A
Strange Discovery...
A strange discovery was made this week on Ventry beach, just a few miles from
us by Kevin Flannery, a Marine expert and Director of the Aquarium. Kevin found
around 10 Phronima Sedentaria, a deep water species. This animal is thought to
be the inspiration behind the Alien Queen Xenomorpha Regina from the movie Aliens.
The Phronima is a parasite which invades the host tunicate, hollowing out it’s
body to create a barrel shaped ‘house’ which the Phronima then carries
around with it. It then lays it’s eggs inside giving extra protection to
it’s young. The Phronima had very large eyes which face upward, helping
it to spot any light penetrating the deep sea. It is an amphipod, meaning different
footed’, it’s first pair of legs have claws which it uses to carve
out the inside of it’s living host.
Phronima are normally found in deep water and have a worldwide distribution
but are rarely found close to shore. This is definitely an ‘Alien’ to
Ventry!
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European
Fish Week 2011.
As part of European Fish Week 2011, which runs from
4 - 12 June, Dingle Oceanworld will have a display based
on the Traffic Light System produced by the Irish Wildlife
Trust. This is based on a Sustainable Seafood Guide
and the traffic lights will point out to members of
the public what seafood is safe to eat (green) or not
(red). Fish which are in the aquarium and on the seafood
guide will have a traffic light
at their tank with information on that fish.
We will also be launching our Seafood Guide, also following
the traffic light system.
Further information on fisheries and current problems with overfishing will be displayed on the noticeboard near the Shark Tank.
We hope this helps you in your understanding of the problems that fish populations face at the moment!
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Oceanworld Aquarium Summer Camp
Children Ages 8 to 12 years
July 4th –- 8th, 10am —- 3pm daily
5 Day Summer Camp includes:
...Interactive Classes, Experiments, Fieldtrip to seashore (weather permitting),
art & crafts activities.
€ 90 per child
Booking is essential as places are limited
Tel: 066 9152111
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BREAKING NEWS!!!!
New Polar Penguin Exhibition Now Open
Bringing a piece of the Antarctic to Dingle in Co Kerry.
New Polar Penguin Display is now open at Oceanworld and is proving a great hit with all our visitors. The exhibition is home to 12 Gentoo Penguins, the natural habitat of these penguins is around the Falkland Islands. The Penguins are kept in as natural an environment as possible with polar air temperatures as well as a constant flow of chilled water and ice. The Penguins are caprive bred, 6 have come from Edinburgh Zoo and the other 6 have come from Oceanopolis Aquarium in France.
Admission Tickets are valid all day, customers can come and go throughout the day if they wish.
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