Although the Aquarium is constantly changing up animals inthe exhibits or building new habitats, it’s not often that we get to celebrate the opening of a brand-new gallery. With a building like ours, space is at a premium, so when we add something big, something old often has to leave to makeroom for the new and exciting addition.

In a little over two weeks, the Aquarium will cut the ribbonon Scuttlebutt Reef. This exciting new collection of exhibits is taking the place of the Boneless Beauties gallery and is the first major addition to our campus since 2023.

Scuttlebutt Reef shines a spotlight on many smaller marinespecies with highly specialized (and often misunderstood) adaptations. These oddball superpowers allow them to — among other things — glow in the dark, suction themselves to rocks, refract light, dig without any limbs and punch well above their weight class.

The new gallery opens on March 7, 2026, but in the meantime,this episode will preview the new space, explore its origins and introduce many of the species you’ll soon be able to see there.

To learn more about Scuttlebutt Reef, visit tnaqua.org/exhibit/scuttlebutt-reef/

Episode Cast

• Casey Phillips, host, senior communications specialist
• Sharyl Crossley, Ocean Journey lead aquarist
• Tom Demas, vice president, chief husbandry and exhibits officer
• Jeff Worley, director of exhibit services

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.
Printed sustainably on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with UV ink, each issue is filled with fascinating stories about Tennessee’s native species, rich history, and unique culture. It’s also your guide to exploring state parks and planning your next outdoor adventure.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

Join other conservation enthusiasts and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Whether you’re shoveling your way out of lake effect snow or get goosebumps and uncontrollable shivers whenever the thermometer dips below 50, winter can be a tough time of year. That’s especially true for wildlife, which can’t just keep nudging up the thermostat whenever they feel a bit of a chill.

So what tactics do animals employ to make it through this tough time of year when food resources are thin on the ground, freshwater freezes solid and just a thin layer of leaf litter is all that’s separating them from exposure to the latest bomb cyclone?

In this episode, several Aquarium experts point out the differences between hibernation, torpor and brumation, explain where bees go in the winter and how bears can manage to go months between bathroom breaks.

Episode Cast

• Casey Phillips, host/senior communications specialist/anti-winter rabblerouser
• Kevin Calhoon, curator of forests
• Rose Segbers, senior entomologist
• Lindsey Lewis, ambassador animal care specialist II

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.

Printed sustainably on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with UV ink, each issue is filled with fascinating stories about Tennessee’s native species, rich history, and unique culture. It’s also your guide to exploring state parks and planning your next outdoor adventure.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

Join other conservation enthusiasts and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Before the advent of photography and — obviously — videography, naturalists had no choice but to rely on their artistic skills if they wanted to preserve a visual record of their work.

Whether an impromptu sketch or a laboriously detailed drawing or painting, scientific illustrations were a vital means of sharing scientific research and observations with the public. They were also, in many cases, absolutely beautiful works in their own right.

In this episode of the show, we connect with a modern-day scientific illustrating savant, Joe Tomelleri, who is renowned the world over for this exactingly detailed depictions of freshwater fish. Using nothing but his skill, carefully preserved specimens and a set of colored pencils, he toils for dozens of hours to produce a single image that replicates identifiable characteristics down, without exaggeration, to individual scales.

To learn more about Joe's work or to purchase a print, visit his website at https://www.americanfishes.com

Watch a video documenting Joe and Dr. Bernie Kuhajda's work to study and document Mexican trout species at https://youtu.be/IgLvcImJW1I?si=12R290rrmZr3_rbu

[The drawing of a Pumpkinseed used as this episode's art is by — and used courtesy of — Joe Tomelleri.]

Episode Cast

• Casey Phillips, host/senior communications specialist
• Joe Tomelleri, scientific illustrator
• Dr. Bernie Kuhajda, aquatic conservation biologist

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.

Printed sustainably on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with UV ink, each issue is filled with fascinating stories about Tennessee’s native species, rich history, and unique culture. It’s also your guide to exploring state parks and planning your next outdoor adventure.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

Join other conservation enthusiasts and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.