Aquarium’s Popular New Gallery Just Got Weirder
More Strange Species Added to Bizarre and Beautiful Gallery

Newport, Ky. — The new Bizarre and Beautiful Gallery at Newport Aquarium just got a little more bizarre and a lot more beautiful.

Biologists added more animals to the exhibit this week. Among the aquatic wonders are:
• Polka-dot batfish
• Spotted burrfish
• Spot-fin porcupinefish
• Antenna burrfish

“The new Bizarre and Beautiful Gallery has given us the opportunity to really show some unusual animals in an up-close and personal way,” said Chris Pierson, Aquarium husbandry director. “In nature, these animals are usually very difficult to see due to their ability to blend into their environment. The animals we just added are perfect examples of how fish have adapted to a very unique life in a coral reef.”

The new additions enhance the already bizarre nature of the gallery. The batfish, for instance, crawls on the bottom of the tank with modified fins that look like feet. The Spot-fin porcupinefish can blow up like a balloon and has spines. The Spotted burrfish and the Antenna burrfish are almost alien in appearance. All would be found naturally in the coral reefs of the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and tropical waters of the Western Atlantic Ocean.

The Bizarre and Beautiful Gallery was one of the original exhibit areas when the Aquarium opened in 1999. With new technology, new display cases and new animals available, biologists at Newport Aquarium completely reconstructed and expanded the gallery to be bigger and more bizarre. It's filled with more than 20 species of the world's most weird and wonderful aquatic animals. The new gallery opened May 28.

The newly renovated Bizarre and Beautiful Gallery joins the Jellyfish Gallery, Frog Bog and Shark Central as the newest exhibits at Newport Aquarium, one of the premier attractions in the region.

Newport Aquarium is open to the public 365 days a year. Extended summer hours last until Sept. 4, during which the Aquarium is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information on Newport Aquarium or for tickets and directions, visit www.newportaquarium.com .