Sailing with Sidney

Hey everyone! My name is Sidney Trimble, and I am a masters student in Dr. Zan Milligan’s lab where I am also the lab manager. My thesis is estimating the carbon flux of a Hatchetfish called Argyropelecus aculeatus. These little guys eat a large amount of prey and exhibit diel vertical migration (DVM) so they may play a large role within the biological carbon pump (BCP).

Photos:  Sidney at graduation; a Hatchetfish specimen she will be working with for her MS project.

This is my first time on a research vessel, and I am so excited to be here on the Deep Sea Benefits cruise. My role on the ship has been working alongside Juliet Tretler and April Cook in managing the cruise database, processing samples, weighing and measuring specimens after identification.

Photos:  A couple of specimens collected so far:  juvenile anglerfish (female); pelagic nudibrach

We have just finished our night trawl at Viosca Knoll consisting of many Cyclothone, crustaceans, a nudibranch, my thesis study fish as well as various other hatchetfish, large pyrosomas, a juvenile female angler fish and many many more cool finds! It’s almost the beginning of day 3 and I am very excited to see what we find at our third site and learn much more from this amazing team of scientists!