Carmen Ritter ⎈

like a fish, but with legs 𓆟
marine biologist. @SmithsonianEnv research associate.
@USCG captain. @PADI divemaster. adventurer.
ask me about weird amphipods

[IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group @IUCNShark]

Mitigating the effect of by‐catch on endangered marine life https://t.co/t3Ko7KntY7

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

July amphipod of the month, as represented in true Aussie fashion: in the foam of a cappuccino. Perhaps a Protohyale sp? You be the judge.
Maybe next time I'll try to be a bit more phenotypically accurate #AOTM

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

Happy June! Already halfway through the year, and our amphipod of the month can't quite believe it, either. #AOTM

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

It MAY be late, but the month isn't over yet! Our amphipod of the month 𝘋𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪 hails from Australia. #AOTM

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

HOW COOL to have our seagrass project featured on the NSF site! Stay tuned for some new science from this dataset coming soon

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

How cute is this little one? She looks ready to welcome the change of season. Happy April from your amphipod of the month, 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘺𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘰. #AOTM

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

this might be a science account, but everyone now needs to appreciate the FIRST FEMALE FINISHER OF THE RACE THAT EATS ITS YOUNG!!!
I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED

[Keith @keithdunn]

Jasmin Paris @JasminKParis finished loop five of the #BM100 in 59:58:21.

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

life got in the way of the 'pods recently. to make up for this egregious oversight, here's double trouble showcasing some beautiful sexual dimorphism in this caprellid amphipod.
happy feb/march amphipod of the month(s) #AOTM

[Sonke Johnsen @sonkelab]

The hyperiid amphipod Phronima brooding eggs in a structure made out of a parasitized salp. When the eggs hatch, the Phronima will swim the young around in this structure. Imagine being turned into a baby buggy for another animal. On top are two of the four of the animal’s eyes.

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

I can't just choose one amphipod of the month (for now at least), because I just published this paper that emphasizes how they are ALL so important to our global oceans, and we need to take stock of our crusty comrades before we start losing them. Enjoy!

https://t.co/KufX0CnPJV

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

Happy December from this ~Christmas Island~ resident. Fitting, no? The amphipod of the month is 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘦, and she would like some nice algae snacks from Santa this year

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

November is running away from us so quickly, but with these Aorid legs, our amphipod of the month 𝘉𝘦𝘮𝘭𝘰𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘢𝘦 won't be left behind. He hails from the deep waters off of Japan. Check out Kodama and Kawamura 2019 for more!

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

Amphipod of the month is a female 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘴.
I usually share males for their funky gnathopods, but check out this lady!
Oostegite brood pouches of caprellids hold live young for a short period of time after they've hatched. Kangaroos of the sea? WOW #AOTM

[Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) @MBLScience]

It's #MicroscopyMonday, so let's take a peek into the 🔬 with the amphipod crustacean Parhyale. F-actin (green-Phalloidin), nuclei (blue, DAPI) and eye (red-Elav).

Credit: Diana Carolina Castañeda-Cortés, Nicolas Eduardo Cumplido Salas, Felipe Andres Gajardo Escobar

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

I miss my flat heroes 💔

[SERC Fisheries Conservation Lab @SERCfisheries]

The September #FishOfTheMonth is the #hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus). This small, flat fish is a year-round resident of the #ChesBay and a lab favorite! The name comes from farmers that fed this fish to hogs but would choke on the fish’s scales and bones.

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

#AOTM for September is 𝘌𝘰𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴. Those setae. Those coxae!! What a creature.

[Danté Fenolio, Ph.D. @DanteFenolio]

Developmental stages of a “Humpback Anglerfish” (Melanocetus johnsonii). The stages, youngest to oldest - top to bottom, were all observed during DEEPEND-RESTORE Project research cruises on the Gulf of Mexico.

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

Hey mid-August, meet 𝘈𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘢 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘮
This thicc fellow has a bit of a mixed taxonomic history, but even if we aren't sure his name is correct, we're very sure his antennae are super weird
#AOTM

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

@SERCfisheries @inaturalist 😍

[Carmen Ritter ⎈ @ocean_CRitter]

Our July amphipod of the month is Eusirella multicalceola. These guys don't have much use for eyes, as they're usually found between 500 and 2000m in the NE Pacific. This genus only has 5 species! #AOTM