PRE & POST ACTIVITIES

THE ELIZABETH RIVER PROJECT LEARNING BARGE THE MUMMICHOG health in the Elizabeth River. His Fahrenheit at 14 ppt salinity. He most recent data shows that liver emerges from mud burrows in the cancer is most prevalent in the spring as the water gets warm. In mummichogs that live in the spawning season, from April to industrialized portion of the September, the color of the males Southern and Eastern branches. becomes distinct. He turns dark This is correlated with greenish brown with bright blue contamination from former creosote spots with a belly color from white The non-migratory killifish called facilities that polluted the river to orange. The females are larger the mummichog , Fundulus bottom with PAHs (polycyclic and pale green with light belly. She herteroclitus , is known to reflect aromatic hydrocarbons). In lays her eggs in marsh leaves, the quality of habitat in which it contrast, fish living in more empty mollusk shells and can lives. These tiny fish live on river residential areas of the river (e.g. tolerate long-term exposure to air. bottom and among the marsh Western Branch and Lafayette Two weeks later, on the next spring grasses in shallows. They are River) do not have liver cancer. tide, the eggs hatch. They live for sensitive to toxins and carcinogens about three years. and when exposed to elevated UMummichog Facts: U This killifish is concentrations of contamination, found in brackish and coastal UInteresting facts :U The mummichog they can develop cancer in their waters along the east coast of the eggs are used in teaching, because livers. Because the health of this United States. It grows up to 5 it is possible to see the eyes and tiny fish is a direct result of where it inches (130 mm) and is a year- beating heart. The fish have been lives, it is important to track the round resident. Its Native American used as natural method of mosquito mummichog in order to track name means “they go in great control in marsh ponds and ditches. progress with cleaning up the numbers”. It is an important food It has been reported that one contaminated Elizabeth River source for larger fish and is often mummichog can eat as many as bottom. It is expected that high used as bait. It also feeds on other 2,000 mosquito larvae a day. rates of cancer in the mummichog insects, small fish, crustaceans and will be reduced as the river bottom plant material. is cleaned up. U Anatomy & Habitat: U The mummichog can tolerate a wide UScience :U Dr. Wolfgang Vogelbein of Virginia Institute of Marine range of salinities and rather high temperatures, up to 93 degrees Science tracks the mummichog’s