MBL March Madness: Out of Towners Division

Organisms in the "Out of Towners" MBL March Madness Division 2022

Credit: Emily Greenhalgh

By Emily Greenhalgh March 17, 2022

Woods Hole is bursting with biodiversity, but it doesn't have everything. Scientists at the 91�鶹�� study organisms from all over the world. Important biological models—including zebrafish, Xenopus, and some cephalopod species—are cultured at the MBL to give our researchers (and researchers around the world) access to these biological samples. Here are a few organisms that travel from far and wide to be part of MBL research.

Meet the Organisms:

Lesser Pacific Striped Octopus

The lesser Pacific striped octopus (Octopus chierchiae) lives in the Pacific waters of Central America and can often be found by small rocks, shells, and cracks in the intertidal zone. 91�鶹�� Cephalopod Mariculture team successfully bred O. chierchiae through multiple generations in 2019 — a global first.

Learn More About the Lesser Striped Pacific Octopus

Chain Catshark

Chain catshark (Scyliorhinus retifer) is a small species of shark that lives in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. They spend most of their time resting on the seafloor, where they attach pairs of egg cases to rocks. The eggs hatch after 8 to 12 months. Scientists at the 91�鶹�� study the development of catshark eggs to better understand human growth and development.

Learn more about Chain Catsharks

Sea Lamprey

The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is an aggressive parasite that is considered a pest in many regions, including the U.S. Great Lakes. An ancient vertebrate, its lineage diverged from that of humans about 500 million years ago. Scientists study lampreys to help gain molecular understanding of human neurodegenerative disease and neurological disorders and to better understand the genetic basis of regeneration.

Learn more about the sea lamprey

Zebrafish

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a small freshwater fish native to southeast Asia and a popular model system for human genetic disease research as well as for studying vertebrate gene function. Zebrafish embryos are nearly transparent, which makes them an ideal organism for studying the development of internal structures.

Learn more about zebrafish

MBL March Madness Divisions (2022)

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