Bloody Bill
Article Category: Shark Report
Carcharodon carcharias, the Great White Shark By Bloody Bill I would like to send this one out to the Artz family. We’re all beachside residents, and one of ours has recently suffered a great loss. Our heart goes out to ya’ll. Lisa Artz will definitely be missed. Though this article is from my pen, it’s not a “true” Bloody Bill article, by which I mean that the circumstances under which it was written were pretty weird. Sightings of this creature have increased of late,... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Bloody Bill, Shark Report
Trachinotus carolinus, the Florida Pompano After nearly six years, Bloody Bill has run his course on sharks, so it’s about time he uses his knowledge of the many other amazing species you might see out there. I started this thing educate readers and to learn to love what I’ve grown to love about the ocean and the creatures that inhabit the waters in our area. Peoples like the Bussens, the Fishes, and the Myers know more about these fish than I ever could, but I’ll do my best to... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Shark Report
Orectolobus ornatus, the Ornate Wobbegong Shark By Bloody Bill So many things have happened this month: we all went to the Keys, had a great time, threw rocks at iguanas, saw a chupacabra… But have to give the highlight of the month to our own April Green Peters and Sean Duncan Slater, who were married right here in Cocoa Beach this month on November 19. All us boys were very proud to be in attendance for your great day, and wholeheartedly wish the both of ya’ll the best in your lives... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Shark Report
Shark Report: The Ghost Shark Callorhinchus milii By Bloody Bill I just got back on land after a couple of weeks out at sea. Great boat, good food, fun times. I didn’t get to see anything too crazy, but this trip’s crew and my colleagues more than made up for it. Captain Paul and Jody of the RV Tommy Munro — ya’ll were great, as always. Our awesome principle investigators, Mandy and Grant — you were phenomenal. (The day crew still rocks, no matter what Grant says!)... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Shark Report
Hexanchus griseus, the Bluntnose Sixgill Shark By Bloody Bill There are so many big, crazy-looking, and primitive sharks out there. It’s rare to encounter one that meets all of these criteria. This month’s species is one that can be described by all the aforementioned characteristics, and sharks in this family have some of the most interesting and unusual jaws that were in my collection. I introduce you to Hexanchus griseus, the bluntnose sixgill shark. The commercial fishermen I’ve... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Shark Report
Carcharhinus signatus, the Night Shark • Bloody Bill • It seems to be getting harder and harder to come up with sharks from our area to profile. Well, have no fear faithful readers, I’ve got a good one for ya. I recently talked to a friend of mine from one of the boats I worked on, and he reminded me of a shark we used to talk about, one I’d always wanted to encounter. You see, I worked on shark boats for many years. I often miss the fishing and the excitement of hunting down some... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Shark Report
Mobula hypostoma, the Atlantic devil ray Betcha didn’t think we had two similar looking manta-like rays in our waters, did ya? Well, I couldn’t write about last month’s species and not tell ya’ll about this one, could I? Our area is home to some amazing species, and I never knew about this one till I started working out on the local fishing boats. Even I was confused when I first saw it; although it looked like a baby manta ray, there was something about it that looked…... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Shark Report
Shark Report: The Manta Ray Manta birostris, the Manta Ray As I was ruminating on sharks of past features and the potentials for future ones, it was suggested by someone that I cover not a shark, but a ray. Although this is a shark journal, rays are in fact related to sharks. Rays are something that many of ya’ll have seen out in our waters, so I figured I’d give you the rundown on the suggestion from our old bro, T.J. It can and will be confused with some of the sharks we see in the... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Shark Report
Etmopterus hillianus, the Blackbelly Dogfish This is an article that I really didn’t expect to write. For the last two months I’ve been out in the Gulf of Mexico, doing the offshore work that’s sometimes required for my real job. Make no mistake about it my friends, the oil is out there. I’ve seen it, and it’s not pretty. There is hope though; our trip was a success. The FWC stepped up when others couldn’t. We made things happen, and I’m very proud and lucky... [Read more...]
Bloody Bill
Article Category: Shark Report
Poroderma pantherinium, the Leopard Catshark I always seem to be rushing to finish up my articles before $2 tacos and $1 drafts at Taco City… This is the fourth in my series of ongoing reports of common sharks we may see in our local aquariums, restaurants, and pet shops. This month’s species is one that caught my eye several years ago at a small aquarium in the northeast. Its amazing coloration was the first thing that caught my eye. My friend Summer had actually suggested this species... [Read more...]
