UGA Coastal Ecology Lab

UGA Coastal Ecology Lab A program of UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Our research takes place on the Georgia coast and the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica.

The objective of the Coastal Ecology Lab is to conduct field research that guides the conservation of wildlife populations in developed landscapes and the management of their interface with people. Dr. Kimberly Andrews is faculty at the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant in Brunswick, GA. This lab exists because of the collaborations, partnerships, and generous sponsors and funders that support our research.

Today’s post is all about the Southern Appalachian Salamander (Plethodon teyahalee). This large bodied terrestrial salam...
09/02/2026

Today’s post is all about the Southern Appalachian Salamander (Plethodon teyahalee). This large bodied terrestrial salamander can grow up to 6.75 inches at maturity and completely lacks an aquatic larval life stage! They are black with white specks/ spots along the back and sides with a grey belly. When threatened, they can secrete an unpleasant glue-like mucus to deter predators. Found in mountainous woodlands in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. They prefer their environment moist and often seek shelter under forest debris, as well as other debris near streams like logs and rocks.
When it comes to reproduction, males have been observed putting on an elaborate dance for courtship. Females will remain with their clutches of eggs until they hatch. They are highly protective of their eggs, as well as particular, being observed abandoning nests they suspect of being tampered with. Conservation of this species is uncertain, with no federal protections in place as of writing this post.

Photo by “jacobscruggs” CC-BY-NC, iNaturalist [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/330008498]

Happy Monday! We are continuing our series answering your questions, and we had two people who wanted us to talk more ...
08/31/2026

Happy Monday! We are continuing our series answering your questions, and we had two people who wanted us to talk more about osteoderms.

Osteoderms are the bumpy protrusions that you see on the back of an alligator, and they are made up of bone with a small amount of skin covering them. In fact, the word osteoderm literally means bone skin; the prefix osteo means bone, and the suffix derm means skin. Most osteoderms are squarish in shape and have a keel or ridge that runs down the center. Alligators have a varying number of osteoderms, usually between 70 and 100, and they are normally oriented in 15 rows of 6 larger plates along most of the back with 5 rows of 3 smaller plates near the tail. They also have four osteoderms known as a nuchal shield that cover the back of the alligator's neck, and these are larger than the others. The osteoderms in the pictures below came from an alligator we had satellite-tagged (Doc) that died of natural causes back in 2022; his skeleton had 91 osteoderms.

Osteoderms serve two main purposes for alligators: protection and temperature regulation. Since they are made of bone, osteoderms are incredibly tough and act similarly to a suit of armor, protecting the alligator from a variety of threats, but mostly other alligators. Alligators can get territorial, and when they do, it doesn't always end amicably. If two alligators get into a fight, they need that protection so that they can live to fight another day. Osteoderms are so tough that they have even been known to deflect bullets! Now, this does NOT mean that alligators are bulletproof or that osteoderms can deflect all bullets 100% of the time, but it can happen. Secondly, osteoderms help massively with temperature regulation. The reason they only have a thin layer of skin covering the osteoderm is so that they are better able to absorb heat. If you look closely at the pictures below, you will notice that there are tiny holes within each osteoderm. These holes allow for blood to flow through the bones. So, when the alligators bask in the sun, the sun hits the alligator's back, heats up the skin, bone, and blood within. Then the blood is distributed to the rest of the body, helping to regulate the alligator's body temperature. Who knew those little protrusions played such an important role in an alligator's way of life?!

🚨 🚨Not every wasp needs to build a nest of its own. Some have evolved a much sneakier strategy, laying their eggs inside...
08/30/2026

🚨 🚨Not every wasp needs to build a nest of its own. Some have evolved a much sneakier strategy, laying their eggs inside nests of other insects and letting their unsuspecting hosts raise the next generation. This week's spotlight goes to the dazzling cuckoo wasps of the family Chrysididae!

Cuckoo wasps are found throughout much of the world, and they are especially easy to recognize because of their brilliant metallic colors. Depending on species, they can shimmer with shades of green, blue, turquoise, red, and gold, making them look more like tiny pieces of jewelry than wasps.

Their remarkable coloration isn't their only unusual feature. Many cuckoo wasps are kleptoparasites, meaning their larvae develop by exploiting the nests and resources collected by other insects. A female cuckoo wasp may sneak into the nest of a host, often a solitary bee or wasp, and deposit an egg inside. When the cuckoo larva hatches, it can consume the host's egg or larva and then feed on the provisions that were originally collected for the host's offspring.

Getting into another insect's nest without being killed is no easy task. Cuckoo wasps have evolved a remarkable defense: their body is covered in a hard, heavily armored exoskeleton. When threatened, many species can curl their bodies into a tight ball, protecting their vulnerable underside with their armored back. This helps them withstand attacks from the wasps and bees whose nests they are trying to infiltrate.

Despite being a wasp, cuckoo wasps are generally not aggressive towards humans. Many species have a greatly reduced or modified stinger, and they are not considered dangerous to people.

Cuckoo wasps may be tiny, but their behavior demonstrates just how complicated insect relationships can become. Their entire life cycle depends on how well they can deceive another species, turning someone else's carefully constructed nest into a nursery for their own young.

📷:Cuckoo Wasp by iNaturalist user "good-and-weevil”
(https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/60470063)

Welcome back to another 🐍! When someone wakes up in the morning, the first stimulus many hear is the sound of an alarm...
08/29/2026

Welcome back to another 🐍! When someone wakes up in the morning, the first stimulus many hear is the sound of an alarm. Humans and other animals have designated pinnae (the external part of the ear) to pick up these sounds and process them through their ear canal. Some species, such as snakes, do not have the luxury of pinnae, and instead they use a different method to hear things around them.

Now you may be wondering how the snake can hear if there is not a place for the sound waves to travel into. Despite not appearing like they have ears, snakes have adapted methods that allow them to hear certain frequencies. Instead of using an eardrum, they have a bone in their jaw called the quadrate, which vibrates when it picks up sound traveling through the air. Given that snakes have a limited range of hearing using this method, they rely on their other senses to provide environmental information as well. A good example of this is their constant tongue flicking to smell what is around them and large eyes to see any prey or potential predators.

Overall, snakes have so many unique adaptations to surviving and thriving, and there is still much more to cover. Feel free to comment down below and let us know if there are any other snake features you would like to see us cover or if you have questions!



📷 Photo by: jakescott (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/316116698)

Welcome back to ! Georgia is home to 160 different species of butterflies. The monarch butterfly is often thought to ha...
08/28/2026

Welcome back to ! Georgia is home to 160 different species of butterflies. The monarch butterfly is often thought to have the longest migration of any butterfly. However, this distinction actually belongs to the painted lady butterfly, which migrates between 9,000 and 12,000 miles over multiple generations every year!



📸iNaturalist Photo by: "decaturjosh" (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/64308657)

08/27/2026

We have a unique opportunity for recent graduates!

The Socioecology Research and Engagement Fellowship is a one-year, entry-level bridge experience for recent bachelor's graduates (earned within the last two years) looking to gain hands-on experience before entering a professional career or graduate school.

Based on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia, the fellow will contribute to research on environmental literacy and community resilience while leading PreK-12 marine education programs and public outreach. Key responsibilities combine social science research, community science, GIS analysis, and environmental teaching. On-site housing is provided.

Learn more and apply at https://gacoast.uga.edu/careers/

Welcome back to ! Did you know a Florida manatee’s nose is one of the most specialized sensory tools in the animal king...
08/26/2026

Welcome back to !
Did you know a Florida manatee’s nose is one of the most specialized sensory tools in the animal kingdom? 👃

Those whiskers aren’t just adorable! They are also highly sensitive touch receptors called vibrissae. Unlike most mammals, manatees have thousands of vibrissae covering their bodies, with the greatest concentration around their nose and mouth. Their facial whiskers help them locate and grasp aquatic plants, explore objects, and even detect subtle changes in water movement, making them especially useful in the murky waters where manatees often live. Researchers believe these specialized whiskers function much like the lateral line system in fish, allowing manatees to sense nearby animals, boats, currents, and other disturbances without relying on vision alone (photos 1-3). Meanwhile, the nostrils, located on top of the snout, seal tightly shut underwater and open only when the manatee surfaces for a quick breath (photo 4).

Other examples of vibrissae (commonly known as whiskers) include the facial whiskers on felines, muzzle and chin whiskers on horses, and the coarse hairs located just inside the nostril openings of humans.

📷: Abbey Crossman

Today’s post is about the Upland Chorus frog (Pseudacris feriarum). Small in size, they typically do not exceed 1.4 in a...
08/26/2026

Today’s post is about the Upland Chorus frog (Pseudacris feriarum). Small in size, they typically do not exceed 1.4 in and are on the earthier color spectrum (grey-brown). A dark stripe runs through the eyes and down the sides of the body with a pale line above the lip to contrast. Back markings can be striped or spotted and are often variable. The call of the upland chorus frog is like that of someone rapidly and repeatedly running their finger across the teeth of a comb.
They can be found throughout most of the Eastern United States in moist grassy and woodland areas. Upland chorus frogs are secretive and rarely seen outside of breeding season (February – March) where they will aggregate in and around wetlands, ditches and streams. They are common throughout most of their range and do not possess any federal protections. Some variable state-level protections are in place where populations are threatened or in decline.

Photo 1 by “spanglerwoodbirds” CC-BY-NC, iNaturalist [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/318878949]
Photo 2 by “gdunham28” CC-BY-NC, iNaturalist [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/331204391]
Photo 3 by “syrherp” CC-BY-NC, iNaturalist [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/225413368]

Happy Monday! Today we are continuing to answer questions from our community, and today's question is: "How long will ...
08/24/2026

Happy Monday! Today we are continuing to answer questions from our community, and today's question is: "How long will females care for their young, and will they care for multiple generations of young at once?"

We often talk about how alligator mothers will fiercely protect and care for their young, as evident in the second picture, but we don't often get into the details of that. A female alligator will begin caring for her young before they ever hatch and will protect the nest and eggs from a variety of predators. Once they start hatching, she will help them out of the nest and then will keep them close by, guarding them from fish, birds, bears, raccoons, and even people.

How long this care goes on for depends on the female, with some females being better mothers than others. All females will protect their young for at least the first year, with the exceptional mothers protecting their young for up to three years. If a female nests again during that time, she may care for multiple generations of young. In the first picture, you can see Sally with at least two generations around her. Once the young get to about three feet long, however, Mom kicks them out and makes them find their own place to live, as at that size they could potentially be a threat to her newest hatchlings. Just because she is no longer directly taking care of them, however, doesn't mean they still don't get some protection. Even after Mom kicks them out, they usually don't go too far and will often get some protection by proximity. Essentially, because Mom is in the vicinity, predators may not venture as close. Eventually, they do have to move out entirely and start their own journey, as we all must do at some point in our lives.

🚨 !🚨With dozens of legs, a dark armored body, and the ability to curl into a right spiral when threatened, the American ...
08/24/2026

🚨 !🚨With dozens of legs, a dark armored body, and the ability to curl into a right spiral when threatened, the American Giant Millipede is hard to miss once you know where to look.

The American Giant Millipede (Narceus americanus) is found throughout the eastern United States. These millipedes are commonly encountered in moist forests, beneath logs and leaf litter, and in other areas that are rich in decaying organic material. They can reach up to four inches in length, making them an impressive sight compared with many of the smaller millipedes found within their region.

Despite their intimidating appearance, American Giant Millipedes are not predators. They are detritivores, which means they feed primarily on decaying plant matter like fallen leaves or rotting wood. As they consume and break down this material, they help return nutrients to the soil and contribute to the decomposition process that keeps forest ecosystems functioning.

When threatened, these millipedes will curl their bodies into a protective coil, shielding their more vulnerable underside and legs. They also can release defensive chemical compounds from specialized glands along the sides of their body. These secretions can often discourage predators from consuming them.

Their many legs aren't just for show either. Millipedes use their numerous pairs of legs to slowly push through leaf litter and soil while searching for food. Unlike centipedes, which have one pair of legs per body segment and are primarily carnivorous, millipedes generally have two pairs of legs on most segments and are important decomposers.

American Giant Millipedes may not be the fastest or fiercest creatures in the forest, but they perform one of the ecosystem's most important jobs, turning dead plant material into nutrients that can be used once again.

So the next time you spot a giant millipede slowly making its way through the leaf litter, don't be afraid to let it pass. You may be looking at one of nature's most dedicated recyclers.

📷iNaturalist photo by: "raffib128" https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/180543184

📷iNaturalist photo by: "jtdavis05" https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172075694

📷iNaturalist photo by: "aubreyinkster" https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/278644765

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