The lack of alligators at the South Carolina Aquarium have created a hole in the hearts of frequent visitors. From having them on display or bringing them out for programs, the alligators were always sure to brighten someone’s day. But joy can now be filtered back into your life as two American alligators have been put on display.

The new alligators are living in the Coastal Plain gallery next to the snakes and turtles on the second floor. They are very small and are only around a year and a half years old. You cannot pet them like you could in the past, but this is a major improvement nonetheless.

Other new additions to the coastal gallery are stone crabs, mantis shrimp, slipper lobsters, goldentail eels and windowpane flounders. Another fun fact is there is now a tank full of batfish and sea robins. They might be upgraded to security at the aquarium if they can prove their crime fighting skills. Many new changes have come to our local aquarium, so if you have not visited recently it is worth the look. For further imperative, Aquarium Aglow is starting on November 21st and running until December 30th. The event takes place everyday from 5:30 to 9pm and features festive lights, food, and photo opportunities. Santa will also make guest appearances on the weekends. If that still does not interest you, then if you come by on a Sunday in the afternoon you have a high chance of running into me working.

In honor of the new animals here are fun facts to impress your friends:

• Alligators do not regrow their teeth in the same way sharks do. Instead of rows of teeth that push forward when a tooth is lost, the alligator stacks its teeth, so if one falls out the other is just waiting underneath.
• You’ll notice that the young alligators at the aquarium have stripes down their backs that are not visible in the adult ones you would see in your backyard. This is because alligators will lose their stripes as they grow up.
• The claws on Stone Crabs are different sizes. The larger one is for crushing the shells of their prey while the other is used for cutting and cleaning the food.
• The large claw on the Stone Crab can also exert 14,000 pounds per square inch of pressure. A human’s bite is only 162 pounds per square inch!
• Mantis Shrimps will construct burrows shaped like a U with two entrances.
• The Mantis Shrimps have two pupils in each eye, thousands of lenses and retinas, and have 16 cones.
• Humans only have 3 cones (red, green, and blue). Their eyes can rotate independently and can detect the plane in which light vibrates and the direction it spins.
• The Mantis Shrimp are named after their claws’ resemblance to those of Praying Mantises. The shrimp keep their claws, which have barbs on the ends, tucked underneath them ready to spear at their prey. The movement of these claws is considered one of the fastest animal movements and could easily slice through your finger.
• Slipper Lobsters at depths of 500 meters or 1,600 feet. You can trade for a molt of one at the SC Aquarium’s Trading Post.
• Eels do not have gills so they open and close their mouth to breathe.
• Windowpane Flounders are named for their transparent fins. They also have a much more square shape than most other flounders that tend to be longer rather than shorter.

I hope you come by for a visit! The new fish will be excited to meet you!