Dive into the Panamanian Reefs
with Harvard's Invertebrate Zoology class
Expedition Overview
This expedition takes me into the coral reefs off the coast of Panama.
As part of a Harvard
class, I had the opportunity to explore the underwater world of Bocas del Toro
Research Station, owned and operated by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
Join me as I explore the marine invertebrates of Panama.
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| The view from the dock of the research station at Bocas del Toro |
Expedition Background
The department of Organismic and
Evolutionary Biology (OEB) at Harvard offers a wide range of classes to both
undergraduate and graduate students.
Among them is a particular class called OEB 51: Biology and Evolution of Invertebrate Animals.
After hearing rave reviews, I
decided to take the plunge into an area of biology that I was not so familiar
with.
The class turned out to be one of
the best classes I’ve ever taken at Harvard. The class introduced me to the
wide range of invertebrates that inhabit this world: from sponges and jellyfish
to worms to crustaceans and arthropods (insects to you and me).
A highlight of the class was a
field trip during the March break to Bocas del Toro Research Station in Panama
to study and learn about invertebrates in the wild.
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| Just landed in Panama. Geared up and ready to go. |
The Team
The class was led by an all-star teaching staff:
Professor Gonzalo Giribet, Ph.D: An expert on all types of invertebrates, from
the obscure pygnogonids to the famous daddy long leg spiders (
Opiliones), Professor Giribet encourages
his students to go beyond the books and class material to cultivate a genuine
passion and interest for the animals he studies.
Having conducted field work on both land and
sea, Professor Giribet is a real life, modern day Indiana Jones. Once to
several times a year, Professor Giribet would pack his gear and head out into
the field to gather data on a wide range of invertebrates.
With the information in tow, he heads back to
his lab at Harvard to analyze his findings. With cutting edge genetic tools at
his disposal, Professor Giribet has redefined our understanding of invertebrate
evolution.
Professor Cassandra Extavour, Ph.D: A world authority on
developmental biology and genetics, Professor Extavour instills a deep
understanding of how organisms go from being single celled zygotes to fully
formed embryos.
Her lab specializes in
the evolution of developmental processes (called “Evo-Devo” by scientists). Her
passion for biology and expertise in her field inspires her students to
investigate the processes that are fundamental to our development as organisms and
to question the details we think we understand. With skillful combination of
intense intelligence, focus, and relaxed humor, Professor Extavour makes
learning a blast! An accomplished singer and fluent in Spanish, Professor Extavour
is as much an inspiring mentor as she is an outstanding teacher.
Ben “Aqui” Ewen-Campen: A graduate student working on his
Ph.D thesis, Ben makes learning about complex developmental process an enjoyable and humorous
undertaking. Passionate about development and the genetic underpinnings of the
process, Ben has analyzed the genetic pathways of numerous organisms.
His humor and trademark phrase, “dude, that
was gnarly,” will forever stick in the minds of his students.
The Expedition
While I’ve had field experiences that range from the deserts
of Nevada to the tropics of China, I spend most of my time with my head above
water.
However, the OEB 51 field trip to
Bocas del Toro was a marine expedition. And it did not
disappoint.
 |
| The station's dock |
 |
| Working at the outdoor lab at Bocas del Toro Research Station |
 |
| Our indoor lab |
 |
| The launch station that houses all our scuba gear |
Each day, we woke at 7 am, gathered for a breakfast of fresh
fruit, oatmeal, cereal, and eggs, and geared up for a full day on and under the
water. Usually, when I gear up, I grab
my pack, water bottle, tongs, camera, and I’m good to go. But for this expedition, gearing up mean
putting on your wetsuit, wetsuit boots and making sure you had your mask, fins,
gloves, snorkel, and collection bag. Even though we were in the tropics,
staying on the coast brought the humidity and temperature down
considerably.
 |
| A sloth greets us on our first day at the research station |
 |
| "Oh Hai! Didn't see you there." |
 |
| "Umm, do you know how to get to the nearest tree?" |
 |
| A spiny lobster. |
 |
| Getting close and personal with a spiny lobster. |
One of my projects was the identification of sea
cucumbers. With the ability to completely regenerate any part of its
body, the sea cucumber ejects its intestines
to defend itself. But since all sea cucumbers look alike, how do you
tell one species from the next? The key lies in the skin. Sea
cucumbers produce little glass-like structures out of silica that
provide support for its skin and body. These tiny structures,
visible only through a microscope, are different from species to
species.
 |
Top: Four-sided sea cucumber (Isosticopus badiontus)
Bottom: Sand sea cucumber (Holothuria arenicola) |
 |
| A white-spotted sea cucumber (Actinopyga mauritiana) |
Summary
Outside of returning home with a tan, I came home with a unique experience. SCUBA diving and snorkeling in a
coral reef allowed me to see animals that I had only seen in books.
Being able to get up close and personal with a
sea hare or a giant spider crab or with a sea
cucumber brought the lectures and class readings to life. Looking at a
photo or even watching a video clip of a sea slug is one thing, but
being able to swim around it as it forages for food
is an entirely different experience.
 |
| Organizing our gear for one last time before departing for home |
Professor Gonzalo Giribet, Ph.D: An expert on all types of invertebrates, from
the obscure pygnogonids to the famous daddy long leg spiders (Opiliones), Professor Giribet encourages
his students to go beyond the books and class material to cultivate a genuine
passion and interest for the animals he studies. Having conducted field work on both land and
sea, Professor Giribet is a real life, modern day Indiana Jones. Once to
several times a year, Professor Giribet would pack his gear and head out into
the field to gather data on a wide range of invertebrates. With the information in tow, he heads back to
his lab at Harvard to analyze his findings. With cutting edge genetic tools at
his disposal, Professor Giribet has redefined our understanding of invertebrate
evolution.
Professor Cassandra Extavour, Ph.D: A world authority on
developmental biology and genetics, Professor Extavour instills a deep
understanding of how organisms go from being single celled zygotes to fully
formed embryos. Her lab specializes in
the evolution of developmental processes (called “Evo-Devo” by scientists). Her
passion for biology and expertise in her field inspires her students to
investigate the processes that are fundamental to our development as organisms and
to question the details we think we understand. With skillful combination of
intense intelligence, focus, and relaxed humor, Professor Extavour makes
learning a blast! An accomplished singer and fluent in Spanish, Professor Extavour
is as much an inspiring mentor as she is an outstanding teacher.
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