Museum of Tropical Queensland and Reef HQ Aquarium

Carden Wallace shows us her staghorn coral collection

Learning from the Master

On our third day (June 13) we visited the Museum of Tropical Queensland where Carden Wallace, author of Staghorn Corals of the World, showed us the impressive coral collection. The stacks behind us in the picture are moving stacks, filled with shelves, each shelf holding many coral samples from throughout the Pacific and the world. What a thrill to learn from the one who wrote the book! She gave us our first introduction to coral growth forms and how the environment can shape the way a coral grows.

Later, we had the opportunity to spend the night at the Aquarium. There are two gigantic tanks, one with the large carnivorous fish (and a turtle), and one with the reef replica, live corals, invertebrates and small fish. We toured the aquarium with flashlights (or torches, as they are called here) and saw all the nocturnal creatures, including the coral polyps, which usually only come out at night to feed, making the coral look fuzzy.

At the aquarium we discovered two new species, the stevesawfish and the invisible shark (see pictures). We also learned that some fish change sex! They switch from female to male after they have reached an appropriate size for the species.

Behold the ferocious Steve-sawfish!

Contact Dr. Philip Pepe in Australia!
E-mail phil.pepe@pcmail.maricopa.edu