Pipefish, crocodiles, ships and other adventures on Lake Gatun

               I just returned from a 5-day sampling trip to Lake Gatun, based out of Barro Colorado Island (BCI) – a nature reserve located in the middle of the lake.  This is one my primary sampling sites, as it’s one of the few places in Panama where the initial introduction of the Peacock bass in the early 1970s was well-documented, allowing us to quantitatively compare contemporary and historical data, and so track how the invasion has progressed over time.  BCI is one of the world’s premiere tropical research stations, and it’s always exciting to be working at a place where so much groundbreaking ecological research has taken place (there was a BBC film crew filming there during this most recent stay!!!).
               We saw lots of interesting aquatic wildlife, including crocodiles (who continue to damage our gill-nets), several species of native and introduced cichlids, and something we have never seen before: the tiny Opossum pipefish (Microphis brachyurus lineatus). Like their relatives the sea horses, the males carry the eggs in a brood pouch under the body.

Vieja (Paraneetroplus maculicauda), a native cichlid. Photo: D. Sharpe

Luis cast-netting near the mouth of a river flowing off Barro Colorado Island. Photo: D. Sharpe

Opossum pipefish (Microphis brachyurus lineatus). Photo: D. Sharpe

One of our sampling sites near the shore of Barro Colorado Island, Lake Gatun. Photo: D. Sharpe

               While setting our gill-nets one morning, Luis spotted this pair of flag cichlids (Mesonautus festivus), guarding their recently hatched young.  This is also an introduced species, likely an aquarium escapee.

      Finally, how cool is it to drive through the Panama Canal on your way to work?