SIO188_Spring2026

This cruise-based research project is designed as an immersive, hands-on learning experience for students enrolled in the combined undergraduate and graduate course Biology of Fishes (SIO 188/294). The course explores the global diversity of fishes, with a particular emphasis on the rich benthic and pelagic communities found off southern California. For many participants, this cruise will represent their first opportunity to engage in sea-going scientific research and to experience firsthand the challenges and rewards of field-based data collection. Through direct participation in specimen sampling, identification, and documentation, students will gain a deeper understanding of fish diversity, anatomy, ecology, and the processes that shape marine biodiversity.