility to display the laboratory-reared Gulf Subscriptions: $7.50/ Volume sturgeon raised by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because they liked our aquar Two complimentary issues ium and thought public awareness of this species would be enhanced by display in a of every volume are well-visited aquarium," said Dr. Adrian Lawler, aquarium supervisor. provided to recognized public aquariums. The young fish donated are about six inches long, but some have grown to a maxi mum of 14 inches. Sturgeons have inhabited Gulf waters from Florida to the Mississippi river for about 300 million years, researchers say. The fish is covered PUBLISHED BY with shields and plates, making it look more like a dinosaur than a fish. The Staff of Fishnet WITH GRANTS FROM An Amelanistic Loggerhead Acquired Aqua vet, Div. of Novalek, Inc. by Jerry Corcoran (CIS ID 76066,500) and AquaScience Research Group, Inc. The newest addition to the GCRL's J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquar ium is a sea turtle from the Sandy creek Nature Center (SCNC) in Athens, Ga. EDITED BY SCNC education specialist Pete Schrantz and volunteer Annelle Beall made the John and Carol Kuhns eight-hour drive from Athens to Biloxi to personally deliver the turtle to its new home. In return they took a Mississippi diamondback terrapin, a softshell turtle and DRUM & CROAKER tilapia back to Georgia with them. c/o Fishnet 102 Hiram Street The turtle is not an albino but is amelanistic (lacking in most body pigment). Sheffield, Alabama 35630 Hatched in September 1989, the turtle weighs about three pounds and measures nine 205/381-4945 inches in shell length. He has the potential to reach three feet in shell length and a maximum of 450 pounds. Submissions welcome. Due Date for Dr. Jim Richardson, and adjunct research professor at the University of Georgia, Next Issue: October 1, 1990 said that amelanistic turtles are not unusual, but most have horrible abnormalities. "This turtle is absolutely perfect," he said of the MEC&A acquisition. In his 26 Public aquarium staff are encouraged years of sea turtle research, Dr. Richardson is aware of only one other amelanistic to use the Public Aquarium message" loggerhead-Pinky, a five year-old used in education programs on Skidaway Island. and library areas of Aquaria/Fish Forum Dr. Richardson helped to establish the Sandy Creek turtle program, using turtles on CompuServe. from a hatchery on Little Cumberland Island. He determines which ones can be released into the sea and which ones need to live in captivity. The ones chosen for For a FREE, Introductory captivity keep aquarium owners from catching healthy turtles for their exhibits. Membership with $15 usage credit, just call 1-800/848-8199 Since Schrantz visited the MEC&A several years ago he and Dr. Lawler, MEC&A and ask for Representative #164. aquarium supervisor, have worked with SCNC director Mike Wharton to obtain one Submissions to Drum & Croaker of the lab-reared turtles to replace another loggerhead and a Kemp's Ridley turtle can be made via the which will be released in the near future. Aquaria/Fish Forum. "This turtle form Sandy Creek is priceless to us, as federal permits no longer allow For more information, call us to keep the two turtles we now have or allow acquisition of any others unless they John Benn are abnormal and could not survive in the wild," Dr. Lawler explained. "The 205/381-4945 donated turtle was lab-reared due to injury in being at the bottom of the nest," he continued. "Since it is amelanistic, it would present an easy target for predators, so it can be permitted for display because of its doubtful survivability in the wild." 2 SUMMER 1990 -VOLUME 22, No. 4 DRUM & CROAKER Development of the bite manuipulandum for use in the conditioning of the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cinatum) A behavioral paper presented to Naval National Science Awards Competition by Lisa Michelle Pearman, Salisbury, Missouri 65281 ABSTRACT In the 1960's it was a common belief as many mammals. These sharks involved the modification of the bite that sharks were extremely primitive retained their learned tasks for consid manipulandum designed by V. Strength, creatures that operated on pure instinct. erable periods of time (Myberg, 1976). D. F. McCoy and L. Hull. The bite ma Therefore, it was thought sharks This showed that sharks were capable nipulandum was used in operant condi weren't capable of learned responses of being "instrumentally conditioned," tioning as a reliable response detection (Myberg, 1976). It was later found that and of being trained to perform simple system and made it possible to obtain sharks were capable of being "instru associative actions. schedule of reinforcement data mentally conditioned" to perform Misconceptions about the shark (Strength, 1981). simple associative actions (Ellis, 1976). and its abilities exist. Two new findings The next step was to actually train The purpose of this experiment will be addressed in this research. or condition the shark to come to the was to modify the bite manipulandum One belief that has been dis manipulandum and bite the nipple. designed by V. Strength, D. F. McCoy proved was the image of the shark as a and L. Hull for use with the nurse shark "swimming nose." It was believed that METHODS AND MATERIALS (Ginglymostoma ciTTatum). The bite they did not have good vision and that The shark used for this research was manipulandum was used in operant sharks used their sense of smell as a the nurse shark ( Ginglymostoma conditioning as a reliable response guide for mobility. Over the past years ciTTatum). detection system. there has been some research done on A tank holding 300 gallons The experiment included two the vision of sharks. It's been deter (1363.83 liters) of salt water housed the phases. Phase I used light as a stimulus mined that sharks are capable of shark. A salt water mix of Marine and Phase II used a stimulus of an differentiating colors and patterns Environment Dual Phase Formula was electric field to condition the shark. The (Ellis, 1976). The role of vision in the mixed with fresh water to achieve a purpose of conducting two phases was sharks life is virtually unknown, but salinity level of 24-28 parts per thou to determine whether a stimulus of light visual adaptations are so sophisticated sand needed for the survival of the or a stimulus of electric current would that the impression is given that vision nurse shark. The water temperature effectively condition the nurse shark must play and important role in their was maintained at 78° F (25S C). Wa and which was more effective. lives (U.S. Navy, 1975). ter parameters were monitored at 0.6 The results gathered from Phase I A discovery made in 1971 found ppm for ammonia, 8.0-8.5 for pH, 0.75 and Phase II showed that the nurse that sharks can fmd their prey and ppm for nitrite, and 100-200 ppm for shark was capable of responding to the orient themselves in the open sea by the nitrate. device when a stimulus was presented. detection of electric fields. The nurse Water quality was maintained by The data further proved that either light shark is capable of responding to field recirculation of the water through a or an electric current could be used of voltage as low as 100 millionths of a wet/ dry filter. with the bite manipulandum in the con volt per centimeter with the use of their Two light fixtures were placed on ditioning of the nurse shark. Ampullae of Lorenzini (Kalmijn, 1978). mechanical timers to give the shark 12 This paper will deal with the de hours of light per day with now allow velopment of the modified bite manipu ance for seasonal changes. INTRODUCTION landum for use with the nurse shark. The bite manipulandum d~signed Over the past decades there has been The research had several purposes. The by Vernon Strength, D. F. McCoy, and very little research done on the behav first was to prove that the modified bite Larry Hull was modified with use with ior of sharks held in captivity. In the manipulandum will give reliable the nurse shark. 1960's, there was a belief that sharks response data and to determine The original manipulandum had a were inferior to bony fish and higher whether a stimulus of light or a stimulus rubber lams nipple mounted on clear vertebrates in the extent to which their of electric current produces the best 0.24 in. (0.64 em) plexiglass with behavior could be modified through the response. The second purpose was to silicone cement. Two holes were drilled learning process. Recent work has show that the nurse shark is capable of in the plexiglass to allow rear access to shown that young nurse sharks and being instrumentally conditioned. the nipple chamber. One hole was for a lemon sharks could be trained as easily The first step of the research flexible feeding tube (outside diameter 3 DRUM & CROAKER SUMMER 1990 -VOLUME 22, No.4 0.44 in.

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