Photo of the Week

We are excited to bring back our Photo of the Week section so stay tuned for new content coming soon! In the meantime, take a look at these fantastic pictures from our teachers.

Just what IS “plankton,” anyway? Does this small swimming crab count?

February 27, 2017
TAS ’15 DJ Kast found this swimming crab in a plankton sample collected off the mid-Atlantic bight.

Photo: DJ Kast

What are plankton? Plankton is a Greek-based word that means drifter or wanderer. This suits these organisms well since they are not able to withstand the current and are constantly adrift. Plankton are usually divided by size (pico, nano, micro, meso, macro, mega). In the plankton tows, we are primarily focused on the macro, meso and megaplankton that are usually with in the size range of 0.2- 20 mm (meso), 2-20 cm (macro), and above 20 cm (mega) respectively.
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12 photos for crab · Clear

This Earth Week, Celebrate BiodiversityApril 19, 2021You can come out now, buddy, 2020 is over!January 4, 2021While this bashful crab might be too shy to admit it, we aren’t: WE <3 TEACHERS!May 4, 2020Two Blue CrabsJanuary 13, 2020Consulting the GuideDecember 3, 2018Just what IS “plankton,” anyway? Does this small swimming crab count?February 27, 2017Just what IS “plankton,” anyway? Does this small swimming crab count?February 27, 2017Let it snow crab, let it snow crab, let it snow crab…December 12, 2016Not surprisingly, the common name for this deep sea species is “porcupine crab.”November 28, 2016Northern stone crabMay 26, 2014“Camouflage in the Sargassum. Can you spot the crabs?”April 28, 2014“The flaming box crab, Calappa flammea, uses its scissor-like claws to act as a can opener. It has a special modified appendage to open hermit crabs in this way.” – Kaitlin BairdJanuary 7, 2013