2009 Aquarium of the Pacific Visitor Guide

Map & Visitor Guide
Welcome to the Aquarium of the Paciﬁc.
Use this guide to ﬁnd special exhibits, programs,
and highlighted animals throughout our
galleries. This year we are focusing on sharks
and rays. Learn about these amazing animals
as you explore the Aquarium.

AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC

First Floor Map
Our Watersheds:
Pathway to Shark 1ST FLOOR
27 the Pacific Lagoon
Our Enhance Your
Watershed
Story Marine Life
Theater
Aquarium of
26
Lorikeet
Forest
the Pacific
Bamboo Explorers
Experience
Bistro Cove
Nectar Hut

Shark 13
Shack Gifts Seals &
Sea Lions
Boeing Blue Southern Visitor
Learning Center Cavern California/
(Reservation 6 Baja Gallery Guide Stop
required)
Look for Visitor
Honda Marine Guide Stops
Display
at exhibits
throughout
Harbor Terrace Northern the Aquarium.
(Shark Zone*) Pacific Preview
The numbers
correspond to
page numbers
Amazing
Pictures in this book.
Honda 6
Theater 7

Honda
Theater
Ticket Kiosk
Tropical Pacific
Preview
Pacific Embossing
Collections Great Hall
Gift Store of the Pacific Stations
Emboss your
visitor guide at our
eight Embossing
Stations. Look for
Main the embossing
Entrance 8
space on the
Tickets
27 Ocean on corner of pages
the Edge 9, 11, 13, 17, 21,
Rios de la Vida 23, 25, and 29.
Fountain Mural

Member
Entrance

*Summer only

2 aquarium visitor guide


Second Floor Map
2ND FLOOR
Stairs to
SHARK LAGOON

Southern
California/
Baja Gallery
Aquarium
Animal Show
Café Scuba Learn about
our animals at
special shows
held throughout
the day at major
Northern exhibits. See
Pacific
Gallery your Today at the
Aquarium insert
for times and
locations.

Tropical
Pacific
Gallery

Aquarium Founding
Sponsor

LEGEND restrooms elevators information
center
child care
station 6 guide
stop

stroller show embossing
dining phones (see today at
parking the aquarium) station

aquarium visitor guide 3


Aquarium Information
Focused on the Pacific Ocean, the Aquarium of the Pacific is organized into
three main galleries, a special exhibits gallery, and the outdoor Explorers Cove,
which features Shark Lagoon, Lorikeet Forest, and the Watershed Exhibit. The
special exhibits gallery features our Ocean on the Edge exhibit, highlighting
ocean issues and shark conservation.

Additional Adventures
The programs below have an additional charge. Please visit the Information Center for times, pricing,
and availability. For advance reservations, please call (562) 590-3100.

Feed a Shark or Ray Lorikeet Nectar
The Feed a Shark experience allows guests to You can purchase a cup of lorikeet nectar
hand-feed a shark or ray on a platform above at the entrance of Lorikeet Forest to hand
the Tropical Reef Habitat. This 30-minute feed our birds.
program is offered daily at 10:15 a.m. and
2:15 p.m. Age restrictions apply. We also offer Critter Chat
a Feed a Ray program in the Ray Touchpool Learn all about animals in a fun, interactive
area twice daily at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. 30-minute classroom program where you
get the chance to meet one of our furry,
New Sharks Behind-the-Scenes Tour scaly, or feathered friends up close and
See what goes on behind the scenes in personal. Available for groups or individuals.
this one-hour guided tour. In addition to Saturdays and Sundays, 2:30 p.m.
visiting parts of the Aquarium generally off
limits to the public, we’ll go into new areas Harbor Tours
to showcase sharks and rays. This tour Tour the Long Beach/Los Angeles Harbors
highlights how we care for our sharks, their with Harbor Breeze Cruises for a 45-minute
fine-tuned physiology, conservation issues, narrated cruise around one of the most
and their importance in the ocean. And active ports in the world.
you still get to go above our largest exhibit
to feed the fish. Age restrictions apply. Whale Watching
Explore the nearby ocean aboard a Coast
Animal Encounters Guard-certified boat to seek out such
This is your chance to feed the animals travelers as whales, dolphins, sea lions,
with a member of our animal care staff. and migratory birds. Seasonal.
Age and height restrictions apply. Advance
reservations required.

3D Film
Dive into the ocean with our 3D film,
A Fish Story. See page 7 for more information.


As you walk through the Aquarium, take note of many special sights. In the
Southern California/Baja Gallery, you can see animals such as sea lions and
rays. On the 2nd floor, in the Northern Pacific Gallery, you can find the
sea otters and puffins. The Tropical Pacific Gallery is also on the 2nd floor
and is home to our coral reef fishes, sea dragons, and more.

General Information

First Aid/Emergencies Restrooms and
Lost & Found Baby Care Station
If possible, please proceed to the Information See map for restroom locations. There
Center near the main entrance or contact are changing stations in the restrooms on
any security associate, otherwise alert the levels one and two and in Shark Lagoon.
nearest staff member. A baby care station is located in the first
floor women’s restroom.
No Smoking or Gum
Smoking, gum, and balloons are not Visitors with
allowed in the Aquarium. Please use trash Disabilities
and recycle bins. Do not toss objects into Wheelchairs are available at the Information
the exhibits. Center. All exhibits are wheelchair acces-
sible. See map for the location of elevators
Visitor Information throughout the Aquarium. Audio tours for
Visit the Information Center, located guests who are blind and copies of show
in the Great Hall of the Pacific near the scripts for those who are deaf or with
main entrance, to inquire about tours, hearing disabilities are available at the
Aquarium membership, and special events. Information Center. Listening devices are
available for Honda Theater as well.
Refreshments
Café Scuba on level two serves a Credit Cards
tasty selection of sandwiches, salads, We accept VISA,
and grilled entrees, including sustainable MasterCard, Discover, and American
seafood. Bamboo Bistro in Explorers Cove Express for admission, membership,
offers pizza, hot dogs, cold beer, and merchandise, and food purchases.
refreshments. The Coffee Cart in the Great
Hall serves coffee, cappuccinos, sodas, and Amazing Pictures
snacks. Harbor Terrace is open seasonally Purchase a unique souvenir of
for sandwiches, salads, and other items. your Aquarium visit with this fun photo
opportunity, located in the Great Hall of
the Pacific.


GREAT HALL OF THE PACIFIC

Great Hall Films 6

Sharks
free to all guests
See our sharks in action in this short
movie shown on eight screens in the
Great Hall. Featuring our very own
Aquarium sharks, this tribute will give
you glimpses of the animals you have

Robin Riggs
seen in Shark Lagoon and throughout the
galleries. Which sharks can you identify?

Whales
A Journey with Giants
Free To All Guests
Step into the wondrous world of whales
in Whales: A Journey with Giants. Through
a compelling multi-sensory experience of
light, sound, and imagery, the Aquarium’s
Great Hall will transform into the under-
water realm of the planet s largest living
planet’s
animal—the blue whale.

AMAZING SHARKS

Sharks ﬁre our imaginations.
The species shown here is a zebra shark, which is a
bottom-dwelling shark. When a zebra shark is a juvenile, its
skin has markings reminiscent of a zebra’s stripes. When it
becomes an adult, the narrow bars change to spots. In Australia,
these sharks are called leopard sharks, in reference to the spotted
appearance of the adults.



Honda Theater Films 7

Shark Smart
Restoring Order in the Ocean
Free to All Guests
Over the last 400 million years, sharks
have played major roles in helping keep
ocean ecosystems in balance, including
coral reefs and seagrass beds. But
recently, a new apex predator has risen
to the top, threatening the order of the
seas. Find out what has been happening
to cause such imbalance and what we can
do to change it. Shown daily at 11:00 a.m.,
1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.

A Fish Story 3D
additional admission charge
A Fish Story is a fun animated tale where
a little fish named Deepo takes audiences
on a journey into his world to meet his
undersea friends. Discover some of the
animals that call the ocean home and find
out how what we do up here affects the
animals down there in the ocean. Catchy
songs, endearing animal characters, and
striking 3D animation teach families
important conservation messages about
the ocean. See theater kiosk for additional 3D
films available.

AMAZING SHARKS
Sh k
Sharks and rays d not
d do
have hard bony jaws that
provide sockets for their teeth.
Therefore, sharks and rays continually
replace worn out or missing teeth
throughout their lives. It is thought
that some sharks may go through up to
30,000 teeth in their lifetime.



Ocean on the Edge Gallery 8

The Aquarium of the Pacific’s Ocean on the Edge gallery highlights important
issues facing our ocean.

Importance of Sharks in Maintaining
Healthy Marine Ecosystems Explore this exhibit to learn
Sharks have been swimming in the ocean for more about:
more than 400 million years—100 million
years before dinosaurs appeared on land. • Shark Conservation
They inhabit the ocean from its deep seas to • Global Climate Change
its coastal wetlands and coral reefs. Sharks
play a vital role in maintaining the health of • Overfishing and Bycatch
marine ecosystems, but today many species • Biodiversity Loss
of sharks that are at the top of the food web,
are in danger of extinction. While many • Ocean Governance
people fear sharks, a greater fear should be
what the consequences of the loss of sharks
will do to the already stressed ocean.
Loss of Wetlands
Ocean Acidification California has destroyed 90 percent of its
Most of the carbon dioxide that is added wetlands. The rapid and widespread decline
to the atmosphere from the burning of is mostly due to coastal development. This
fossil fuels remains in the atmosphere for loss of wetlands, with a mere 13,000 acres
an average of about a century, and then is remaining in Southern California, has led
transferred into the ocean where it remains, to a decline in migratory birds. The Bolsa
on average, for a thousand years or longer. Chica Ecological Reserve is an example of a
This causes a change in the ocean’s pH—its saltwater marsh that is being restored. After
acidity—and makes it difficult for many 107 years of being cut off from the Pacific
organisms to create bones or shells. Ocean, nature has a second chance.
Paul A. Selvaggio



Blue Cavern 9

The Blue Cavern habitat in the Great Hall is
modeled after Blue Cavern Point, a kelp forest
along the northeastern coast of Santa Catalina
Island. This exhibit represents the underwater
habitat you would ﬁnd both along our coast and
around local islands.

KELP BASS OCEAN WHITEFISH
Paralabrax clathratus Caulolatilus princeps

Leopard Shark
Triakis semifasciata

Leopard sharks are among
CALIFORNIA SHEEPHEAD (Female) CALIFORNIA SHEEPHEAD (Male) the most common sharks
Semicossyphus pulcher Semicossyphus pulcher seen off the coast of
California. They prefer
the shallow waters of
bays and estuaries and
occasionally patrol kelp
forests, usually staying
near the bottom. Leopard
sharks are identiﬁed by
their distinct markings.
They can grow up to six
SHOVELNOSE GUITARFISH feet in length. In 2005 the
Rhinobatos productus
CALIFORNIA MORAY EEL Aquarium’s leopard sharks
Gymnothorax mordax participated in a CSULB
study of thermoregulation
to determine how long
they can maintain their
WHITE SEABASS body temperature in
Atractoscion nobilis varied temperature
environments. To view
the report, see the
Conservation link on the
Aquarium’s website, and
look under MCRI.

GIANT SEA BASS
Stereolepis gigas`


FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS

Southern
California/Baja
California/Baja Gallery
From Point Conception to the tip of Baja California, the Southern California
and Baja coasts include a variety of ecosystems. From kelp forests teeming
with life to biologically productive wetlands to extreme environments such
as tidepools, each habitat is home to an array of life forms.

2ND FLOOR Shorebird 12
12 Sanctuary
Rocky
Intertidal

Tidepool
Treasures Ray 13
Discovery Lab Touchpool
Garden
Eels
14
Gulf of
California
surf, Seals
& Sea Lions
Blue
Cavern 9
11 Great Hall
of the
Pacific

1ST FLOOR Spiny
Abalone & Urchins Lobsters Eel
Grass
Breakwater Kelp
Camouﬂage
Pinnacle
Jellies
K
Kelp
Seals & Connection Redondo
Sea Lions Canyon
Amber 11
Forest
Underwater
Viewing Tunnel
Blue
Great Hall
Seals & Cavern 9 of the
Sea Lions Pacific
11

center
child care
station 21 guide
stop



SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA/BAJA GALLERY

Amber Forest 11

Our Amber Forest represents the diversity of
marine life that depends on kelp forests for food,
protection, and breeding.

BLUE ROCKFISH
ZEBRA PERCH
Sebastes mystinus
Hermosilla azurea

California State BLACKSMITH
Marine Fish Chromis punctipinnis
GARIBALDI
Hypsypops rubicundus Horn Shark
Heterodontus francisci

Horn sharks are named
SALEMA after the two horn-like
Xenistius californiensis
SARGO spines in front of their
Anisotremus davidsonii dorsal fins. Adults are
three to four feet long.
These nocturnal animals
SENORITA are fairly sluggish dur-
Oxyjulis californica ing the day and tend to
swim away from people
if approached. Inhabit-
ing the cool, temperate,
Seals & Sea Lions 11
and subtropical regions
of the eastern Pacific,
horn sharks are found
Seals and sea lions live throughout our coastal in coastal areas from
waters. Their local breeding grounds are protected Southern California to
in the Channel Islands National Park and Channel the Gulf of California.
Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
Unlike seals, sea lions have external ear flaps
and large front flippers that they walk around on.
Seals are less agile on land. The California
sea lion (Zalophus californianus) and
harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) are
pinnipeds, animals that have
fin-like flippers, such as seals,
sea lions, and walruses.
CALIFORNIA SEA LION
Zalophus californianus



Rocky Intertidal 12

Tidepools teem with life, including purple sea urchins, giant
green anemones, bat stars, and other invertebrates. Each of
these animals has speciﬁc adaptations to handle the harsh
tidepool conditions.
Every rising tide brings in water rich with food and oxygen.
As the water recedes, it carries away waste, eggs, and larvae SHINER SURFPERCH
to be dispersed in the ocean. Be sure to also visit our Tidepool Cymatogaster aggregata
Treasures Discovery Lab, where you can touch some local marine
residents.

BAT STAR OCHRE SEA STAR WARTY SEA CUCUMBER
Asterina miniata Pisaster ochraceus Parastichopus parvimensis

KELLET’S WHELK GIANT KEYHOLE LIMPET PURPLE SEA URCHIN
Kelletia kelletii Megathura crenulata Strongylocentrotus purpuratus


Shorebird Sanctuary 12

Our Shorebird Sanctuary
represents a tidal wetland,
much like Bolsa Chica
Ecological Reserve.
Callie bowitch

The exhibit features Black-
Tom Grey

necked Stilts, Black-bellied
BLACK-NECKED STILT WESTERN SNOWY PLOVER
Plovers, the endangered Western Himantopus mexicanus C. Alexandrinus nivosus
Snowy Plover, and American
Avocet shorebirds, as well as
Ruddy Ducks. Aquatic animals
such as topsmelt, Paciﬁc
sardines, and black perch are also
on display. This habitat exhibits
Tom Grey

several microecosystems with RUDDY DUCK AMERICAN AVOCET
Nasa

native vegetation. Oxyura jamaicensis Recurvirostra americana



Ray Touchpool 13

Reach into our Ray
Touchpool and gently
feel one of our bat
rays or shovelnose
guitarfish. These
local residents live
along the sandy
bottom of our bays
where they feed on
invertebrates such as Bat ray at the Ray Touchpool
clams and crustaceans.
Some rays have a stinger on their ATTENTION
For the health and
tails. This helps to protect them safety of our animals,
please be gentle!
from predators or may be used if
accidentally stepped on. Our rays
have their stingers painlessly clipped,
so they are safe to touch. Use Only
Two Fingers!
We now offer a Feed a Ray
program. Sign up at the Information Round Ray
Urobatis halleri
Center. See page 4 for more
information. Full-grown round rays are
Do Not Scratch!
about the size of a dinner
plate. Round rays are good
swimmers, propelling
themselves by undulating
Do Not Grab!
the edges of their over-
sized pectoral fins. They
AMAZING SHARKS are capable of substantial
bursts of speed if needed.
They cover themselves
with mud or sand,
leaving only their eyes
and spiracles exposed,
an excellent camouflage
technique.
Sharks have a wide range of sizes, A large number of
appearances, and behaviors. round rays congregate
off Seal Beach, California
The largest fish in the world is the 40-foot seasonally. When visiting
whale shark that feeds on plankton. The a beach such as Seal
sandbar shark can grow up to six feet Beach, it is a good idea to
long as an adult. At the other extreme, a shuffle your feet through
full-grown dwarf shark only reaches seven the sand if you go in the
inches in length. water to be sure not to
step on a round ray.



Gulf of California 14

The Gulf of California is one of the world’s most biologically
productive and diverse seas. Described by Jacques Cousteau as
“the world’s aquarium,” the Gulf of California is home to many
unique species. The Aquarium has partnered with World Wildlife
Fund (WWF) to raise awareness of this region.

Life in the Gulf
Many animals rely on the Gulf of
California for vital habitat, nursing
grounds, and food supply. Whales, United States
sharks, turtles, and ﬁshes pass
through this area during their
migrations. However, tourism and Gulf of
development have put pressure Mexico

on the region. The Aquarium and Gulf of
California
WWF work together on public
outreach and conservation
efforts in this area.

GARDEN EEL BALLOONFISH MEXICAN LOOKDOWN
Heteroconger sp. Diodon holocanthus Selene brevoortii

CORTEZ RAINBOW WRASSE CORTEZ ANGELFISH YELLOWTAIL SURGEONFISH
Thalassoma lucasanum Pomacanthus zonipectus Prionurus punctatus

KING ANGELFISH POPEYE CATALUFA LONGNOSE BUTTERFLYFISH
Holacanthus passer Pseudopriacanthus serrula Forcipiger ﬂavissimus


AQUARIUM-WIDE

Sharks
For millions of years sharks have been
a factor in the ocean’s biodiversity and
contributed to its health. Today they still
play a vital role in maintaining marine
ecological balance. The numbers of ﬁshes,
invertebrates, and marine plants fall out
of equilibrium in the absence of sharks,
causing shifts throughout the food web
that in turn affect us.
We still don’t know a great deal about
many shark species, even the common
ones. How have they succeeded in
surviving for millions of years almost
unchanged? Where do they go to
reproduce? How do they navigate the
ocean? How long do they live? Questions
like these motivate researchers.

Shark Myths
After the 1975 release of the
movie Jaws, the media started
to use fear-inducing terms like AMAZING SHARKS
man-eating monster, ruthless Lik io
Like lions and tigers
Like lions and tigers
ke ions d igers
iger
killer, etc. to describe sharks,
despite the few attacks that
and other top land
occur each year. The public has
predators, sharks
been so inﬂuenced by myths need to be viewed as
that it is easy to lose sight of awesome wild animals.
how important, complex, and They are important to
intriguing sharks are.
our ocean and to us, and
we need to do our part to
protect them. There are a
number of laws designed to
protect marine mammals
as well as threatened or
endangered species. Sharks
also need protection. The
Shark Conservation Act of
2009 (S.B. 850) is the type
of legislation that could
make a difference for sharks.


SECOND FLOOR

Northern Pacific Gallery
The Bering Sea is home to more than 450 species of fish and invertebrates,
50 bird species, and 25 species of marine mammals. The Aquarium’s journey
through the Northern Pacific, focusing on the Bering Sea, includes exhibits that
feature southern sea otters, the giant Pacific octopus, four species of diving
birds, and the giant spider crab.

Giant Pacific Coastal Corner
Octopus Discovery Lab Sea
Stars

18
Jellies 19 Bays &
Sounds
17 BP Sea Otters
Sandy
Diving Bottom
Birds
Giant
Surge Surge Spider Crabs
Channel Channel

Whales:
Voices in
17 the Sea
2ND FLOOR

1ST FLOOR

center
child care
station 21 guide
stop


SUNFLOWER SEA STAR RED TAILED SURFPERCH
Pycnopodia helianthoides Amphistichus rhodoterus


NORTHERN PACIFIC GALLERY

Whales: 17

Voices in the Sea
Our award-winning Whales:
Voices in the Sea interactive
kiosk exhibit allows guests
to explore how whales use
complex sounds to commu-
nicate and navigate around
their world.
Watch the call of a whale on a spectrogram, and
then record your own version of the call to see how
closely you copy it.

California Skate
Diving Birds 17
Raja inornata

This hardnose skate is
Living in and above the icy waters of the Northern found nearshore from
Hemisphere, puffins, auklets, and other diving the Gulf of California
birds spend most of their lives on the open ocean. to the California and
In the summer months, they use rocky coasts and Washington coasts.
islands for breeding. California skates live
on or near the bottom
of the ocean, mingling
among lingcod, rockfish,
sole, Pacific cod, and
other groundfishes. This
plain-looking animal was
given the species name
inornata, which is Latin
for “without adornment.”
HORNED PUFFIN CRESTED AUKLET
Fratercula corniculata Aethia cristatella Note: The California Skate
and its embosser are
located on the 1st floor
in the Northern Pacific
Preview.

TUFTED PUFFIN PIGEON GUILLEMOT
Fratercula cirrhata Cepphus columba



Sea Jellies 18

Sea jellies are made up of over 90 percent water. A jelly has no brain, no eyes,
no heart, and no bones. It is hard to imagine surviving without them, let alone
thriving. Yet, sea jellies have flourished in the world ocean for 650 million
years. These simply constructed creatures have pulsated through coastal
waters and icy ocean trenches for ages.

While jellies certainly appear graceful
and delicate, these elegant invertebrates
can wield painful stings when protecting
themselves or capturing prey. Depending
on the species, a sea jelly may have up
to 800 tentacles that bear the stinging
nematocysts that can injure or immobilize
enemies or prey. These stinging cells
behave like tiny harpoons armed with
toxic chemicals. When a tentacle touches
another object, thousands of stinging cells Exploding Sea Jellies
involuntarily explode, launching barbs Sea jellies are a natural part of
into the victim. This adaptation makes healthy ecosystems. But in many
the sea jelly an efficient, if unintentional, parts of the ocean, jellies are more
predator and helps protect it from most abundant than they used to be,
other animals that would make a meal of indicating unhealthy changes.
its soft body. Nutrients from sewage treatment
Of the estimated 200 species of sea plants and river runoff trigger
jellies, approximately 70 are known to intense plankton blooms, providing
sting humans, with varying degrees of a rich food source for jellies. Also
severity. Real “ghosts” of the sea, some overfishing eliminates competition,
jellies can inflict stings long after death, allowing jelly populations to explode.
a good reason to let them rest in peace.

WEST COAST NETTLE CRYSTAL JELLY
Chrysaora fuscescens Aequorea aequorea



BP Sea Otters 19

Sea otters, the smallest of the marine
mammals, are the only ones that do not
have blubber to keep them warm in the
cold ocean water. In order to stay warm,
sea otters have to eat a lot. By eating 25
to 30 percent of their weight each day,
sea otters turn that food into energy with
their high metabolisms. Abalone, squid,
sea urchins, clams, snails, and numerous
other invertebrates are part of their diet.
An adult male sea otter may consume as
much as 15 pounds of food in one day.
Sea otters also have very dense fur to SOUTHERN SEA OTTER
keep them warm. Grooming is almost a Enhydra lutris nereis
constant activity for sea otters. You have
probably seen the Aquarium’s sea otters
roll at the surface of the water. They are A Sea Otter’s Coat
busy trapping a layer of air inside their fur. Sea otters’ dense fur
Amazingly, water never touches the otter’s maintains their body
skin. Of course, it is vital for an otter to keep temperature at 100°F
its fur clean so that the undercoat stays dry. in the cold ocean water.
Sea otter pelts were once in high They have the densest
demand. Widespread hunting almost led fur of any animal on
to their extinction. Now protected, sea the planet! In just one
otters are making a slow comeback. It is square inch of its fur, a
estimated that millions of Southern sea sea otter has enough
otters once existed along the California hair to cover an entire
coast. In the 19th century, hunting left German shepherd.
as few as 50 otters off the California
coast. Since then, federal protection as
an endangered species has brought their
numbers back up to nearly 3,000 sea
otters. A caring public is still needed to
ensure their recovery.

Sponsored by BP


SECOND FLOOR

Tropical Pacific Gallery
The Aquarium’s Tropical Pacific Gallery represents the archipelago of Palau,
the western-most section of Micronesia. Palau’s waters contain an incredible
diversity of coral, fish, and other marine animals. This area is home to sharks,
seahorses, stonefish, sea turtles, and many other animals.

Sex Change
Baby Bamboo Sharks Exhibit
& Egg Cases
Sea Turtle Jewels of
23 the Pacific
Deep Reef 22
Soft Coral Tunnel
Seahorses
The Reef
22
Sea
Stonefish Frogs 24 Snakes
Clownfish & Live Coral
Anemones Tropical Reef
Coral 21 Habitat
Bleaching

Coral 24 24
Lagoon 21
Weedy Sea
Leafy Sea Dragons
Dragons
2ND FLOOR

1ST FLOOR

center
child care
station 21 guide
stop


OLIVE RIDLEY SEA TURTLE
Lepidochelys olivacea


TROPICAL PACIFIC GALLERY

Coral Lagoon 21

Our Coral Lagoon is a habitat for many animals
that have developed very specific adaptations
to capture and consume their meals as well as
to avoid becoming someone else’s prey. Through
specialization, coral reef animals have found
ways to coexist in a very dense and competitive
environment.

THREE SPOT DAMSELFISH MONO
Dascyllus trimaculatus Monodactylus argentus

Epaulette Shark
Hemiscyllium ocellatum

CLOWN TRIGGERFISH FOXFACE RABBITFISH Epaulette sharks have
Balistoides conspicillum Siganus vulpinus cream-colored skin with
black dots. Two larger
dots above the pectoral
fins are called ocelli and
resemble the epaulettes
YELLOWTAILED FUSILIER FLATHEAD MULLET on a military uniform.
(Juvenile) Mugil cephalus
Caesio cuning
A type of bamboo
shark, epaulettes live
TROPICAL PACIFIC GALLERY in coral reefs and in

Live Coral 21 tidepools off the shores
of Austalia, Papau New
Guinea, Indonesia, and
Corals are animals that rely on a community of Malaysia. These slender
tiny single-celled plants known as zooxanthellae. sharks have been seen
In fact, it is the zooxanthellae that give corals their “walking” on the ocean
brown color. floor on their fins. If
Zooxanthellae live within the coral tissue and caught in a tidepool after
can provide up to 95 percent of a coral’s nutrition. the tide has receded,
In return, they get nutrition from the coral’s waste. an epaulette can “turn
These small inhabitants are very sensitive to the off ” enough if its body
surrounding water’s temperature as well as other functions to survive
factors. If the conditions become undesirable for the several hours with little
zooxanthellae, they leave or are expelled. When this or no oxygen.
happens, the coral bleaches. When corals bleach,
they commonly lose 60 to 90 percent of their zoo-
xanthellae, and the coral animal is at risk of dying.



Frogs 22

Poison dart frogs have glands in their skin that contain
strong neurotoxins. The toxin in these frogs is acquired
through their diet of insects, so they lose it when they
are in an environment such as the Aquarium.
Like canaries in coal mines, frogs are sensitive
animals that often show the first signs that indicate
a problem in an ecosystem. These amphibians
are prone to genetic abnormalities, disease, and
reproductive disorders caused by pollution, habitat
loss, and global climate change. GREEN AND BLACK POISON DART FROG
Dendrobates auratus

GOLDEN POISON DART FROG BLUE POISON DART FROG SPLASHBACK POISON DART FROG
Dendrobates terriblis Dendrobates azureus Dendrobates galactonotus


Deep Reef 22

Showcasing animals that live on deep
reef slopes, this exhibit features many
types of orange cup corals (Tubastrea
coccinea, T. micrantha), longfin anthias
(Pseudanthias ventralis), and firefish
(Nemateleotris magnifica).
Most corals use zooxanthellae to
convert sunlight into energy through
photosynthesis. However, all of the
corals in this exhibit lack zooxanthellae.
Therefore, they must eat plankton, tiny
microorganisms that drift in the sea,
for subsistence. Water motion is very
important for corals, as they rely on ocean
currents to bring them their food. The water
motion in this exhibit was modified to
create an ideal habitat for these animals.



Blue 23

Spotted Ray
The blue-spotted
ribbontail ray (Taeniura
lymma) in the Sex
Change Exhibit does
not change sex during
its life. It was placed in
this display because it
gets along so well with
the other animals.
This docile ray has a
long thin tail with blue on each side and one or two
venomous barbs. Female blue-spotted ribbontail
rays usually have litters of seven pups. The ribbon-
tail ray needs coral reefs for habitat and could be
threatened if these ecosystems are not conserved.
Shark Egg Case
Some sharks lay eggs
in a case that looks like
seaweed. At the ends,
the egg tapers to small
openings, so water can
move through. The egg
cases have long threads
that attach to hard
structures. Shark pups
inside an egg feed on the
yolk sac. As they grow,
the yolk gets smaller
and smaller and the
pup hatches. A shark
egg case is also called a
AMAZING SHARKS “mermaid’s purse.”
Generally speaking, rays are
flat-bodied sharks.
Their gill slits are on the undersides of
their bodies, rather than on the sides
of their heads. Most rays swim by
flapping or undulating their pectoral
fins, as opposed to using their tails like
sharks. Exceptions to the rule include the
guitarfishes, electric rays, and sawfishes.



Tropical Reef 24

The Tropical Reef Habitat is the Aquarium’s largest exhibit, containing 350,000
gallons of water and over 1,000 animals from the tiny cleaner wrasse to the
zebra shark. This exhibit represents the famous Blue Corner off the coast of
Palau. This area, lush and abundant with life, is considered one of the most
beautiful dive sites in the world.

ORANGESPINE UNICORNFISH BLUESPINE UNICORNFISH PYRAMID BUTTERFLYFISH
Naso lituratus Naso unicornis Hemitaurichthys polylepis

REDTOOTH TRIGGERFISH SERGEANT MAJOR SAILFIN TANG
Odonus niger Abudefduf troschelii Zebrasoma veliferum

PALETTE TANG BLUE-LINED SNAPPER POWDER BLUE TANG
Paracanthurus hepatus Lutjanus kasmira Acanthurus leucosternon

CRIMSON SNAPPER BLUEFIN TREVALLY ACHILLES TANG
Lutjanus erythropterus Caranx melampygus Acanthurus achilles

RACCOON BUTTERFLYFISH EMPEROR ANGELFISH SEMICIRCLE ANGELFISH
Chaetodon lunula Pomacanthus imperator Pomacanthus semicirculatus


QUEENSLAND GROUPER
Epinephelus lanceolatus

NAPOLEON WRASSE (MALE)
Cheilinus undulatus

OLIVE RIDLEY SEA TURTLE
Lepidochelys olivacea Bowmouth
Guitarfish
Rhina ancylostoma

The bowmouth is found
in the tropical and
subtropical coastal
waters of Australia, in
BONNETHEAD SHARK the Indo-Pacific, and off
Sphyrna tiburo the coast of East Africa.
This unmistakable
creature is also known
as a sharkfin guitarfish or
shark ray. A large adult
may be six feet long and
weigh about 150 pounds,
but can get up to 10 feet
long and 300 pounds.
COWNOSE RAY
Rhinoptera steindachneri

GOLDEN TREVALLY YELLOW TANG
Gnathanadon speciosus Zebrasoma flavescens


EXPLORERS COVE

Lorikeet Forest 26

The Aquarium’s aviary is home to approximately 100 lorikeet birds. Our feath-
ered friends enjoy the company of guests like you. If you would like a bird to
spend some time perched on your arm, try offering them a cup of their favorite
drink of nectar, available for purchase upon entry. In addition to what the birds
are fed by guests, Aquarium staff members bring out bowls of blended fruit and
nectar to fill out their diet.

A Forest of Color
Native to Australia, the
lorikeet’s diet is comprised of
nectar, flowers, fruits, berries,
and unripe grain. They have a
specialized tongue that allows
them to easily consume their
soft food and liquid diet.
Lorikeet Forest features
ORNATE LORIKEET GREEN NAPE LORIKEET
five sub-species of Rainbow Trichoglossus ornatus Trichoglossus haematodus
Lorikeets. Lorikeet Forest also haemotodus
features two close relatives
of Rainbow Lorikeets, the
Black-capped Lory and the
Violet-necked Lory. Unlike
lorikeets that have long tapered
tails, lories have short blunt
tails. If you notice a bird with
an orange band on its leg,
that means it was born at the
Aquarium of the Pacific!
EDWARD’S LORIKEET SWAINSON’S LORIKEET
Trichoglossus haematodus Trichoglossus haematodus
capistratus moloccanus

FORSTEN’S LORIKEET VIOLET-NECKED LORY BLACK-CAPPED LORY
Trichoglossus haematodus forsteni Eos squamata riciniata Lorius lory


EXPLORERS COVE

Our Watersheds 27

Pathway to the Pacific
A watershed is an area of land where
all the surface water drains to the same
lower destination, such as San Pedro
Bay. This water can come from high in the
mountains or from rain that falls on our
streets. Watersheds come in all shapes
and sizes. They cross county, state, and
national boundaries. No matter where you
are, you are in a watershed. And what you
do in your watershed impacts the ocean
and the animals that call it home.
In Los Angeles and Orange Counties
there are several watersheds, including
those of the San Gabriel, Los Angeles,
Santa Clara, and Santa Ana Rivers; The Watershed Classroom
Ballona, Malibu, and Topanga Creeks; The Aquarium has a classroom that
and the Dominguez Channel. Our exhibit is a LEED-certified, carbon-neutral
focuses on the watersheds of San Pedro building. The Aquarium harvests
Bay, which includes the San Gabriel and energy for this building through solar
Los Angeles Rivers and the Dominguez panels. Any excess green energy
Channel. Our Watersheds features a that is acquired during the day goes
native garden with a mosaic of plants to Southern California Edison. The
found along the coastal areas of the classroom is used for education
San Pedro Bay watersheds. Native plants programs and for meetings.
require little to no water and attract native
birds, bees, and butterflies.

FUNDED BY THE RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY

Other Watershed Displays 27

Be sure to visit the wave fountain located
towards the front of the Aquarium, and take
note of the Rios de la Vida mosaic mural,
which explores the journey of water from our
mountains to the sea.
Next, imagine what our watershed looked
like 200 years ago. Stroll along the public
walkway outside the Aquarium towards
Pierpoint Landing. You will find Our Watershed
Story, an educational panel that compares the
historic and current watersheds.


EXPLORERS COVE

Shark Lagoon 28

Sharks You Can Touch!

Visit Shark Lagoon and learn more about the ocean’s most mysterious and
misunderstood predators. Touch a zebra or bamboo shark, and peer into the
depths to see a sand tiger or blacktip reef shark.

Shark Have Six Senses! ATTENTION
For the health and
Sharks can hear up to one mile away safety of our animals,
please be gentle!
and smell up to 1,000 feet away. They
can sense through touch and have
excellent vision, with the ability to see HORSESHOE CRAB
Use Only
up to 70 feet away. Using an organ Limulus polyphemus Two Fingers!
called the lateral line, sharks can feel
movement or the vibration of water
up to 300 feet away. Using specialized
receptors called Ampullae of Lorenzini, Do Not Scratch!
sharks can sense electrical impulses
up to four inches away.

Do Not Grab!
PLEASE NOTE: To continue your journey STINGRAY
Dasyatis sp.
to Southern California/Baja, proceed
up the stairs or elevator and return to
page 12, Rocky Intertidal.

WHITE-SPOTTED BAMBOO SHARK
Chiloscyllium plagiosum ZEBRA SHARK (JUVENILE)
Stegastoma fasciatum

BROWN-BANDED BAMBOO SHARK
Chiloscyllium punctatum

RETICULATE WHIPTAIL RAY
EPAULETTE SHARK Himantura uarnak
Hemiscyllium ocellatum

EXPLORERS COVE

Shark Lagoon
Sharks You CAN’T Touch!

SAND TIGER SHARK
Carcharias taurus

FRESHWATER SAWFISH
Pristis microdon

Sandbar Shark
Carcharhinus plumbeus

The sandbar shark is one
WHITETIP REEF SHARK of the biggest coastal
Triaenodon obesus
sharks in the world.
Commonly found over
muddy or sandy bottoms
in shallow waters such as
bays, estuaries, harbors,
or the mouths of rivers,
BLACKTIP REEF SHARK
Carcharhinus melanopterus it also swims in deeper
waters and intertidal
zones. Its prominent
dorsal fin can be up to
18 percent of its total
body weight, making it
of particular interest to
commercial fishing for
ZEBRA SHARK (ADULT)
shark fins. The sandbar
Stegastoma fasciatum shark is an opportunistic
bottom-feeder that preys
primarily on relatively
small bony fishes, eels,
skates, rays, dogfish,
octopus, squid, bivalves,
shrimp, and crabs.
NURSE SHARK
Ginglymostoma cirratum



Shark Conservation
Healthy oceans need sharks, and without them there are unpredictable
consequences to the balance of ecosystems and, in turn, the seafood we
rely on. And while sharks are rarely a threat to humans, we have become the
number one threat to sharks. Somewhere between 30-100 million sharks die
each year due to fishing activity.

Our Appetite for Sharks
Shark liver oil is often used in the cos- supplements. Shark fins are used to make
metics industry as a softening agent for popular shark fin soup. Shark finning
creams and lipstick. Shark and ray skin in particular is a major cause of shark
has been used as an alternative to leather mortality. It is often done in an inhumane
in the manufacture of boots, belts, and manner because the fins are removed
other items. Shark meat has become while the sharks are alive. Because the rest
an important source of protein as other of the shark is usually thrown back, it is
species of food fish disappear. And shark also considered a wasteful fishing practice.
cartilage and oil are used to make health

Things you can do!
While the ocean can be a source for many of our needs and has
been seen as a potential source for many miracle drugs, there
are many products that use shark where other alterna-
tives exist. Each of us can make decisions that can
help sharks. Below are a few suggestions to help.

✓ Do not order shark fin soup. Let
your host know if you do not want
to be served shark fin soup at a ✓ Do not purchase shark oil or
wedding reception or other function. shark cartilage supplements
✓ Look for shark oil in the list of whenever possible.
ingredients of products such as ✓ Do not eat shark steaks or other
lotions, lipsticks, and hemorrhoid shark meats.
creams, and avoid these products.
Also if you see squalene listed, find ✓ Do not buy shark skin leather.
out if it was made from sharks. ✓ Support legislation that protects
✓ Eat sustainable seafood and avoid sharks.
fish caught on a longline, which ✓ Educate others on the
puts sharks and other non-targeted importance of sharks.
animals at risk.



Additional
Aquarium Opportunities
Education
The Aquarium of the Pacific hosts a Annual Membership Pass
variety of fun and engaging programs for Apply the cost of your admission
both adults and children. Visit our website today to an Aquarium membership!
at www.aquariumofpacific.org, call (562) Support our great non-profit while
951-1630, or pick up a brochure at our enjoying our exhibits all year. In
Information Center to find out more. addition to unlimited admission for
12 months, you will be invited to
Volunteer member events, receive discounts,
Do you want to make a difference? The and be subscribed to our member
Aquarium depends on its more than 600 magazine. Call (562) 437-FISH (3474).
volunteers to help us achieve our mission
of ocean education and conservation. Help
behind-the-scenes or with our guests as
an exhibit interpreter or guest ambassador.
For information on becoming a volunteer,
pick up an application at the Information
Center, visit www.aquariumofpacific.org, or
call (562) 951-1659.
LOCATED ACROSS THE HARBOR WITH THE

Pacific Collections
Be sure to stop by the Pacific Collections Freshest S E A F O O D &
gift store for a unique selection of gifts,
toys, CDs, educational items, housewares,
Amazing V I E W S .
clothing, and art. Open daily from 9:00 a.m.-
6:00 p.m. or go to shop.aquariumofpacific.
org to browse from home.

Adopt an Animal
Starting at $40, you can Adopt an Animal,
helping to pay for the care and feeding
of our Aquarium family. In return, you
receive a special certificate, photo, and
562.432.6500
much more. Pick up an Adopt an Animal SHORELINE
brochure at the Information Center. VILLAGE
LONG
BEACH

PA R K E R S ’ L I G H T H O U S E
W W W. PA R K E R S L I G H T H O U S E . C O M

PRESENT THIS AD FOR A COMPLIMENTARY GIFT
WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANY ENTREE.


Aquarium Directory
Area code: 562

General Information: ..................................................................590-3100
Membership Information: ...........................................437-FISH (3474)
Group Tours & Reservations: .................................................... 951-1695
Special Events & Private Parties: ............................................... 951-1663
Education Programs:................................................................... 951-1630
Gift Store: .......................................................................................951-1732
Volunteer Opportunities:............................................................ 951-1659
Café Scuba: .................................................................................... 951-1740
TDD:................................................................................................951-3140
Development: ................................................................................ 951-5341
Website: .......................................................www.aquariumofpacific.org

The Aquarium of the Pacific is a non-profit 501(c)3 institution with
a mission to instill a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for
the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems. We rely heavily
on the generous donations of individuals and organizations.

During your visit, you may be filmed, videotaped, or photographed by
an Aquarium of the Pacific employee, volunteer, or contract service
professional. Your admission to our facility serves as permission for
use of your image by the Aquarium of the Pacific and its constitu-
ents. The commercial use of photographs, video, and film you may
have taken during your visit is strictly prohibited without the full
written consent of the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Live It with Charter™ is a customer
rewards program exclusively for
Charter Communications customers.

100 Aquarium Way • Long Beach, CA • 90802
www.aquariumofpacific.org
Hours: 9:00 a.m.– 6:00 p.m. daily

Printed on recycled paper. ©2009 Aquarium of the Pacific Cost: 50¢

2009 Aquarium of the Pacific Visitor Guide

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2009 Aquarium of the Pacific Visitor Guide