Thousands of 'penis fish' wash up on Northern California beach - The Union Journal

Thousands of 'penis fish' wash up on Northern California beach - The Union Journal

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Thousands of 'penis fish' wash up on Northern California beach - The Union Journal Posted: 15 Dec 2019 12:00 AM PST A phallic-looking phenomenon occurred more than a Northern California beach a week after a powerful storm discovered tens of thousands of fat innkeeper worms — colloquially called manhood fish — leaving them stranded on the sand. Photographer David Ford was walking across Drake's Beach in Marin County on Dec. 6 with his camera when he detected a huge flock of seagulls that seemed to be munching on some thing on the coast. The overall look of exactly what the birds were eating could be sufficient to get a chuckle from the very mature beachgoer. The seagulls were feasting on fat 10-inch-long innkeeper rats which were spread throughout the shore for miles. Some were obviously dead, but some were glowing red — a hint they had been alive. A stench which Ford clarified as"dead sea monster smell" hung in the air as the birds swarmed. "Each of the seagulls were eating them till they simply could not stand it ," Ford explained. "I walked 40 moments, and that I did not reach the end of those." Fascinated by the scene, Ford delivered his photographs to Bay Nature, which conducts a column called"Ask a Naturalist" to figure out why the sea monsters ended up on the shore. In reaction, biologist Ivan Parr clarified the worms, officially known as Urechis caupoare a species of marine spoonworm that reside between southern Oregon and Baja California. The worms, which aren't often seen because they live burrowed in the sand, have been seen between Bodega Bay and Monterey. Innkeeper worms' unique form lets them develop U-shaped burrows from the muddy sand of low-zone mudflats. The invertebrates consume by producing a slime web that traps tiny pieces of food drifting in the water, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. But, powerful storms and heavy surf may dislodge the creatures in their burrows, which makes them visible to individuals on the coast. "Thus, whether you truly feel privileged by its existence, U. caupo is a almost uniquely California encounter, possibly with the best claim for State Worm," Parr composed. Ford, who's dabbled in photography for the last ten years, frequently goes to the shore to get shots of the elephant seals which take more than the sand this season. "There is always wonders of this sea, but that is one I had not seen previously," he explained. "The sea is in fact a wondrous location."

Goldfish, facts and photos - National Geographic Posted: 09 Oct 2019 06:04 AM PDT Thank the Chinese for today's beloved aquarium mainstay, the goldfish. A type of carp, goldfish were domesticated nearly 2,000 years ago for use as ornamental fish in ponds and tanks. They were seen as a symbol of luck and fortune, and they could only be owned by members of the Song Dynasty.The fish are now ubiquitous in bowls throughout homes, classrooms, and doctor's offices. They even share a name with a cracker, fondly known as the "snack that smiles back."Don't confuse goldfish with its oversized cousin koi, another type of domesticated carp. There's a common misconception that koi are large goldfish, but they are distinct species.Not always goldGoldfish weren't always, well, gold.Prussian carp, from which goldfish were domesticated, are traditionally a dull, gray-green hue. But mutations and breeding over the years created goldfish' signature orange, red, and yellow pigments found in the over a hundred varieties of the fish today. Goldfish first arrived in Europe in the 1600s and the United States in the 1800s, becoming what is likely the first foreign fish species introduced to North America. (Read more about the history of goldfish here.)Goldfish have two sets of paired fins and three sets of single fins. They don't have barbels, sensory organs some fish have that act like taste buds. Nor do they have scales on their heads. They also don't have teeth and instead crush their food in their throats.The fish are known for having large eyes and great senses of smell and hearing. Their ability to hear comes from small bones near their skull that link their swim bladder and their inner ear.If you feel like a challenge, try counting the number of scales on a goldfish. It should have between 25 and 31. Then, estimate its length. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world's longest pet goldfish is 18.7 inches and is owned by a man in the Netherlands.In the wildGoldfish go from cute to villainous when released into the wild. They're known to carry disease and parasites, as well as breed with wild carp in the area.Between 3,000 and 4,000 goldfish were discovered in a lake near Boulder, Colorado, in 2015, and researchers have even found large goldfish in Lake Tahoe.The fish's size is usually constrained by the size of its tank. But with enough food, proper water temperatures, and ample room to roam, goldfish can balloon.People around the world occasionally pull in monster goldfish, a far cry from the miniature versions we're accustomed to. A British teen caught a whopping five-pounder in 2010, and a fisherman on Michigan's Lake St. Clair snagged a three-pounder in 2013.Commercial fishermen on the Great Lakes have started making a profit from the invasive species. The almost 90,000 pounds of goldfish caught in Michigan in 2015 brought in nearly $70,000 in revenue.In 2015, the Canadian government begged people to stop releasing their pets into ponds. As an invasive species, it can harm native fish populations by disrupting sediment with its feeding habits, scooting along the bottom of a body of water and stirring up dirt. Sometimes goldfish even eat the eggs of native critters, like salamanders in Idaho, or disturb vegetation other fish want to munch on too.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends pet owners who no longer want their goldfish either put it up for adoption (yes, furry friends aren't the only pets that might get a second chance on life) or ask a local vet or pet store how to humanely euthanize and dispose of it.There's even an aquarium in Paris that takes in otherwise unwanted goldfish. Flushing them down the toilet? Mon Dieu!An adaptable, intelligent fishGoldfish are a hardy aquatic species. They can deal with temperature fluctuations, changes in pH, cloudy water, and even low dissolved oxygen levels.If released into the wild, goldfish can group up into what's called a school. But they don't need companions to be happy in captivity and are fine if kept separately in a tank.Because they're not an aggressive species, they can be paired in a tank with fish that aren't vastly different in size. They're also smarter than may meet the eye. Researchers found that they can be trained to tell the difference between Bach and Stravinsky's classical music.In captivity, goldfish usually eat pellet or flake food. Supplements, however, are recommended to better mimic their natural diet. In nature, they eat worms, larvae, small crustaceans like brine shrimp, and even salad fixings like peas and lettuce. It's recommended that goldfish owners add greenery to the bowl since the fish like eating live plants.

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