Essential Rhythm 9/9/21: Sand Shrimp

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode describes Cragnon septemspinosa, a small shrimp found in shallow coastal water and estuaries along the western Atlantic.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

Essential Rhythm 9/2/21: Leaves that crawl

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode describes the sacoglossan sea slugs, a group of gastropods known for feeding on the cellular sap of algal cells. One species, Elysia chlorotica, is of particular interest for its ability to ingest chloroplasts intact and incorporate them into their own tissues.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

Essential Rhythm 8/19/21: Sea Slugs of Maine Part 2

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

In this episode we discuss the other large group of nudibranchs found in Maine waters, the aeolid nudibranchs. Key features include the respiratory and digestive aspects of their cerata and their use of kleptocnidae as a defense tactic.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

Essential Rhythm 8/12/21: Sea Slugs in Maine

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode introduces one of the groups of sea slugs found in the Gulf of Maine region: the dorid nudibranchs. Their general anatomy and reproductive signs are discussed.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

Essential Rhythm 8/5/21: Snails without shells

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode introduces some of the evolutionary hallmarks of shell less gastropods-the sea slugs and nudibranchs.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

Essential Rhythm 7/22/21: Keeping track of the rocky intertidal

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

In this episode I discuss the science wing of the National Park Service and describe the long term intertidal monitoring project in Acadia National Park that I participate in, including the types of data collected and the way the data could be used for park management.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

Essential Rhythm 7/8/21: I found a snail-It’s really big!

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode covers moon snails, sub tidal predatory snails of mud and sand bottoms. We describe their shell characteristics, feeding ecology and most common signs of activity (including bore holes on prey shells) as well as their ability to generate copious volumes of mucus.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

Essential Rhythm 7/1/21: I found a snail: It’s a dog whelk

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode describes dog whelks, a species of carnivorous snail common in the Gulf of Maine intertidal. Topics include their feeding strategies, including using a proboscis and an accessory boring organ, and their reproductive strategy.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.