Recent News
5 Ft Long Dead Moray Eel Washes Up On BeachTuesday, August 20, 2013
[Updated] What appears to be a dead eel was found washed up on an east end beach this afternoon [Aug 20].
Bermuda Zoological Society's "Reef Watch"
Monday, August 19, 2013
The Bermuda Zoological Society is hosting a “Reef Watch” on Saturday, August 31, which is designed to raise funds for reef conservation. Boats will depart at 12 noon, and the field report and dinner will take place at Barr’s Park from 4pm to 7pm.
Volunteers wanted for Island's first Reef Watch
Monday, August 19, 2013
The Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) is calling all citizen scientists to help them carry out a health check on one of Bermuda’s most valuable resources — its coral reef system.
BAMZ curator hopes dolphin is outside the reefline
Friday, August 16, 2013
Authorities are still on the lookout for the lone dolphin that was feared stranded in Somerset Long Bay.
UK Zoo continues work with Bermuda skinks
Thursday, August 15, 2013
After finding themselves a new home in the Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom earlier this summer, the troubled Bermuda skink is getting a new chance at success as a species as zoo officials begin putting together a guide aimed at helping those with a hand in conservation services on the island to more easily breed and protect the highly endangered lizard.
About
GovernanceAbout Us
Board of Directors
Contact Us
Newsletter
Latest News
Gift & Bookstore
Contact
General Inquiries
info@bzs.bm
Latest News
All the latest updates and news from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, one of Bermuda's leading visitor attractions!
By Owain Johnston-Barnes
Published Dec. 3, 2013 at 8:00 am (Updated Dec. 2, 2013 at 10:33 pm)
The yellowfin chromis, one of two species recently recognised
as being endemic to Bermuda by the Smithsonian Institution.
A pair of Bermuda fish species have been recognised by the Smithsonian Institution as being unique to Bermuda’s waters.
The yellowfin chromis and the Collette’s halfbeak have been classified as endemic to Bermuda in an update to the authoritative 1999 Fishes of Bermuda publication. Both species have been known in Bermuda’s waters for some time but were only recently determined to be endemic.
Report writers William Smith-Vaniz and Bruce Collette also identified differences between the endemic Bermuda creole wrasse and its Caribbean relatives, suggesting they may also prove to be endemic.
“We recently became aware of two colour photographs, one of a school and the other of a single individual ... of wrasses from Bermuda (Lucas 2012) identified as clepticus parrae,” the researchers wrote.
The Collette’s halfbeak, one of two species recently recognised as being endemic
to Bermuda by the Smithsonian Institution. ((Photo credit to Heidi M. Banford))
“Terminal phase adults are distinctive in having very elongate outer caudal-fin rays, mostly solid blue body and fins and a bright yellow snout. We predict that subsequent research will show these fish to be another Bermuda endemic. All records of clepticus parrae from Bermuda apparently are based on misidentification of this undescribed clepticus.”
They noted the terminal male yellowhead wrasse, called “Redbacks” locally, have different colouration than its counterparts elsewhere in the region.
The Smithsonian also listed several species not previously known to reside in Bermuda, such as the whitenose pipefish, the roughtail stingray, a deepwater opah and blackear wrasse.
A Bermuda Zoological Society spokeswoman said: “In all, 24 new records were listed, and five older records have been discounted as errors, reminding us that we still have much to discover about life on our reefs and that diligent citizen scientists, fishermen and naturalists all have key roles to play.”
The research paper is available at the Natural History Museum Library at the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo.