7
NEWS
STXÇÎ OF THE SÉX
LOCAL BIOLOGIST PRESENTS EXAMPLES OF CRANIAL WEAPON MORPHOLOGY AT CCC
STÖRY BY ANDREW GRIFFIN
STAFF WRITER
Apparently, deer and fish have a lot more in
common than we thought. On January 23,
Thaddaeus Buser, a biologist with a master’s degree
in fishery, who is currently working in obtaining
his Ph.D ., visited CCC to give a presentation on
cranial weapon morphology — simply put- —
how different animals in nature use “ weaponry”
such as spines or antlers on their heads.
In the presentation, Buser examined one
creature in particular, that creature being the
sculpin, a fish that’s found in various habitats,
including along the Oregon coast. Sculpins have
one main characteristic that makes them stand out
from other fish —4they have two relatively large,
spiney bones on the sides of their head, which
are used for a myriad of reasons. If a predator
attacks a sculpin, they can extend these bones to
fend off their would-be assailant. They can also
use them to battle rival males in brutal duels
where one male tries to puncture the skull of the
other. Because o f this intense form of interspecies
combat, Buser has taken to calling sculpin “ the
stags of the sea” because their combative behavior
mirrors that seen in many male land mammals
such as deer and bighorn sheep. Along with this
battle for mates, sculpin will claim rocks for
their own that they are fiercely protective of,
chasing away any rival males who come near.
Buser has spent years studying these fascinating
fish and has made several discoveries about them,
the most interesting of which being just how much
the different species of sculpin differ with their
bone structure. Some species’ facial weaponry
grow as.they mature, while some species’ shrink.
They also vary in function. Certain species are
more inclined to use the bones for mating and
some use them more for defense against predators.
Another discovery Buser made was concerning
facial symmetry. In sculpin, the face of the fish
is highly asymmetrical. I f you were to compare
faces of sculpin, you’d find that one half of one
species face cari match the corresponding half of
another species face more than it matches its own
face — this could be due to a number of reasons,
though it’s likely due to the extended facial
bones, which can cause this kind of asymmetry.
Apparently, the spines of a sculpin are a very
unique tool among aquatic life. According to
Buser, “ They have a unique adaptation of their
skull, no other fish has the ability to rotate that
one bone away from the rest of the skull.” Buser
hopes that the presentation informed students
about the often-overlooked diversity found on
the Oregon coast. “ You don’t have to travel to
the tropics or a coral reef somewhere to see a
diversity of interesting fish that are beautiful in
and of themselves,” Buser said. “ All the major
river systems around here have sculpins in
them, and there’s lots that you can do to get to
know them better and see how cool they are.”
This talk was given as part of 'a series of STEM
talks at CCC. The next talk titled “ The Highwire
Act of Adolescence” will take place February
28 in the Harmony West Community Room.
Clackamas Print
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January 29,2020