tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55462966149501514682024-03-13T23:34:09.377-07:00Oceans Animals.... Seas Life.... Underwater.... SeaWorldThere are all kinds of animals that we call sea life. Crabs , worms, eels and sharks are all sea life. These animals live in water their entire life. Crabs, worms and many others are called invertebrates because they don't have a backbone. Whales, dolphins and others are called mammals. These animals survive in the salty water we call ocean. Scientists say life began in the oceans.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-35604354283541023552009-08-23T07:11:00.001-07:002009-08-23T07:23:05.523-07:00Lobster<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpgwYoEqBz0NqITCJ21eeh8ZPSmp9Ip6Rfr3U5_RROSo1lvA3K483S39jZbD3nsrye-RwVU0NGBVnfWngClq986EM8DK75_ezy27PsQVoEfcBIcXdGT_daQkTv7g2V16gYGZp0IFikGG9/s1600-h/66a5983643147612.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpgwYoEqBz0NqITCJ21eeh8ZPSmp9Ip6Rfr3U5_RROSo1lvA3K483S39jZbD3nsrye-RwVU0NGBVnfWngClq986EM8DK75_ezy27PsQVoEfcBIcXdGT_daQkTv7g2V16gYGZp0IFikGG9/s400/66a5983643147612.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373163607005911250" border="0" /></a>Clawed lobsters compose a kinsfolk (Nephropidae, sometimes also Homaridae) of large marine crustaceans. Lobsters are economically important as seafood, forming the basis of a global business that nets US$31.8 billion in change annually.<br /><br />Though individual different groups of crustaceans are famous as \"lobsters,\" the armed lobsters are most often associated with the name. They are also revered for their taste. Clawed lobsters are not closely related to spiny lobsters or slipper lobsters, which have no claws (chelae), or squat lobsters. The closest relatives of armed lobsters are the reef lobster Enoplometopus and the threesome families of freshwater crayfish.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSP4TmQaqyKoo6sJz_loCKGcyrzvp-pCpPKJ2b9t9CYMuGy3OCHBLsVPxY0irQhxa8Fvlc1SxqwiICv2yx6ak-Zm1hbryNuInhC9kyOTTQvKCa12srYMHEw98ugd4g6Voirtalba9y8Xo2/s1600-h/198cb1ac255a26e6.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSP4TmQaqyKoo6sJz_loCKGcyrzvp-pCpPKJ2b9t9CYMuGy3OCHBLsVPxY0irQhxa8Fvlc1SxqwiICv2yx6ak-Zm1hbryNuInhC9kyOTTQvKCa12srYMHEw98ugd4g6Voirtalba9y8Xo2/s400/198cb1ac255a26e6.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373163363833129330" border="0" /></a>Lobsters are institute in all the oceans of the world. They springy on rocky, sandy, or turbid bottoms from the shoreline to beyond the edge of the transcontinental shelf. They generally springy singly in crevices or in burrows under rocks.<br /><br />They are invertebrates, with a hard conserving exoskeleton. Like most arthropods, lobsters must molt in order to grow, leaving them undefendable during this time. During the molting process, several species haw experience a modify in color. Lobsters hit 10 legs, with the face ones adapted to claws.<br /><br />As arthropods, lobsters hit not achieved the nervous grouping utilization of cepholopod molluscs, nor do they hit the advantages of extraordinary eyesight. They do however, exhibit threesome important evolutionary advances that hit led to their great success: an exoskeleton: a strong, lightweight, form-fitted outside covering and support, striated muscle: a quick, strong, lightweight form of muscle that makes rapid shitting and flight possible, and articulation: the knowledge to bend appendeges at limited points.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwthrs0NWwLHdkXoXo-qZnZWuSoIpwiEFWrKV3SvYnqBbNygkSxF3B-Uwa6LoRNh-ZezbEda-Z5CPkPF5aS8qCr1P9xR4MEOky9c0i5Nn2GIDBkGEI912_S-v_LWBqqxn65VhmFOxbbtZt/s1600-h/c4708e56bbd79fb2.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 93px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwthrs0NWwLHdkXoXo-qZnZWuSoIpwiEFWrKV3SvYnqBbNygkSxF3B-Uwa6LoRNh-ZezbEda-Z5CPkPF5aS8qCr1P9xR4MEOky9c0i5Nn2GIDBkGEI912_S-v_LWBqqxn65VhmFOxbbtZt/s400/c4708e56bbd79fb2.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373162926690121602" border="0" /></a>Lobsters typically eat live food, consisting of fish, mollusks, other crustaceans, worms, and some plant life. Occasionally, they module scavenge if necessary, and haw resort to cannibalism in captivity; however, this has not been observed in the wild. Although lobster wound has been found in the stomachs of lobsters, this is because lobsters module eat their drop wound after molting. Lobsters acquire throughout their lives and it is not unusual for a lobster to live for more than 100 years. One such 100 year older lobster was donated to the Huntsman serviceman Science Center in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. In fact, lobsters haw show \"negligible senescence\", in that they crapper effectively live indefinitely, barring injury, disease, capture, etc. They crapper thus accomplish impressive sizes. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest lobster was caught in Nova Scotia, Canada, and weighed 20.15 kg (44.4 lb).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmpkv1i8ZtYB9nP8pRjtrJOKxCJ73uYcuu2MzSwseXZtVE4KiatFY-8v3D6CvEcmwdHIgke_uaXp03xZOdThGfSDdWwGzq_86XQMpYyb82UhSAvqrx0ovWA5I4XMqkTjEYt11tfH26Yo4/s1600-h/7b35ea996b804bd2.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 101px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmpkv1i8ZtYB9nP8pRjtrJOKxCJ73uYcuu2MzSwseXZtVE4KiatFY-8v3D6CvEcmwdHIgke_uaXp03xZOdThGfSDdWwGzq_86XQMpYyb82UhSAvqrx0ovWA5I4XMqkTjEYt11tfH26Yo4/s400/7b35ea996b804bd2.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373164042629797090" border="0" /></a>Although armed lobsters, same most other arthropods, are mostly bilaterally symmetrical, they often possess unequal, specialized claws, same the king crab. A freshly caught lobster module have a claw which is full and fleshy, not atrophied. The morphology of the lobster includes the cephalothorax which is the nous fused with the thorax, both of which are covered by the carapace, of chitinous composition, and the abdomen. The lobster's nous consists of antennae, antennules, mandibles, the first and ordinal maxillae, and the first, second, and ordinal maxillipeds. Because a lobster lives in a murky environment at the bottom of the ocean, its vision is poor and it mostly uses its antennae as sensors. Studies have shown that the lobster eye is bacilliform with a reflective structure atop a convex retina. In contrast, most complex eyes use refractive ray concentrators (lenses) and a cotyloid retina. The abdomen of the lobster includes swimmerets and its tail is imperturbable of uropods and the telson.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwBBuvpyX9LxDtKJIGWjP8y0gZgjBjp-a5aCLgoBi9O9VGlAirhJX0PKzuQY6z83puaSMAeRcKsVHk2NTDLEyCJw-0AMPHHtcfvjDnl-0M_JjrBAODi5EMSpkh4pQNkIBOODyhkN0dVqZ/s1600-h/f21e9f6f89076f06.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 111px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwBBuvpyX9LxDtKJIGWjP8y0gZgjBjp-a5aCLgoBi9O9VGlAirhJX0PKzuQY6z83puaSMAeRcKsVHk2NTDLEyCJw-0AMPHHtcfvjDnl-0M_JjrBAODi5EMSpkh4pQNkIBOODyhkN0dVqZ/s400/f21e9f6f89076f06.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373162618834096354" border="0" /></a>Lobsters, like snails and spiders, have blue murder cod to the proximity of haemocyanin, which contains copper. (In contrast, mammals and many another animals, have red murder cod to the proximity of haemoglobin, which contains iron.) Inside lobsters is a naif goopy center titled tomalley, which serves as the hepatopancreas, fulfilling the functions of both liver and pancreas.<br /><br />In general, lobsters are 25 cm to 50 cm daylong ( 10 to 20 inches ) and move slowly by walking on the bottom of the sea floor. However, when they flee, they swim backwards quickly by curling and uncurling their abdomen. A speed of five meters per second (about 11 mph) has been recorded. This is known as the caridoid escape reaction.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-55864968183487062862009-04-24T19:49:00.000-07:002009-04-24T20:31:33.229-07:00Octupos<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxpx-76TA8vusrHRlUtX_lpFTTDzFaENL9KDyaaHS02busdMrwPgdjKJnEnICDbJc3EI6G5aQK9wMaItSqou9Dp4OukDBC9tjray7KqayZSre9mxcBLwZ2wSZi409K0g6gspr0gIuWM-C/s1600-h/octopus.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxpx-76TA8vusrHRlUtX_lpFTTDzFaENL9KDyaaHS02busdMrwPgdjKJnEnICDbJc3EI6G5aQK9wMaItSqou9Dp4OukDBC9tjray7KqayZSre9mxcBLwZ2wSZi409K0g6gspr0gIuWM-C/s400/octopus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328456579907407954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQuim8WiF-E8miyDo2Jo9S5r18cAYVmorfSi8pKBA64E4CJWhfz-GIrdCG_RvfMtUoEZmBda6GJbu5HJgeleT9cRgAuhn9FSlqSg5WSWnKX3FaF4pg0wrGHj6eKh6oesp8hcGlRvXgzN-/s1600-h/octopus+vulgaris.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 286px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQuim8WiF-E8miyDo2Jo9S5r18cAYVmorfSi8pKBA64E4CJWhfz-GIrdCG_RvfMtUoEZmBda6GJbu5HJgeleT9cRgAuhn9FSlqSg5WSWnKX3FaF4pg0wrGHj6eKh6oesp8hcGlRvXgzN-/s400/octopus+vulgaris.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328456132925821938" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9iud-u19eELg5k_x8LMGPeUwROudoQ1dE3a6sRrOXq6PLSMhi1rRoxskR60rNLUWJ8BEFZkSShZPwkJvKDuEFcavaWPHPGh0QYAK773ZO6dufT5SkpgUR8-kCxqnmxh81kMAk_atcYRd/s1600-h/Octopus+vulgaris1.gif"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 1px; height: 1px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9iud-u19eELg5k_x8LMGPeUwROudoQ1dE3a6sRrOXq6PLSMhi1rRoxskR60rNLUWJ8BEFZkSShZPwkJvKDuEFcavaWPHPGh0QYAK773ZO6dufT5SkpgUR8-kCxqnmxh81kMAk_atcYRd/s400/Octopus+vulgaris1.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328456134973412674" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The octopus (pronounced /ˈɒktəpəs/, from Greek ὀκτάπους (oktapous), "eight-footed", with plural forms: octopuses /ˈɒktəpʊsɪz/, octopi /ˈɒktəpaɪ/, or octopodes /ɒkˈtɒpədiːz/, see below) is a cephalopod of the order Octopoda that inhabits many diverse regions of the ocean, especially coral reefs. The term may also refer to only those creatures in the genus Octopus. In the larger sense, there are around 300 recognized octopus species, which is over one-third of the total number of known cephalopod species.<br /><br />An octopus has eight flexible arms, which trail behind it as it swims. Most octopuses have no internal or external skeleton, allowing them to squeeze through tight places. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms. Octopuses are highly intelligent, probably the most intelligent invertebrates. They are known to build "forts" and "traps" in the wild, and for rearranging tanks and burying other animals alive in domestication[citation needed]. For this reason, they are quite notorious among aquarium operators. For defense against predators, they hide, flee quickly, expel ink, or use color-changing camouflage. Octopuses are bilaterally symmetrical, like other cephalopods, with two eyes and four pairs of arms. All octopuses are venomous, but only the small blue-ringed octopuses are deadly to humans.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBkAzbe1F05NIq9OPMrYseXslehcn-yuBpQmCWW-EeGxGO3Ks8hfClfpxZ4lIhyU5k7zj73t7WHUVrW2KxN9Jf3GL_QXd9rMwgnLLEk8FKG5cPY8wVcAh_BIuqwAoJ1lhL418kX3Mw3bn/s1600-h/399px-Oktopus_opening_a_container_with_screw_cap_01.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 181px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBkAzbe1F05NIq9OPMrYseXslehcn-yuBpQmCWW-EeGxGO3Ks8hfClfpxZ4lIhyU5k7zj73t7WHUVrW2KxN9Jf3GL_QXd9rMwgnLLEk8FKG5cPY8wVcAh_BIuqwAoJ1lhL418kX3Mw3bn/s400/399px-Oktopus_opening_a_container_with_screw_cap_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328457719395289858" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_FEHpn60x9vk15zD2ExOvfRddO91DQ3GcP9BJZo3DstIk3ObhXs18qpdYbXZa0CvD1zzRB-ndc6veCf1qLKpCGzaqzSmjjcfQqBKZjzPkL00Wkh8q3BlbLO9KNxveQAfKmeB-XATm-Zv/s1600-h/Octopus+fanned-out.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_FEHpn60x9vk15zD2ExOvfRddO91DQ3GcP9BJZo3DstIk3ObhXs18qpdYbXZa0CvD1zzRB-ndc6veCf1qLKpCGzaqzSmjjcfQqBKZjzPkL00Wkh8q3BlbLO9KNxveQAfKmeB-XATm-Zv/s400/Octopus+fanned-out.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328457756429631714" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Biology</span><br /><br />Octopuses are characterized by their eight arms (as distinct from the tentacles found in squid and cuttlefish), usually bearing suction cups. These arms are a type of muscular hydrostat. Unlike most other cephalopods, the majority of octopuses – those in the suborder most commonly known, Incirrina – have almost entirely soft bodies with no internal skeleton. They have neither a protective outer shell like the nautilus, nor any vestige of an internal shell or bones, like cuttlefish or squid. A beak, similar in shape to a parrot's beak, is the only hard part of their body. This enables them to squeeze through very narrow slits between underwater rocks, which is very helpful when they are fleeing from morays or other predatory fish. The octopuses in the less familiar Cirrina suborder have two fins and an internal shell, generally reducing their ability to squeeze into small spaces.<br /><br />Octopuses have a relatively short life expectancy, and some species live for as little as six months. Larger species, such as the North Pacific Giant Octopus, may live for up to five years under suitable circumstances. However, reproduction is a cause of death: males can only live for a few months after mating, and females die shortly after their eggs hatch. They neglect to eat during the (roughly) one month period spent taking care of their unhatched eggs, but they don't die of starvation. Endocrine secretions from the two optic glands are the cause of genetically-programmed death (and if these glands are surgically removed, the octopus may live many months beyond reproduction, until she finally starves). Stauroteuthis syrtensis, a finned octopus of the suborder Cirrina<br /><br />Octopuses have three hearts. Two pump blood through each of the two gills, while the third pumps blood through the body. Octopus blood contains the copper-rich protein hemocyanin for transporting oxygen. Although less efficient under normal conditions than the iron-rich hemoglobin of vertebrates, in cold conditions with low oxygen pressure, hemocyanin oxygen transportation is more efficient than hemoglobin oxygen transportation. The hemocyanin is dissolved in the plasma instead of being carried within red blood cells and gives the blood a blue color. Octopuses draw water into their mantle cavity where it passes through its gills. As mollusks, octopuses have gills that are finely divided and vascularized outgrowths of either the outer or the inner body surface.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7v5UhgOB0IXxVEZe2AbnMeLq9gyp3w5hJ5eNewYw-RWI9ljNqv1f22SuSRgDnl1m_QYPTWoI8wq0zakFxBIok1yu5EiPWQk3yPNYvLM38wso-jRZew0ngclrYtN1R61Bc1d6yMEDETuB/s1600-h/Socorro+Octopus.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7v5UhgOB0IXxVEZe2AbnMeLq9gyp3w5hJ5eNewYw-RWI9ljNqv1f22SuSRgDnl1m_QYPTWoI8wq0zakFxBIok1yu5EiPWQk3yPNYvLM38wso-jRZew0ngclrYtN1R61Bc1d6yMEDETuB/s400/Socorro+Octopus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328459004048074946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlosryxzFwUUUm3EujYvDkKYVxHdvxoCQ7XpWaAx5glji9-94cRrxQ6RwVcqn47lIxkh2-E27cxMvZBONcvFQDLVD18KZnEXn4owndCld0buJdzLQz-eBqop21cgtbkmxq4tILk_HQpr2/s1600-h/Polpessa+%28Octopus+Macropus%29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlosryxzFwUUUm3EujYvDkKYVxHdvxoCQ7XpWaAx5glji9-94cRrxQ6RwVcqn47lIxkh2-E27cxMvZBONcvFQDLVD18KZnEXn4owndCld0buJdzLQz-eBqop21cgtbkmxq4tILk_HQpr2/s400/Polpessa+%28Octopus+Macropus%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328459001999782594" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Intelligence</span><br /><br />Octopuses are highly intelligent, likely more so than any other order of invertebrates. The exact extent of their intelligence and learning capability is much debated among biologists, but maze and problem-solving experiments have shown that they do have both short- and long-term memory. Their short lifespans limit the amount they can ultimately learn. There has been much speculation to the effect that almost all octopus behaviors are independently learned rather than instinct-based, although this remains largely unproven. They learn almost no behaviors from their parents, with whom young octopuses have very little contact.<br /><br />An octopus has a highly complex nervous system, only part of which is localized in its brain. Two-thirds of an octopus' neurons are found in the nerve cords of its arms, which have a remarkable amount of autonomy. Octopus arms show a wide variety of complex reflex actions arising on at least three different levels of the nervous system. Some octopuses, such as the Mimic Octopus, will move their arms in ways that emulate the movements of other sea creatures.<br /><br />In laboratory experiments, octopuses can be readily trained to distinguish between different shapes and patterns. They have been reported to practice observational learning, although the validity of these findings is widely contested on a number of grounds. Octopuses have also been observed in what some have described as play: repeatedly releasing bottles or toys into a circular current in their aquariums and then catching them. Octopuses often break out of their aquariums and sometimes into others in search of food. They have even boarded fishing boats and opened holds to eat crabs.<br /><br />In some countries, octopuses are on the list of experimental animals on which surgery may not be performed without anesthesia. In the UK, cephalopods such as octopuses are regarded as honorary vertebrates under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and other cruelty to animals legislation, extending to them protections not normally afforded to invertebrates.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_scKxZgbmnuPaurtZRm9HOkl7YRnlulID63iwM-4U6h9iUGlGwnbAC42qb7rwoDHG0T6uIKCfrgE6tLlCZKTDpmaD6W8iKIfBBrJiG3viDZzjNF4kU62R31DgaW-u3Xm7sxWVfXeIX92/s1600-h/Tide_pools_octopus.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_scKxZgbmnuPaurtZRm9HOkl7YRnlulID63iwM-4U6h9iUGlGwnbAC42qb7rwoDHG0T6uIKCfrgE6tLlCZKTDpmaD6W8iKIfBBrJiG3viDZzjNF4kU62R31DgaW-u3Xm7sxWVfXeIX92/s400/Tide_pools_octopus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328460494263504946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WzeHeBdITB6PQTtM-80IRAqunRX_VLYJTstz556t9wUMDHj49zb64v4Fe2Edbpp6ewBRVWNfGxKoieAH66zt_QinOvoXVyjWFpRRBhjEMFA3cKffTiLzPvF-Z9yKfwmkVmTryhFCfxOd/s1600-h/741px-Octo2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WzeHeBdITB6PQTtM-80IRAqunRX_VLYJTstz556t9wUMDHj49zb64v4Fe2Edbpp6ewBRVWNfGxKoieAH66zt_QinOvoXVyjWFpRRBhjEMFA3cKffTiLzPvF-Z9yKfwmkVmTryhFCfxOd/s400/741px-Octo2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328460491227137458" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Defense</span><br /><br />An octopus' main (primary) defense is to hide, either not to be seen at all, or not to be detected as an octopus. Octopuses have several secondary defenses (defenses they use once they have been seen by a predator). The most common secondary defense is fast escape. Other defenses include the use of ink sacs, camouflage, and autotomising limbs.<br /><br />Most octopuses can eject a thick blackish ink in a large cloud to aid in escaping from predators. The main colouring agent of the ink is melanin, which is the same chemical that gives humans their hair and skin colour. This ink cloud is thought to dull smell, which is particularly useful for evading predators that are dependent on smell for hunting, such as sharks. Ink clouds of some species might serve as pseudomorphs, or decoys that the predator attacks instead.<br /><br />An octopus' camouflage is aided by certain specialized skin cells which can change the apparent color, opacity, and reflectiveness of the epidermis. Chromatophores contain yellow, orange, red, brown, or black pigments; most species have three of these colors, while some have two or four. Other color-changing cells are reflective iridophores, and leucophores (white). This color-changing ability can also be used to communicate with or warn other octopuses. The very venomous blue-ringed octopus becomes bright yellow with blue rings when it is provoked. Octopuses can use muscles in the skin to change the texture of their mantle in order to achieve a greater camouflage. In some species the mantle can take on the spiky appearance of seaweed, or the scraggly, bumpy texture of a rock, among other disguises. However in some species skin anatomy is limited to relatively patternless shades of one color, and limited skin texture. It is thought that octopuses that are day-active and/or live in complex habitats such as coral reefs have evolved more complex skin than their nocturnal and/or sand-dwelling relatives.<br /><br />When under attack, some octopuses can perform arm autotomy, in a similar manner to the way skinks and other lizards detach their tails. The crawling arm serves as a distraction to would-be predators.<br /><br />A few species, such as the Mimic Octopus, have a fourth defense mechanism. They can combine their highly flexible bodies with their color changing ability to accurately mimic other, more dangerous animals such as lionfish, sea snakes, and eels.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdvbjfXvSGLoAw0gna_6SpFNh2bP0gBSWM3SrdhrknpnLX689nABxjTCCsG77yvcLMacQ0ppY5q8vefnv6mBCNAdEoht2xp2fQu2h6UKzdD_WWgkx08wBWIwYWD04mPEFpagM1GdDdOVK/s1600-h/Octopus_briareus9.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdvbjfXvSGLoAw0gna_6SpFNh2bP0gBSWM3SrdhrknpnLX689nABxjTCCsG77yvcLMacQ0ppY5q8vefnv6mBCNAdEoht2xp2fQu2h6UKzdD_WWgkx08wBWIwYWD04mPEFpagM1GdDdOVK/s400/Octopus_briareus9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328462827342269426" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu24HBL9W-2d1_UlcGdoTJ2dKSgvEPQCaPU1mozCftPf2vyeeJc8RlTzIVBTHjE2zyJKZq8TkjVJ8r62Vyzs913P1g4CW0R73vXU55s_vqWsvK0SCuE8oyw7xCmzSH2iSWMQyuuZtkzt_u/s1600-h/Octopus_briareus1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu24HBL9W-2d1_UlcGdoTJ2dKSgvEPQCaPU1mozCftPf2vyeeJc8RlTzIVBTHjE2zyJKZq8TkjVJ8r62Vyzs913P1g4CW0R73vXU55s_vqWsvK0SCuE8oyw7xCmzSH2iSWMQyuuZtkzt_u/s400/Octopus_briareus1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328462826398186850" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Reproduction</span><br /><br />When octopuses reproduce, males use a specialized arm called a hectocotylus to insert spermatophores (packets of sperm) into the female's mantle cavity. The hectocotylus in benthic octopuses is usually the third right arm. Males die within a few months of mating. In some species, the female octopus can keep the sperm alive inside her for weeks until her eggs are mature. After they have been fertilized, the female lays about 200,000 eggs (this figure dramatically varies between families, genera, species and also individuals). The female hangs these eggs in strings from the ceiling of her lair, or individually attaches them to the substrate depending on the species. The female cares for the eggs, guarding them against predators, and gently blowing currents of water over them so that they get enough oxygen. The female does not eat during the roughly one-month period spent taking care of the unhatched eggs. At around the time the eggs hatch, the mother dies and the young larval octopuses spend a period of time drifting in clouds of plankton, where they feed on copepods, larval crabs and larval starfish until they are ready to sink down to the bottom of the ocean, where the cycle repeats itself. In some deeper dwelling species, the young do not go through this period. This is a dangerous time for the larval octopuses; as they become part of the plankton cloud they are vulnerable to many plankton eaters.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFT8kcCMFUpEEfvEFdNrQtgXcFoV1iRr9zD3rIhmdNxbz0Jfof_6dT47zw6-ACfOcmGoHD6qp7RVughWfrqPD7Yie8uPZDb-JeLKs_R4CpSkV8j-fuokXTsyXAzCeI-n-rFxJfl6FNfCP/s1600-h/Octopus.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFT8kcCMFUpEEfvEFdNrQtgXcFoV1iRr9zD3rIhmdNxbz0Jfof_6dT47zw6-ACfOcmGoHD6qp7RVughWfrqPD7Yie8uPZDb-JeLKs_R4CpSkV8j-fuokXTsyXAzCeI-n-rFxJfl6FNfCP/s400/Octopus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328463425649251938" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_eHAoKKlKzzm5UxuuzuLcTNDJwRikLXJaUH9uBlXPS2xTzKLC1Anm9yUs2AwKJ9ZsipVJsMdv5vRegsJbI7Zc0sjnDw1IqQQcQe11cdj1ELxCAq9WL1PI8XIBnHL3B2nF9pO4jBwK_dz/s1600-h/octopus2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_eHAoKKlKzzm5UxuuzuLcTNDJwRikLXJaUH9uBlXPS2xTzKLC1Anm9yUs2AwKJ9ZsipVJsMdv5vRegsJbI7Zc0sjnDw1IqQQcQe11cdj1ELxCAq9WL1PI8XIBnHL3B2nF9pO4jBwK_dz/s400/octopus2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328463426745425890" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Sensation</span><br /><br />Octopuses have keen eyesight. Although their slit-shaped pupils might be expected to afflict them with astigmatism, it appears that this is not a problem in the light levels in which an octopus typically hunts. They do not appear to have color vision, although they can distinguish the polarization of light. Attached to the brain are two special organs, called statocysts, that allow the octopus to sense the orientation of its body relative to horizontal. An autonomic response keeps the octopus' eyes oriented so that the pupil slit is always horizontal.<br /><br />Octopuses also have an excellent sense of touch. An octopus' suction cups are equipped with chemoreceptors so that the octopus can taste what it is touching. The arms contain tension sensors so that the octopus knows whether its arms are stretched out. However, the octopus has a very poor proprioceptive sense. The tension receptors are not sufficient for the octopus brain to determine the position of the octopus' body or arms. (It is not clear that the octopus brain would be capable of processing the large amount of information that this would require; the flexibility of an octopus' arms is much greater than that of the limbs of vertebrates, which devote large areas of cerebral cortex to the processing of proprioceptive inputs.) As a result, the octopus does not possess stereognosis; that is, it does not form a mental image of the overall shape of the object it is handling. It can detect local texture variations, but cannot integrate the information into a larger picture.<br /><br />The neurological autonomy of the arms means that the octopus has great difficulty learning about the detailed effects of its motions. The brain may issue a high-level command to the arms, but the nerve cords in the arms execute the details. There is no neurological path for the brain to receive feedback about just how its command was executed by the arms; the only way it knows just what motions were made is by observing the arms visually.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphGoRJevmmhyphenhyphenyBn0Z2VLvh2FBabBoKuPV7l9DFC-P5WB4mLs4fr89fxqmY6382ODKiqlII35HxlZfHw4ziLxdN7wz-nXfv8oursN7lk3eIVyc-GmUAq8gEo4tGjoMkchn7RsWxo_CYZgV/s1600-h/88870083_1b175ed2c7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphGoRJevmmhyphenhyphenyBn0Z2VLvh2FBabBoKuPV7l9DFC-P5WB4mLs4fr89fxqmY6382ODKiqlII35HxlZfHw4ziLxdN7wz-nXfv8oursN7lk3eIVyc-GmUAq8gEo4tGjoMkchn7RsWxo_CYZgV/s400/88870083_1b175ed2c7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328464289854958610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRBGAvCcY4g_DsRzUQUprnegCvlzS46keKy8Q25RvDp0J6WQG3WvMj5t3jbefaQ-cJBa5iGMSZZe8yZwQUKjaa71eH_VgzQLc8Ow3DMRpKWyzgXsr2bSH1L2FojKLxpbnTmMrwvTxPpnc/s1600-h/378765317_561d426927.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRBGAvCcY4g_DsRzUQUprnegCvlzS46keKy8Q25RvDp0J6WQG3WvMj5t3jbefaQ-cJBa5iGMSZZe8yZwQUKjaa71eH_VgzQLc8Ow3DMRpKWyzgXsr2bSH1L2FojKLxpbnTmMrwvTxPpnc/s400/378765317_561d426927.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328464293218636690" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Locomotion</span><br /><br />Octopuses move about by crawling or swimming. Their main means of slow travel is crawling, with some swimming. Jet propulsion is their fastest means of locomotion, followed by swimming and bipedal walking.<br /><br />They crawl by walking on their arms, usually on many at once, on both solid and soft surfaces, while supported in water. In 2005 it was reported that some octopuses (Adopus aculeatus and Amphioctopus marginatus under current taxonomy) can walk on two arms, while at the same time resembling plant matter. This form of locomotion allows these octopuses to move quickly away from a potential predator while possibly not triggering that predator's search image for octopus (food). Octopuses lack bones and are extremely vulnerable to predators.<br /><br />Octopuses swim by expelling a jet of water from a contractile mantle, and aiming it via a muscular siphon.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-49779669350279100162007-11-26T01:00:00.001-08:002008-12-11T15:14:39.175-08:00Angelfish<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Emperor Angelfish<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsNtTd6iQkGIbsxLbJpMfsk-OvkxNEMC5k7u8g_vfoFpRdO3at28WNNsaCn1Hiz36h6soT-OGH9tfje1yQbSJKAaXjEaopL9MNORq6lxxTQoZ81fzS29XRMLurae7-SP1CeZT2OKQyrtq/s1600-h/2+E.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsNtTd6iQkGIbsxLbJpMfsk-OvkxNEMC5k7u8g_vfoFpRdO3at28WNNsaCn1Hiz36h6soT-OGH9tfje1yQbSJKAaXjEaopL9MNORq6lxxTQoZ81fzS29XRMLurae7-SP1CeZT2OKQyrtq/s400/2+E.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137072647256120626" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7aX8sUMRECbgL2rvs1SIz3i_TFWlhddw6PM8tmcu9Jau3THzJMBEYfXlVdvjEGh0JOtaBXUQQvQpb30RA7pMfjb1Wx2jOsMMGddzPuwMsaO5v_CV9VaXXWoktKYCpDbl8GGkTMQjDbJ0/s1600-h/1+E.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7aX8sUMRECbgL2rvs1SIz3i_TFWlhddw6PM8tmcu9Jau3THzJMBEYfXlVdvjEGh0JOtaBXUQQvQpb30RA7pMfjb1Wx2jOsMMGddzPuwMsaO5v_CV9VaXXWoktKYCpDbl8GGkTMQjDbJ0/s400/1+E.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137072724565531970" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The emperor angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator, is a species of marine angelfish. It is a reef-associated fish, native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from the Red Sea to Hawaii and the Austral Islands.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC61FvWZvs9tsgf9y7SQxhnGtCQs0GqB5xUiz1FnRF1CltlWqrOX-MywncbR4o5nQmved99Tu4B45DsOqO6_EpYGRk7RFl3hbLSCBiRuQAl4qp9docDm7bf0Ui-YXAwoKDhyQxKbHceJA7/s1600-h/3+E.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC61FvWZvs9tsgf9y7SQxhnGtCQs0GqB5xUiz1FnRF1CltlWqrOX-MywncbR4o5nQmved99Tu4B45DsOqO6_EpYGRk7RFl3hbLSCBiRuQAl4qp9docDm7bf0Ui-YXAwoKDhyQxKbHceJA7/s400/3+E.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137072595716513058" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEqyyyeJH_kqlg1oFlnkmdBoID-8ooDh-St3hAcKNO9ZnZG5vcK0CAX5qQguRypdljvk1gfbDdO17mqR8rpxuFLaG3z1_gRkB14eUTKgcaV6AUClzddX9gPrOAa15AvBN56gB6V4a5-oQ/s1600-h/4+E.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEqyyyeJH_kqlg1oFlnkmdBoID-8ooDh-St3hAcKNO9ZnZG5vcK0CAX5qQguRypdljvk1gfbDdO17mqR8rpxuFLaG3z1_gRkB14eUTKgcaV6AUClzddX9gPrOAa15AvBN56gB6V4a5-oQ/s400/4+E.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137072544176905490" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Juveniles are dark blue with electric blue and white rings; adults have yellow and blue stripes, with black around the eyes. It takes about four years for an emperor angelfish to acquire its adult colouring. They grow to 40 cm in length. Juvenile to adult transition may not fully occur in an aquarium.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB_gBlLKJuSE4xJXlj0NiTld41_XB7uGHbRlDM1juWMyZ3O81SajMg12SAWXfYgAPQzj9bH37YzfFdMV0Ux7O4uCo2cDnsAxoBGRgEeURPGSdyFqQQk7n44WQ7c1t136DDMVQg81-JQLe/s1600-h/5+E.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB_gBlLKJuSE4xJXlj0NiTld41_XB7uGHbRlDM1juWMyZ3O81SajMg12SAWXfYgAPQzj9bH37YzfFdMV0Ux7O4uCo2cDnsAxoBGRgEeURPGSdyFqQQk7n44WQ7c1t136DDMVQg81-JQLe/s400/5+E.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137072484047363330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7pUTEXHoOtkqQbooiNUJhPRYgskqzl0GsuPkrbHGcMmP1-NKy06jbyqTHSAFxpTCWCAcQ061O25U2p74_fK-V5uoA1T_0gd9PoHYEs8iOtM2nCvEjo2kMuJK-xUiQ7cKdOnBl2N9xWop/s1600-h/6+E.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 279px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv7pUTEXHoOtkqQbooiNUJhPRYgskqzl0GsuPkrbHGcMmP1-NKy06jbyqTHSAFxpTCWCAcQ061O25U2p74_fK-V5uoA1T_0gd9PoHYEs8iOtM2nCvEjo2kMuJK-xUiQ7cKdOnBl2N9xWop/s400/6+E.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137072432507755762" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Royal Angelfish<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjxsQ4wPgrWINP8aahg0k1d_E-XSuG7d84b-oNhK3kGcpfCTikY6ASB2OvOLr-tluoTafXR4ZuBDW6U5Z3qpMb0JBpIgwmOlLsXgeQ5wTgq_fzL3hIuOwGDHmx4B3HYKeM4F6C231CPRU/s1600-h/1+R.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjxsQ4wPgrWINP8aahg0k1d_E-XSuG7d84b-oNhK3kGcpfCTikY6ASB2OvOLr-tluoTafXR4ZuBDW6U5Z3qpMb0JBpIgwmOlLsXgeQ5wTgq_fzL3hIuOwGDHmx4B3HYKeM4F6C231CPRU/s400/1+R.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137072054550633698" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lWctrrpEwT9gCHlL3KWL29y8tFT6fZFF6xJHA7-ACOKTSW9YXg468j7bMvfVOHK6EgrwXUfHoLF_RRU1LvNfjmAYCsa2olOIj7i_Fl0T8S0hqj5X0VKpWrDKVEvc_5WTrScQt7rQBzy-/s1600-h/2+R.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lWctrrpEwT9gCHlL3KWL29y8tFT6fZFF6xJHA7-ACOKTSW9YXg468j7bMvfVOHK6EgrwXUfHoLF_RRU1LvNfjmAYCsa2olOIj7i_Fl0T8S0hqj5X0VKpWrDKVEvc_5WTrScQt7rQBzy-/s400/2+R.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137072011600960722" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The royal angelfish, Pygoplites diacanthus, is a species of marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae, the only member of the genus Pygoplites. It is found in tropical Indo-Pacific oceans from Red Sea and East Africa to the Tuamoto Islands, north to Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia, at depths down to 48 m. Its length is up to 25 cm.<br /><br />The royal angelfish occurs in coral-rich areas of lagoon and seaward reefs, often found in the vicinity of caves. It feeds on sponges and tunicates. It is solitary or in pairs, or in groups.<br /><br />Coloration of the royal angelfish is sides with alternating dark-edged bluish white and orange stripes which narrow and angle backward in dorsal fin, the posterior portion of the dorsal fin black with close-set blue dots, the posterior portion of anal fin with alternating yellow and blue bands running parallel to body contour, and the caudal fin yellow. Juveniles have a large ocellated dark spot on the basal portion of the soft dorsal fin.<br /><br />Although it is frequently exported through the aquarium trade it rarely survives in the aquarium.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk53W4EahFeByhnKHVtEfqXKQ7WvnSmvlIUHWkQsv4b5ssPV9vWCs0BgiOHLPcMInz7_JjZt1tBz26ymKvm2ZCvF0hm98gBrPTskGGcX2Y0FiGiSNSM___64MH9saA7IKRWriUSOH6Ko6R/s1600-h/3+R.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk53W4EahFeByhnKHVtEfqXKQ7WvnSmvlIUHWkQsv4b5ssPV9vWCs0BgiOHLPcMInz7_JjZt1tBz26ymKvm2ZCvF0hm98gBrPTskGGcX2Y0FiGiSNSM___64MH9saA7IKRWriUSOH6Ko6R/s400/3+R.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137071951471418562" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_dprDOc8KcpCe147mq6CjXvUbKk_RR1kkyFUAp2BNJrAEbOPMuYg3bRWVpGt-EOWgXa_NLIeCemd1asW-qqMf4iL9ls9JY_S_RmLCBtGHDEj8hhGJHpO0I6yleqE5GVg44V_rwJT8nhZ/s1600-h/4+R.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_dprDOc8KcpCe147mq6CjXvUbKk_RR1kkyFUAp2BNJrAEbOPMuYg3bRWVpGt-EOWgXa_NLIeCemd1asW-qqMf4iL9ls9JY_S_RmLCBtGHDEj8hhGJHpO0I6yleqE5GVg44V_rwJT8nhZ/s400/4+R.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137071899931810994" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Usually specimens abused during shipment, more likely caught by drugging, will refuse to eat anything, including live fare.<br /><br />However, given the right environment, specifically with smaller and docile tankmates like gobies and dwarf angels, it will start feeding within days when fed brine shrimp, brine shrimp plus flakes, and further progessing to regular frozen foods and a certain brand of cichlid pellets which this species seem to crave.<br /><br />With a hostile environment with fellow large angels, puffers, and triggers, and certain clowns, it will almost certainly fail to acclimate and slowly die of starvation due to its shyness to start feeding.<br /><br />Survivability of feeding specimens seem to equal to the other Pomacanthids.<br /><br />Fresh water dips may be required to rid newly arrived specimens of flukes and ick which this species is especially prone to.<br /><br />The prior myth that only yellow-bellied variations from Sri Lanka and the Red Sea will survive points to the fact that species from the Philippines and Indonesia are often abused when collected.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">King Angelfish<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC2iwMk9gNeQuB3wJcie98iFmkXhlpCAnmJdBDpeP3NjvTEY9QACvKvaAE6TNnPKfd9ePSAlH2ajw3Xn76MbwKbZknyowtLYpVjQxbHQhvzUNIQbOlvs37Hk3-eE987I1AabqrxByWgZy/s1600-h/408746979_31f9eed815_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOC2iwMk9gNeQuB3wJcie98iFmkXhlpCAnmJdBDpeP3NjvTEY9QACvKvaAE6TNnPKfd9ePSAlH2ajw3Xn76MbwKbZknyowtLYpVjQxbHQhvzUNIQbOlvs37Hk3-eE987I1AabqrxByWgZy/s400/408746979_31f9eed815_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137071826917366946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43rTvXSEO7peG39Yr3Gju3wSMtstVqP-FHQWFzhp8mx-sFQDK1WpuA1d9ZJUXaTVdcVUKY3_EfPPej1O_QsjyQuxp2958pNckqTM3Ocw32Fe7auGANBdh0-j-53rwfFdtG2y01c63GCfo/s1600-h/412190604_c6cdf8e585_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43rTvXSEO7peG39Yr3Gju3wSMtstVqP-FHQWFzhp8mx-sFQDK1WpuA1d9ZJUXaTVdcVUKY3_EfPPej1O_QsjyQuxp2958pNckqTM3Ocw32Fe7auGANBdh0-j-53rwfFdtG2y01c63GCfo/s400/412190604_c6cdf8e585_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137071779672726674" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjXG2YX1NRDKLkn_D2xUOzOgOZrQADPB38-XkKHI2QnYx0JTbHm7aR46E5XC3V_nHZUdNp1z60Zw8I11xtnPMiXiWHJ4Wq-UaT4O1MJIDC6zzLARA0ckgZE5w6FRiE8LGoYsTWPczG8Z4/s1600-h/king_angelfish2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjXG2YX1NRDKLkn_D2xUOzOgOZrQADPB38-XkKHI2QnYx0JTbHm7aR46E5XC3V_nHZUdNp1z60Zw8I11xtnPMiXiWHJ4Wq-UaT4O1MJIDC6zzLARA0ckgZE5w6FRiE8LGoYsTWPczG8Z4/s400/king_angelfish2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137071706658282626" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZglE6PovuGEOgreIJ3ATibteT6Xq8ntAkYFObC5iYdWlFABM8UlgOGcjtSBcVxttPqwBZH_6y7OZ0FopBK8ulBqUy-Ob85hVC1cs2cBMouYM5OL2lSm8ZeCKf-V03djT04I1gj7fCdxgg/s1600-h/KingAngelfish.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZglE6PovuGEOgreIJ3ATibteT6Xq8ntAkYFObC5iYdWlFABM8UlgOGcjtSBcVxttPqwBZH_6y7OZ0FopBK8ulBqUy-Ob85hVC1cs2cBMouYM5OL2lSm8ZeCKf-V03djT04I1gj7fCdxgg/s400/KingAngelfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137071637938805874" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEwzNTo12lBx0gx6YmPF8oBTluvpNab92x3D-4cFxqC7jM-MUqUqPQFDusE4iXLdmQo__mX5ZTfzKSeQLpGvJq2j9kazmZcz7GyrnWwLvkPNTMHxm9MREjKgF0A2nh7RCN8FIijphYmRD/s1600-h/KingAngelfishWMA_C0633.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEwzNTo12lBx0gx6YmPF8oBTluvpNab92x3D-4cFxqC7jM-MUqUqPQFDusE4iXLdmQo__mX5ZTfzKSeQLpGvJq2j9kazmZcz7GyrnWwLvkPNTMHxm9MREjKgF0A2nh7RCN8FIijphYmRD/s400/KingAngelfishWMA_C0633.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137071573514296418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCoIOZZ8MXo0h1AAQabTcjGG545xGqsG9EtMMATictfxh-EIx-9SP-1GGnGPaMTkkK917Tyyunsvu1ylv83uXdaHCsCJojeDb53nihC4wjMMvRqE11uNQ_IvHUP8qT5j-cdzm_rrYM0Gz/s1600-h/kingcprtth.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCoIOZZ8MXo0h1AAQabTcjGG545xGqsG9EtMMATictfxh-EIx-9SP-1GGnGPaMTkkK917Tyyunsvu1ylv83uXdaHCsCJojeDb53nihC4wjMMvRqE11uNQ_IvHUP8qT5j-cdzm_rrYM0Gz/s400/kingcprtth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137071513384754258" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-40770392100890074182007-11-22T20:41:00.001-08:002008-12-11T15:14:40.699-08:00Swell Shark<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJRjAOaO3owwp8nlB2PC8fKIBhGErPvaAQjq4Xo4iSCXY2_x9Q534NJvFIerQD6dkg7sJGRYmfS5YD5_0KxJnkBKY1-7iF0CE-d_L5VKtVQoKq6jzq6LS-uWHPh6StYFMA9tT3kXdB0_K/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJRjAOaO3owwp8nlB2PC8fKIBhGErPvaAQjq4Xo4iSCXY2_x9Q534NJvFIerQD6dkg7sJGRYmfS5YD5_0KxJnkBKY1-7iF0CE-d_L5VKtVQoKq6jzq6LS-uWHPh6StYFMA9tT3kXdB0_K/s400/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135891801832660018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8eKx3P_faNUR79yFLjTzuu5mlTEJ38FvbSnZAenJEnbqRmcLOBT3FCdtArsJzRzUEiKX3_XI0kUD3ipp04yO9e-8PFT-0ToZdOzAw77W8A1KRiNOuYtJeqkm0QBzcP7I78dGsOhqQg1q/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8eKx3P_faNUR79yFLjTzuu5mlTEJ38FvbSnZAenJEnbqRmcLOBT3FCdtArsJzRzUEiKX3_XI0kUD3ipp04yO9e-8PFT-0ToZdOzAw77W8A1KRiNOuYtJeqkm0QBzcP7I78dGsOhqQg1q/s400/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135891866257169474" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The swellshark, Cephaloscyllium ventriosum, is a catshark of the family Scyliorhinidae found in the subtropical eastern Pacific Ocean between latitudes 40° N and 37° S, from the surface to 460 m. It grows to about 1 m in length, and can expand its body by taking in air or water to make it appear larger to predators.<br /><br />The swellshark is found on the continental shelves and upper slopes from inshore to deeper waters, preferring rocky, algal-covered areas of kelp beds. It is nocturnal and feeds on bony fishes, alive and dead, and probably crustaceans. Reproduction is oviparous. Swellsharks can live in aquaria for several years and females can lay eggs in captivity. In their natural state they can occur in aggregations while resting, sometimes piled one on top of the other. Sometimes they are caught by sport divers but they are not used.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WLA4ABgvXV5YpMGcpBZhOErgTMwS1T39g8zQA4tcEJfaC4Ft4rgN7VC8gl396N1Jpr6V-GcY5zOffpAw8EEWzrOrottOSjjAM-Ywj0YvLuJkIAzZdbLG8dd7YCxDP91gwUUZd5Pv5QC3/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WLA4ABgvXV5YpMGcpBZhOErgTMwS1T39g8zQA4tcEJfaC4Ft4rgN7VC8gl396N1Jpr6V-GcY5zOffpAw8EEWzrOrottOSjjAM-Ywj0YvLuJkIAzZdbLG8dd7YCxDP91gwUUZd5Pv5QC3/s400/4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135891655803771922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvnZsB6vuaAaZhAWyEjuMFme4r8RVtIrk87Nlbt6itQn_6vTQWxKc1G9Ba-G4Qw1pdXXuGkZEXZ0RpGg0VessugqtXwQw_QekU5e7nq6OWQWMV6fzXsu8Dei985Qv5SO4umLtBpOZLOY-/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvnZsB6vuaAaZhAWyEjuMFme4r8RVtIrk87Nlbt6itQn_6vTQWxKc1G9Ba-G4Qw1pdXXuGkZEXZ0RpGg0VessugqtXwQw_QekU5e7nq6OWQWMV6fzXsu8Dei985Qv5SO4umLtBpOZLOY-/s400/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135891733113183266" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODFq7jAdvZBCvOttplRa3QL0ibQ9exPSOQ6krgGvyg6HBJX3EX1k0-pU87e80bnu7SKWsmCs242CAvkkn5fTLHNlY03j2p_uMH4IfC9IGmIgCmD3WOd4CGPBilAgyvy_vi8YuwMalWBz-/s1600-h/6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODFq7jAdvZBCvOttplRa3QL0ibQ9exPSOQ6krgGvyg6HBJX3EX1k0-pU87e80bnu7SKWsmCs242CAvkkn5fTLHNlY03j2p_uMH4IfC9IGmIgCmD3WOd4CGPBilAgyvy_vi8YuwMalWBz-/s400/6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135891539839654898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMF1mtbeK_awRaR8OwwJ8gMgzmbchqNjiCu-Qcq0DMoyigL-yubAK_kvTFVu8zVNpMzLV_fGwjUW6oc2qrDOT2Sk6CUKTixs4HS3q-A0Vz86WYYrBDz2vnc9FIu0Azxa2EFADl9WFxCXlK/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMF1mtbeK_awRaR8OwwJ8gMgzmbchqNjiCu-Qcq0DMoyigL-yubAK_kvTFVu8zVNpMzLV_fGwjUW6oc2qrDOT2Sk6CUKTixs4HS3q-A0Vz86WYYrBDz2vnc9FIu0Azxa2EFADl9WFxCXlK/s400/5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135891599969197058" border="0" /></a></div>Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-37238373347635046802007-11-21T22:35:00.001-08:002008-12-11T15:14:41.213-08:00Scalloped Hammerhead<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GOWgHqVfS7xkPfLDhShXBZBxV4W7u2FYSBjGj5c6immg8Ft6HDVVziwG-hy26i9Ur4y4ZRGmouiJgRT12IW4KAful8g8o9_jgVfvBPvmf6VfuzwExnXkf6uKUo-PZahkP3tnNF29ZLdF/s1600-h/Scalloped+Hammerhead.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GOWgHqVfS7xkPfLDhShXBZBxV4W7u2FYSBjGj5c6immg8Ft6HDVVziwG-hy26i9Ur4y4ZRGmouiJgRT12IW4KAful8g8o9_jgVfvBPvmf6VfuzwExnXkf6uKUo-PZahkP3tnNF29ZLdF/s400/Scalloped+Hammerhead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135549918140931042" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The scalloped hammerhead, Sphyrna lewini, is a hammerhead shark of the family Sphyrnidae. Originally Zygaena lewini, it was later moved to its current name. The Greek word sphyrna translates into "hammer" in English, referring to the shape of this shark's head.<br /><br />This shark is also known as the bronze, kidney-headed or southern hammerhead. It primarily lives in warm temperate and tropical coastal waters all around the globe between latitudes 46° N and 36° S, down to a depth of 300 m. It is the most common of all hammerheads.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiExN4XSJoxS7oSJuk_hdkAGWVJOwb2fbC94uvb4FVsL-wwT08ZgJ279RXvoM1Q3MtU-MlxqoQfPos4PLBJzty0ZkJTkEPQf7WCdk36NDY4F-1sAZ2SdTXhaMwjd5gEsdrzWvcfcbHv0q/s1600-h/6808.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 237px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiExN4XSJoxS7oSJuk_hdkAGWVJOwb2fbC94uvb4FVsL-wwT08ZgJ279RXvoM1Q3MtU-MlxqoQfPos4PLBJzty0ZkJTkEPQf7WCdk36NDY4F-1sAZ2SdTXhaMwjd5gEsdrzWvcfcbHv0q/s400/6808.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135549810766748610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o6EdH1b3a4zT0aFHFrRchgq_WUNAA7LlUhiLCGiloH1LEqMMoJDOrMeAcemcPV8nh5uakyIG-bZcqwFIP-u65DY5Kr1c8_NmAUjw_ExnK6lbwl_XjavPGxkwjepCtKEGy4c8lp0ehFxx/s1600-h/scalloped-hammerhead-01.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o6EdH1b3a4zT0aFHFrRchgq_WUNAA7LlUhiLCGiloH1LEqMMoJDOrMeAcemcPV8nh5uakyIG-bZcqwFIP-u65DY5Kr1c8_NmAUjw_ExnK6lbwl_XjavPGxkwjepCtKEGy4c8lp0ehFxx/s400/scalloped-hammerhead-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135549694802631602" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The most distinguishing characteristic of this shark, as in all hammerheads, is the 'hammer' on its head. The shark's eyes and nostrils are at the tips of the extensions. The maximum length of the scalloped hammerhead is 4.3 m and the maximum weight 150 kg.<br /><br />This shark is often seen during the day in big schools, sometimes numbering hundreds. They are considered dangerous but are normally not aggressive towards humans, in fact most incidents with humans are probably defensive after the shark was surprised or frightened.<br /><br />This shark feeds primarily on fish such as sardines, mackerel and herring, and occasionally on cephalopods such as squid and octopus. Larger specimens may also feed on smaller species of shark such as the blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-64877865023355102852007-11-21T00:12:00.001-08:002008-12-11T15:14:43.297-08:00Anemonefish<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU9tu0wC7fcmQIVKK17wq7DgNVDv42gKkwQwaRYmRNDbP9m9fdoF3vQhSD9pcwZfJ4l1mL4Sx6jx1Wjk6sVejew_fWejTu2Tr1PuCfsoQV0Ikx1qS-5zwS4zKrh36OEY1Gp0FbOIhyQ5V/s1600-h/Clark's+anemonefish.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLU9tu0wC7fcmQIVKK17wq7DgNVDv42gKkwQwaRYmRNDbP9m9fdoF3vQhSD9pcwZfJ4l1mL4Sx6jx1Wjk6sVejew_fWejTu2Tr1PuCfsoQV0Ikx1qS-5zwS4zKrh36OEY1Gp0FbOIhyQ5V/s400/Clark's+anemonefish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135203722302036738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Clark's Anemonefish</span><br /></div><br />Clark's anemonefish or the Yellowtail clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii) is a widely distributed clownfish. It is found in tropical waters, in lagoons and on outer reef slopes, from the Persian Gulf to Western Australia and throughout the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean as far as Melanesia and Micronesia, and as far north as Taiwan, southern Japan and the Ryukyu Islands.<br /><br />Clark's Anemonefish is a spectacularly colourful fish, with vivid black, white and yellow stripes, though the exact pattern shows considerable geographical variation. There are normally two white bands, one behind the eye and one above the anus. The tail fin may be white or yellow, but is always lighter than rest of the body.<br /><br />Clarke's Anemonefish are a popular aquarium species. They are omnivorous, and in the aquarium will readily eat brine shrimp. They will regularly host in many sea anemones in the home aquarium.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__r94uJqJzLIDWEPQXfRHFC0WDBBmyqJN_e57Z4DUM8sKI2qGX_rcHzuVnSvhfkTfisjHW2YpKS6eOcYF9eOglGhbk3AdoNev7bxjWgAmG0TQ4Ei1J5zOBfFKVjYLwRqSgZmcoO5o7-Ra/s1600-h/Barrier+Reef+Anemonefish.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 345px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__r94uJqJzLIDWEPQXfRHFC0WDBBmyqJN_e57Z4DUM8sKI2qGX_rcHzuVnSvhfkTfisjHW2YpKS6eOcYF9eOglGhbk3AdoNev7bxjWgAmG0TQ4Ei1J5zOBfFKVjYLwRqSgZmcoO5o7-Ra/s400/Barrier+Reef+Anemonefish.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135204186158504722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Barrier Reef Anemonefish</span><br /></div><br />The Barrier Reef Anemonefish, Amphiprion akindynos, is an anemonefish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to reefs and marine lagoons of the Western Pacific.<br /><br />Adults are an orange-brown color with two white bars with black edging encircling the body. The first bar is located on the head behind the eyes and may be thin and broken. The second bar is on the body below the dorsal fin. The caudal peduncle and caudal fin are white. Juveniles are normally brown with three white stripes. In sub-adults the colouring changes to a dull yellow with two white stripes. They have 10 to 11 dorsal spines and 2 anal spines. They reach a maximum length of 9 cm (3½ in) and weigh on average 27.50 g (0.97 oz).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXXfEj8k1GBMxGI1ysAd7As9f6gx3c-5Sq4ugAV5J45AzcGHqHWI1luILp0C0KmUAqW_6yGMjLBvo8BLYf2Zsr5ObvfwFT6g5Efk7QRmZjTZlsJqTF3Q3xC2ugA8kMMaxwhWZJ7ejgg_p/s1600-h/Pink+Anemonefish.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXXfEj8k1GBMxGI1ysAd7As9f6gx3c-5Sq4ugAV5J45AzcGHqHWI1luILp0C0KmUAqW_6yGMjLBvo8BLYf2Zsr5ObvfwFT6g5Efk7QRmZjTZlsJqTF3Q3xC2ugA8kMMaxwhWZJ7ejgg_p/s400/Pink+Anemonefish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135205869785684882" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI64VZ92XajJfqLqllPmM4afXSM8CbVjAG4jNXNTMOHFzjQFHuhbhh5bpO3hnEjSRlirUJi_fADnwX9u8SaCPdBwgDBcEK9dFoL4U0Kvs5ed6N_cFJhYvPnqOrBb8O_GQB3lYP8PCdHQo/s1600-h/Spine-Cheek+Anemonefish,+Papua+New+Guinea.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheI64VZ92XajJfqLqllPmM4afXSM8CbVjAG4jNXNTMOHFzjQFHuhbhh5bpO3hnEjSRlirUJi_fADnwX9u8SaCPdBwgDBcEK9dFoL4U0Kvs5ed6N_cFJhYvPnqOrBb8O_GQB3lYP8PCdHQo/s400/Spine-Cheek+Anemonefish,+Papua+New+Guinea.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135205938505161634" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLQ91ZJF5fJ8Q9NCudQZKOq9iUNGtPzi-dIey1gitKW0blAF1qrZC8eUoOdJwloMa5syoodLuN2MeDIhBTsMGC8vD2CQ9t1cq-_AgLGfuzHE6KiIUM-9Sn2H7Ygq-Xx30ES5MqfZcJHlS/s1600-h/58522048_c6b4ef16d6_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLQ91ZJF5fJ8Q9NCudQZKOq9iUNGtPzi-dIey1gitKW0blAF1qrZC8eUoOdJwloMa5syoodLuN2MeDIhBTsMGC8vD2CQ9t1cq-_AgLGfuzHE6KiIUM-9Sn2H7Ygq-Xx30ES5MqfZcJHlS/s400/58522048_c6b4ef16d6_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135205577727908722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHZgPrX9FAWzJ3wt_zoKJc-D7EAUOSPYKsjvkNa4tTC06_WWVYtoxVgSDaQ7pVCwXX-iDnFjgsTl32eNk3kSAZVweiJU4RNxxTzaLl73nK-Y-1DbyZPsmGda6Hl5cy4KoWrIS2_x1byit/s1600-h/233665492_2b31d4610c_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHZgPrX9FAWzJ3wt_zoKJc-D7EAUOSPYKsjvkNa4tTC06_WWVYtoxVgSDaQ7pVCwXX-iDnFjgsTl32eNk3kSAZVweiJU4RNxxTzaLl73nK-Y-1DbyZPsmGda6Hl5cy4KoWrIS2_x1byit/s400/233665492_2b31d4610c_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135204997907323730" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtL05l47tV0inRv1GWf-rUVwXk4cdnLT9HDOQMdfsj1-kwHxaYIntDdSOkifvsus3MqQmp4I2RtfSIoDStue97OSReQoxoTGc_u5-xcbKia31r_4x9MKGN9Txcb-7vxTJhna2p02uquF3/s1600-h/485066209_cc2eef97d6_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtL05l47tV0inRv1GWf-rUVwXk4cdnLT9HDOQMdfsj1-kwHxaYIntDdSOkifvsus3MqQmp4I2RtfSIoDStue97OSReQoxoTGc_u5-xcbKia31r_4x9MKGN9Txcb-7vxTJhna2p02uquF3/s400/485066209_cc2eef97d6_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135205208360721250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA8fgoxY7y8At-cfN9nca2kCFBe1mTp9Iwn6XHcO52zDvdCJgT4BHH-ZWuNt5AUuldnoOndjuIYOJ75SXS8hhKCcHWxMQOhrvagSi-nQqE77LKKRyZTSkGW0tGuQ_-POrNtv8iZTz2Zgg/s1600-h/101803286_17b349e469_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 178px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibA8fgoxY7y8At-cfN9nca2kCFBe1mTp9Iwn6XHcO52zDvdCJgT4BHH-ZWuNt5AUuldnoOndjuIYOJ75SXS8hhKCcHWxMQOhrvagSi-nQqE77LKKRyZTSkGW0tGuQ_-POrNtv8iZTz2Zgg/s400/101803286_17b349e469_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135204770274056994" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwd7EBIIB0YG87FjOq8lKs7Po2Jy8K7H2w-n5QsvwykfUiVYZjFDx_cj1RytR4JV2-USARpLB4lUn9j7nvhnLZRa4BAlFFAOFpTnzRL4rudJgUeTbNho79TKFj6rj5imgunSXvDa5WQFp/s1600-h/222982530_05f215e422_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwd7EBIIB0YG87FjOq8lKs7Po2Jy8K7H2w-n5QsvwykfUiVYZjFDx_cj1RytR4JV2-USARpLB4lUn9j7nvhnLZRa4BAlFFAOFpTnzRL4rudJgUeTbNho79TKFj6rj5imgunSXvDa5WQFp/s400/222982530_05f215e422_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135204946367716162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkDECNUtwfIGLkTjlR6K8qRbNVbxuknTgO8AcDd-lhze11Ou6djF_cftIStMehxw5Mnvl3g3kbCZSrZsWMuKHiqstwy_x1Poz3IoRW9uCuLvWIierQ61TT629MHh8p8CDdD4oNd9K1_fg/s1600-h/1588168236_79e6bc16d8_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkDECNUtwfIGLkTjlR6K8qRbNVbxuknTgO8AcDd-lhze11Ou6djF_cftIStMehxw5Mnvl3g3kbCZSrZsWMuKHiqstwy_x1Poz3IoRW9uCuLvWIierQ61TT629MHh8p8CDdD4oNd9K1_fg/s400/1588168236_79e6bc16d8_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135204847583468338" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-41098962524060710652007-11-17T00:36:00.001-08:002008-12-11T15:14:47.465-08:00Butterfly Fish<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY22M9T1WBI8teZZwBS3OwGkaHK2ZEHuOqbQTwgq9qABJXjXLrAVCvvdqaZH3sBFBfcInoYGYps7xkd0IKKQQq7feC3_H6yoUnxX0cwWZc-WqDHnSi1IK5NCpANXrgkBJ1mI_KGUrRAKsj/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY22M9T1WBI8teZZwBS3OwGkaHK2ZEHuOqbQTwgq9qABJXjXLrAVCvvdqaZH3sBFBfcInoYGYps7xkd0IKKQQq7feC3_H6yoUnxX0cwWZc-WqDHnSi1IK5NCpANXrgkBJ1mI_KGUrRAKsj/s320/Butterfly+Fish2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133727416542022754" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6hKnDYpZUlydMbVELdnxd4jugQXT1aFNFjVoB_KXrVJitGpzTHvENCA7-G2hbUb6nOcuQ09cqL9TadEdY9cDqtrG3G-o0cBxAOhOAVLEATD-7x_yphj02Ug_uHjCeMTBX2P6FaKxXgmM/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6hKnDYpZUlydMbVELdnxd4jugQXT1aFNFjVoB_KXrVJitGpzTHvENCA7-G2hbUb6nOcuQ09cqL9TadEdY9cDqtrG3G-o0cBxAOhOAVLEATD-7x_yphj02Ug_uHjCeMTBX2P6FaKxXgmM/s320/Butterfly+Fish1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133727485261499506" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae. Found mostly on the reefs of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, butterflyfish are fairly small, most from 12 to 22 cm in length. The largest species, the lined butterflyfish, Chaetodon lineolatus, grows to 30 cm. There are approximately 127 species in eleven genera. They should not be confused with the freshwater butterflyfish of the family Pantodontidae.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAJ09QWS9upFNDoFqmmNa20stAXDvm8PVzFgrdVheMzvgfY12YZ-M7LMTfa1yCLzEe9tWOK_AgkzxHy_pWJA-rsfdefitA4BMt-j8EgzB5XfPoYoElWva81JGcXDSzXd_oCBHO1bKzoWY/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeAJ09QWS9upFNDoFqmmNa20stAXDvm8PVzFgrdVheMzvgfY12YZ-M7LMTfa1yCLzEe9tWOK_AgkzxHy_pWJA-rsfdefitA4BMt-j8EgzB5XfPoYoElWva81JGcXDSzXd_oCBHO1bKzoWY/s320/Butterfly+Fish4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133727313462807618" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeakZIC-7p6exoWJhpUEgWbpm4elFelWUfdlOS9RIG7c74loqRx20xGwst_0MAsya_KJAPJMCtSMouRD35uYP5A29ZcHsNmBFLlrXJgy1W0hyknWUWiMsKwMQNcHgStw3Q9tVEJFnDRi2/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeakZIC-7p6exoWJhpUEgWbpm4elFelWUfdlOS9RIG7c74loqRx20xGwst_0MAsya_KJAPJMCtSMouRD35uYP5A29ZcHsNmBFLlrXJgy1W0hyknWUWiMsKwMQNcHgStw3Q9tVEJFnDRi2/s320/Butterfly+Fish3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133727356412480594" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Butterflyfish are named for their brightly coloured and strikingly patterned bodies in shades of black, white, blue, red, orange and yellow (though some species are dull in colour). Many have eyespots on their flanks and dark bands across their eyes, not unlike the patterns seen on butterfly wings. Their deep, laterally compressed bodies are easily noticed through the profusion of reef life, leading most to believe the conspicuous coloration of butterflyfish is intended for interspecies communication. Butterflyfish have uninterrupted dorsal fins with tail fins that may be rounded or truncated, but are never forked.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNj-wlnZ3pqb9w_AdYmB1yvqI9IxmyskgA-lMvbDd7S3AFPYCHOqjU5Pj6r7_eXZUpopSJXqwVxT5GNbY_pDsW6z_NGaDYndqkhCuApJqV50ZYDPHvOBbUQhNWEwizSfX6cjcCrs-RVvk/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNj-wlnZ3pqb9w_AdYmB1yvqI9IxmyskgA-lMvbDd7S3AFPYCHOqjU5Pj6r7_eXZUpopSJXqwVxT5GNbY_pDsW6z_NGaDYndqkhCuApJqV50ZYDPHvOBbUQhNWEwizSfX6cjcCrs-RVvk/s320/Butterfly+Fish7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133727197498690594" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPu-dhfRb-ZP2LqLCePQodAoZf2EI1WUe4piJZPVp9PIBwPYmCmKMp-O9abmxTV5GiHQ2P2AVJpPgJBu7tWYw2Hu5iNPRyO5XnB-jmCAYtSfTT0L-YbaoOPR7aC5L5gptmzB9Jw0NsxJt/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaPu-dhfRb-ZP2LqLCePQodAoZf2EI1WUe4piJZPVp9PIBwPYmCmKMp-O9abmxTV5GiHQ2P2AVJpPgJBu7tWYw2Hu5iNPRyO5XnB-jmCAYtSfTT0L-YbaoOPR7aC5L5gptmzB9Jw0NsxJt/s320/Butterfly+Fish5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133727253333265458" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The family name Chaetodontidae derives from the Greek words chaite meaning "hair" and odontos meaning "tooth." This is an allusion to the rows of brush-like teeth found in their small, protrusile mouths. Butterflyfish closely resemble the angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae but are distinguished from the latter by their lack of preopercle spines (part of the gill covers).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickfraxjea6otkiBzZmRB0KQOAIXI4g7wguWlDUU7M0Nx4hEPF6scg9MJ0-tkPC6syexESBeC-8hq2emqpKMRpq0x3mH2nUTuBrIGY4jowHiLUKyTmk7Pd6n1zFeF_JmrhBMKsb7yTqBkD/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish9.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 205px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickfraxjea6otkiBzZmRB0KQOAIXI4g7wguWlDUU7M0Nx4hEPF6scg9MJ0-tkPC6syexESBeC-8hq2emqpKMRpq0x3mH2nUTuBrIGY4jowHiLUKyTmk7Pd6n1zFeF_JmrhBMKsb7yTqBkD/s320/Butterfly+Fish9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133726660627778562" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGgkrlz37TSAHy6DsWJY9pikL1dXSQBzKT4j7tmFMMUez_vjrZpzJXwl0y-SOJ5xyTCFdJFPo7mpiqBBH8muDO5GY1Rau8To7kFF6zT8jseJ8kk4vC8Dw1_kZZyanqh9EHjUXMShpdS_t/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish8.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGgkrlz37TSAHy6DsWJY9pikL1dXSQBzKT4j7tmFMMUez_vjrZpzJXwl0y-SOJ5xyTCFdJFPo7mpiqBBH8muDO5GY1Rau8To7kFF6zT8jseJ8kk4vC8Dw1_kZZyanqh9EHjUXMShpdS_t/s320/Butterfly+Fish8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133726716462353426" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Their coloration also makes butterflyfish popular in the aquaria hobby. However, most species feed on coral polyps (corallivores) and sea anemones; this poses a problem in most reef tanks where a delicate balance is to be maintained. Species kept in the hobby are therefore the few generalists and specialist zooplankton feeders.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYxAOPZtXXSk_1BI2ZYOjlC6onU49ZhmeaGBlSqb-yis7j23WBuj6eNse9G9VHsD3ka5eMUsitalyjdGL5RDpOp_wvGZ9REPW2ZNWpmYH96N85x2YbrcU2pqDzVJSCzZyEk9D14oR0e7v/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish11.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYxAOPZtXXSk_1BI2ZYOjlC6onU49ZhmeaGBlSqb-yis7j23WBuj6eNse9G9VHsD3ka5eMUsitalyjdGL5RDpOp_wvGZ9REPW2ZNWpmYH96N85x2YbrcU2pqDzVJSCzZyEk9D14oR0e7v/s320/Butterfly+Fish11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133726097987062754" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp17m88zr4att8TmjSf7iqGa5MA2o5u7my8_px6aJQRep0IFaKygcfc_EeBCdClO9233ICj1lxpdpEgi3hBtTJkEOdKvBK8Y07c18jIe01Ufma1hs4PVNGVrBF3x6AAtB21lPdUTl8R8Yb/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish10.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp17m88zr4att8TmjSf7iqGa5MA2o5u7my8_px6aJQRep0IFaKygcfc_EeBCdClO9233ICj1lxpdpEgi3hBtTJkEOdKvBK8Y07c18jIe01Ufma1hs4PVNGVrBF3x6AAtB21lPdUTl8R8Yb/s320/Butterfly+Fish10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133726183886408690" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Generally diurnal and frequenting shallow waters of less than 18 m (some species found to 180 m), butterflyfish stick to particular home ranges. The corallivores are especially territorial, forming mated pairs and staking claim to their own head of coral. Contrastingly, the zooplankton feeders will form large conspecific groups. By night butterflyfish hide amongst the crevices of the reef and exhibit markedly different coloration than they do by day.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiX1UercX-A6gzOiiq1Fv8c9veoG0pbaX9EjlYFZFyciL6d494VbPtn-zS-RtUw3CLZaDHve22-kz_gkUfyQo0n5g5P6-safQ9WlwxEyv7qoxOui0W8tcAGW621qaExyLA7YUXykF0R9bF/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish13.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiX1UercX-A6gzOiiq1Fv8c9veoG0pbaX9EjlYFZFyciL6d494VbPtn-zS-RtUw3CLZaDHve22-kz_gkUfyQo0n5g5P6-safQ9WlwxEyv7qoxOui0W8tcAGW621qaExyLA7YUXykF0R9bF/s320/Butterfly+Fish13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133725969138043842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mWVQo6FqGcRdxg0WI7ZV8oWMfxajucafNp1n0NnEV77ZemaehRnNwd9EGVZNPHR-2qvfgFDE69gA7BRm4llKL1gnczkqxa7rh7EFbHILk0JCgXmvDyE2tHBxWGRv86EP1rYmk7tlQffK/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish12.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mWVQo6FqGcRdxg0WI7ZV8oWMfxajucafNp1n0NnEV77ZemaehRnNwd9EGVZNPHR-2qvfgFDE69gA7BRm4llKL1gnczkqxa7rh7EFbHILk0JCgXmvDyE2tHBxWGRv86EP1rYmk7tlQffK/s320/Butterfly+Fish12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133726020677651410" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Butterflyfish are pelagic spawners; that is, they release many buoyant eggs into the water which then become part of the plankton, floating with the currents until hatching. The fry go through what is known as a tholichthys stage, wherein the body of the postlarval fish is covered in large bony plates extending from the head. This curious armoured stage is seen in only one other family of fish; the Scatophagidae (scats). The fish lose their bony plates as they mature.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQsa2NEy-rVlaZHVBkcDoi_B9U59oV9oQlDCHpYr68VwpUQm-LGOLZBBWARyeWccRtUvZP5DS7b_760scBva2q6SLwZL5dtLsjPdl6Voul3UPE-y1Hnexa8sjFDaV63Es8ZuZskQbvnQl/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish15.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQsa2NEy-rVlaZHVBkcDoi_B9U59oV9oQlDCHpYr68VwpUQm-LGOLZBBWARyeWccRtUvZP5DS7b_760scBva2q6SLwZL5dtLsjPdl6Voul3UPE-y1Hnexa8sjFDaV63Es8ZuZskQbvnQl/s320/Butterfly+Fish15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133725848878959522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiedZgzkUcuqgKDUhPbRmUJRUJQ68hBhKWb2D6m2fe4paNxBpNrdTNUWUg3OFhR38Np3_5nUNKlUAtxqasTaoSv4YtGr6UI5VpbH3jKjinAlyLKyc_UjkfLOOpWQ7G6B83xw6LaOO5jHa/s1600-h/Butterfly+Fish14.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiedZgzkUcuqgKDUhPbRmUJRUJQ68hBhKWb2D6m2fe4paNxBpNrdTNUWUg3OFhR38Np3_5nUNKlUAtxqasTaoSv4YtGr6UI5VpbH3jKjinAlyLKyc_UjkfLOOpWQ7G6B83xw6LaOO5jHa/s320/Butterfly+Fish14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133725904713534386" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEHRhtUGPyepBP94UytuGbib_83RAebQG2btq1XOmA-Xlvcxi3wexx8RVMWKNdUAJErppnQ0PgLuf4gqeCJHtxPJARPHlb_gsKamngkbIKASZ701eWKWF-dvwbEwv6gcJoNHROIfG7g4N/s1600-h/Redtail+Butterflyfish,+Andaman+Sea,+Thailand.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEHRhtUGPyepBP94UytuGbib_83RAebQG2btq1XOmA-Xlvcxi3wexx8RVMWKNdUAJErppnQ0PgLuf4gqeCJHtxPJARPHlb_gsKamngkbIKASZ701eWKWF-dvwbEwv6gcJoNHROIfG7g4N/s320/Redtail+Butterflyfish,+Andaman+Sea,+Thailand.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133725780159482770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4xSeBHJk97rvoO1ERtjbqnlE6fT4D6CpGGRnp6yKODPLbmNuYYIgw89VAOy8S2arA6TxU3QfwlKGwjo-PKknf4EQgVwEuGbwPB6VOxM0SBxMYGx1PHAQr8NwvJxplxvIus8lhfkE1SFw/s1600-h/Redtail+Butterflyfish.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4xSeBHJk97rvoO1ERtjbqnlE6fT4D6CpGGRnp6yKODPLbmNuYYIgw89VAOy8S2arA6TxU3QfwlKGwjo-PKknf4EQgVwEuGbwPB6VOxM0SBxMYGx1PHAQr8NwvJxplxvIus8lhfkE1SFw/s320/Redtail+Butterflyfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133725715734973314" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-33701908512884926932007-11-16T01:07:00.000-08:002008-12-11T15:14:48.431-08:00Coral<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxwBtsc-d1FxJdxoA5BFypvrjKRUsE5OK0DiSzCrDcluombAB2wzICSeQXHLwKYNWXMz8ZYxddC75ClJYHfOx7uzkNTpnaNApdSMU8XuFKJaVwgkREpnN_orugHeb06lxyLkKONy-BLpA/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxwBtsc-d1FxJdxoA5BFypvrjKRUsE5OK0DiSzCrDcluombAB2wzICSeQXHLwKYNWXMz8ZYxddC75ClJYHfOx7uzkNTpnaNApdSMU8XuFKJaVwgkREpnN_orugHeb06lxyLkKONy-BLpA/s320/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133364732323679074" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R4XWFdqOceBvlekkV18UxTQ95k6Jg4Wq0LlfaOTp9lPpGHkbjj2XHYm0lITRPo5sXoZY9NXtXW591KNrPEDfNwW_ohnG1Wz7Q-lX7ypjWcNH2EPjyWHNq3i1A9yXzDuwGpG9d4SU_pH6/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R4XWFdqOceBvlekkV18UxTQ95k6Jg4Wq0LlfaOTp9lPpGHkbjj2XHYm0lITRPo5sXoZY9NXtXW591KNrPEDfNwW_ohnG1Wz7Q-lX7ypjWcNH2EPjyWHNq3i1A9yXzDuwGpG9d4SU_pH6/s320/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133364792453221234" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Corals are marine animals from the class Anthozoa and exist as small sea anemone-like polyps, typically in colonies of many identical individuals. The group includes the important reef builders that are found in tropical oceans, which secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.<br /><br />A coral "head", commonly perceived to be a single organism, is actually formed of thousands of individual but genetically identical polyps, each polyp only a few millimeters in diameter. Over thousands of generations, the polyps lay down a skeleton that is characteristic of their species. A head of coral grows by asexual reproduction of the individual polyps. Corals also breed sexually by spawning, with corals of the same species releasing gametes simultaneously over a period of one to several nights around a full moon.<br /><br />Although corals can catch plankton using stinging cells on their tentacles, these animals obtain most of their nutrients from symbiotic unicellular algae called zooxanthellae. Consequently, most corals depend on sunlight and grow in clear and shallow water, typically at depths shallower than 60 m (200 ft). These corals can be major contributors to the physical structure of the coral reefs that develop in tropical and subtropical waters, such as the enormous Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Other corals do not have associated algae and can live in much deeper water, such as in the Atlantic, with the cold-water genus Lophelia surviving as deep as 3000 m. Corals have also been found off the coast of Washington State and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzi_VHldv9z-xBbO6NKmFxDVURnpsDczZOtMVRf5i3seDQC9SijB8DEApfOlUD75pCOhUefKkq_H0wsZGCTSpeNV7uH36aGT27YOeZNXrJBPC47QWOZJaNEsJz2N1t6Hb0umGgFXPPTDq/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzi_VHldv9z-xBbO6NKmFxDVURnpsDczZOtMVRf5i3seDQC9SijB8DEApfOlUD75pCOhUefKkq_H0wsZGCTSpeNV7uH36aGT27YOeZNXrJBPC47QWOZJaNEsJz2N1t6Hb0umGgFXPPTDq/s320/4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133364431675968322" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIstBbzU7vBwGt-Yfxt-TPFuOTIKM0qSRLxbxQ7llBBuDMNk9_DMx3GtG7X8xUPMtRO5rzt0OmNtAUC4GUUxLYw_rekC3F1j5RCYh20Ymjr39ZmD4kfdczxcraqfxA7ZRKT1XNNa5sb_T/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIstBbzU7vBwGt-Yfxt-TPFuOTIKM0qSRLxbxQ7llBBuDMNk9_DMx3GtG7X8xUPMtRO5rzt0OmNtAUC4GUUxLYw_rekC3F1j5RCYh20Ymjr39ZmD4kfdczxcraqfxA7ZRKT1XNNa5sb_T/s320/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133364483215575890" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>Although corals first appeared in the Cambrian period, some 542 million years ago, fossils are extremely rare until the Ordovician period, 100 million years later, when Rugose and Tabulate corals became widespread.<br /><br />Tabulate corals occur in the limestones and calcareous shales of the Ordovician and Silurian periods, and often form low cushions or branching masses alongside Rugose corals. Their numbers began to decline during the middle of the Silurian period and they finally became extinct at the end of the Permian period, 250 million years ago. The skeletons of Tabulate corals are composed of a form of calcium carbonate known as calcite.<br /><br />Rugose corals became dominant by the middle of the Silurian period, and became extinct early in the Triassic period. The Rugose corals existed in solitary and colonial forms, and like the Tabulate corals their skeletons are also composed of calcite.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznf_C-4g3lMfrLhO4bYvJEelOCssATSK0Lcyx549M86atBkCZIb1Zu1aLjSWvq9z2YX9rC1EMoHIBlEO7MG-TZ2YQMW4rXnhvNiaLcNKzpdGTGvRp-27S_X_xa_uSWTomxLXyJKCDoq5f/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznf_C-4g3lMfrLhO4bYvJEelOCssATSK0Lcyx549M86atBkCZIb1Zu1aLjSWvq9z2YX9rC1EMoHIBlEO7MG-TZ2YQMW4rXnhvNiaLcNKzpdGTGvRp-27S_X_xa_uSWTomxLXyJKCDoq5f/s320/6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133364259877276450" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEk4RxZOF9w4g-HI8wbMykXglQI3mZthbOET2Musv1PybpXHprXeCdwDaxbexIJ5XqlYkQYasbJ-kmErjH9sh3Mu5V3RtAPC88ZNeTzbp28p2YKjzycZEXBPPt0sNQNiCey1ioU25LTM9/s1600-h/5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEk4RxZOF9w4g-HI8wbMykXglQI3mZthbOET2Musv1PybpXHprXeCdwDaxbexIJ5XqlYkQYasbJ-kmErjH9sh3Mu5V3RtAPC88ZNeTzbp28p2YKjzycZEXBPPt0sNQNiCey1ioU25LTM9/s320/5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133364328596753202" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The Scleractinian corals filled the niche vacated by the extinct Rugose and Tabulate corals. Their fossils may be found in small numbers in rocks from the Triassic period, and become relatively common in rocks from the Jurassic and later periods. The skeletons of Scleractinian corals are composed of a form of calcium carbonate known as aragonite. Although they are geologically younger than the Tabulate and Rugose corals, their aragonitic skeleton is less readily preserved, and their fossil record is less complete.<br /><br />At certain times in the geological past corals were very abundant, just as modern corals are in the warm clear tropical waters of certain parts of the world today. Like modern corals their ancestors built reefs, some of which now lie as great structures in sedimentary rocks.<br /><br />These ancient reefs are not composed entirely of corals. Algae, sponges, and the remains of many echinoids, brachiopods, bivalves, gastropods, and trilobites that lived on the reefs are preserved within them. This makes some corals useful index fossils, enabling geologists to date the age the rocks in which they are found.<br /><br />Corals are not restricted to reefs, and many solitary corals may be found in rocks where reefs are not present, such as Cyclocyathus which occurs in England's Gault clay formation.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-21635571979736685302007-11-13T20:35:00.000-08:002008-12-11T15:14:50.500-08:00Jellyfish<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQEnGfWmD3J6w2p5B9Nvklz5w4oquhcD999UrHEzf1kCKuux9u_aDkj49U2pv8q41r255O4K-O33xXhdE8GYhIzFZuaRtdqcKbscEIteqxN4fG7lGQAZOnyStiQ-1jgFSbQN4gQOKHjom/s1600-h/tn_CPP00566.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 152px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQEnGfWmD3J6w2p5B9Nvklz5w4oquhcD999UrHEzf1kCKuux9u_aDkj49U2pv8q41r255O4K-O33xXhdE8GYhIzFZuaRtdqcKbscEIteqxN4fG7lGQAZOnyStiQ-1jgFSbQN4gQOKHjom/s320/tn_CPP00566.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132553168617840770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8S3QHtuJTC1hJHWmSzxhJDK7caKZnllyYJnqNvK7gBu43-jwU8vjzRmMr32JWNb1oibMGcMr7e1n44e9WjGQb4xhJl0HWEtBGQl7p12qkHdJO2-jb-i2xe-no9oPU7I6OVUvDEnH_UJ_V/s1600-h/358413_0dcc89932b.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 157px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8S3QHtuJTC1hJHWmSzxhJDK7caKZnllyYJnqNvK7gBu43-jwU8vjzRmMr32JWNb1oibMGcMr7e1n44e9WjGQb4xhJl0HWEtBGQl7p12qkHdJO2-jb-i2xe-no9oPU7I6OVUvDEnH_UJ_V/s320/358413_0dcc89932b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132553250222219410" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAVRiYLd3A1yz6_Y86GpNfsRjjzCOBZHAlM0Rrqj_MhqT_iYyUCRaUiBaqp7LjGOIrtbyIhW16_EU4nRepye8JSqpp2NSIUwFieQGuUvESlSJCQUMB7lWvLf10lfrLfLWiQ4eGHZcL30y/s1600-h/tn_CPP00421.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAVRiYLd3A1yz6_Y86GpNfsRjjzCOBZHAlM0Rrqj_MhqT_iYyUCRaUiBaqp7LjGOIrtbyIhW16_EU4nRepye8JSqpp2NSIUwFieQGuUvESlSJCQUMB7lWvLf10lfrLfLWiQ4eGHZcL30y/s320/tn_CPP00421.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132551235882557522" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Jellyfishes (also called jellies or sea jellies as they are not true fish) are animals that belong to Phylum Cnidaria, included in the class Scyphozoa. The name "jellyfish" is also sometimes used for the related classes of medusae (Hydrozoa) and box jellyfish (Cubozoa). Almost all jellyfish live in the seas and though they lack true organ structures they feature specialized tissues. The adult forms of these creatures are composed of 95-99% water. All species are found in each of the world's oceans, with a few species living in fresh water. Most jellyfish are passive drifters that feed on small fish and zooplankton that become caught in their tentacles. Jellyfish have an incomplete digestive system, meaning that the same orifice is used for both food intake and waste expulsion. They are Coelenterates which means "hollow gut", and are made up of a layer of epidermis, gastrodermis, and a thin jelly-like layer called mesoglea that separates the epidermis from the gastrodermis.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3P7-8rI4X6951YTeCaDL0yRro0Ig3lJ1zHjSLFVIXrsEKihL6Q1teo-0HUgHv4S-cCn6UJ_yFp4dntBl6GqfEy3PJz7sOObvwjZnEEhDcB6BsndZuoHE_6CeYie1Z_Q1_1GOVIkOD8By/s1600-h/Sea+Nettles,+Monterey+Aquarium,+California.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3P7-8rI4X6951YTeCaDL0yRro0Ig3lJ1zHjSLFVIXrsEKihL6Q1teo-0HUgHv4S-cCn6UJ_yFp4dntBl6GqfEy3PJz7sOObvwjZnEEhDcB6BsndZuoHE_6CeYie1Z_Q1_1GOVIkOD8By/s320/Sea+Nettles,+Monterey+Aquarium,+California.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132551128508375106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNz_yPH5ijsWd_XN-6E7ho8U_XTjXDF-5uj7TmeQ9hiZS7eQRn4PHH5dc4HfUWT5GR634fvKKFonlzVJsodZjlW0MNOX2X9re81o5wbK72uQQMTBukkRierkxotqvJ5EUxR8PiQe6Gf_H/s1600-h/tn_JDW01580.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNz_yPH5ijsWd_XN-6E7ho8U_XTjXDF-5uj7TmeQ9hiZS7eQRn4PHH5dc4HfUWT5GR634fvKKFonlzVJsodZjlW0MNOX2X9re81o5wbK72uQQMTBukkRierkxotqvJ5EUxR8PiQe6Gf_H/s320/tn_JDW01580.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132551360436609138" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />JellyfishThe jellyfish have two major body forms throughout their life. The first form is called the polyp stage and is characterized by a either a non-moving (sessile) stalk that catches food drifting by or a similar form that is free-floating. Their mouth and tentacles are located anteriorly, facing upwards. The second form looks like a saucer is called the medusa stage and is characterized by a round (radially symmetric) dome-shape body plan with food catching tentacles hanging down. It is this form which is most able to respond to and interact with its environment and is also the form most people are familiar with.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8B3qc2mCl933Lie3Ye9TOHOjE7tVD9ypbMTUwQiGTm-UrKo2oMFyub6PIqrjBWdayjqfZxMAw70l0Lv4EeDd8lAxIml8iGfoJKZdeTFmxh3-RcWdgNlbSiIvFnB9IBkYxmOgSWqPB2ga/s1600-h/jellyfish3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8B3qc2mCl933Lie3Ye9TOHOjE7tVD9ypbMTUwQiGTm-UrKo2oMFyub6PIqrjBWdayjqfZxMAw70l0Lv4EeDd8lAxIml8iGfoJKZdeTFmxh3-RcWdgNlbSiIvFnB9IBkYxmOgSWqPB2ga/s320/jellyfish3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132551003954323490" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIj7sZHfJX7n8yVYQ2tTIA7vhdrltNxws9gtCo41NTfYO6RGp5g0l0VH_DBbpIgoLd-ZR2cUMDJljd2PwCBNUm-6QWnO1tRcgqffQY3fjgqwGUxiVYN1caSOfc8IYQndEenGVYxKWzs8ek/s1600-h/Purple-Striped+Jellyfish,+Southern+California.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIj7sZHfJX7n8yVYQ2tTIA7vhdrltNxws9gtCo41NTfYO6RGp5g0l0VH_DBbpIgoLd-ZR2cUMDJljd2PwCBNUm-6QWnO1tRcgqffQY3fjgqwGUxiVYN1caSOfc8IYQndEenGVYxKWzs8ek/s320/Purple-Striped+Jellyfish,+Southern+California.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132551072673800242" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />During the polyp stage, jellyfish do not have males or females, thus only asexual reproduction occurs. This happens in two ways: (1) budding, to produce other polyps; and (2) strobilating, to produce medusae. During budding, the egg or planula of the jellyfish attaches itself to a hard surface where it grows into its polyp form called scyphistoma. The scyphistoma then asexually produce many ephyra that look like round jagged disks and becomes a strobila. Then the ephyras detach themselves from the strobila and become mature free living medusae. At this stage is when they can reproduce sexually. The male will release their sperms into the water where the eggs will be fertilized.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEj_sRBPmiJ5SEN-qEaVSQciqj_nEHDZWGXUP2C5eufoUSRqjqno1UNTWVllRoXyE_QN6gsL5ey7lSGHUrTVNgpBysRpAyJhYmjfd6l1jTghyv25u84jnUBUWJb3Ud5A4akJ6DEw9rcuf/s1600-h/Jellyfish1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 172px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEj_sRBPmiJ5SEN-qEaVSQciqj_nEHDZWGXUP2C5eufoUSRqjqno1UNTWVllRoXyE_QN6gsL5ey7lSGHUrTVNgpBysRpAyJhYmjfd6l1jTghyv25u84jnUBUWJb3Ud5A4akJ6DEw9rcuf/s320/Jellyfish1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132550806385827842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94oE7CSGIVuOW8AoELY1xH9Ge3jHClm5I8F2Pqnfu6bPZgCscARGSfGSWTr3Coe-HLmetPHGQKz0nQ8bkNBvtlyBg-QR0VpEE3ZNlwh8QaaEbsoq6hWnIvEJegVWiarGPH73jbCeLn85I/s1600-h/Jellyfish2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94oE7CSGIVuOW8AoELY1xH9Ge3jHClm5I8F2Pqnfu6bPZgCscARGSfGSWTr3Coe-HLmetPHGQKz0nQ8bkNBvtlyBg-QR0VpEE3ZNlwh8QaaEbsoq6hWnIvEJegVWiarGPH73jbCeLn85I/s320/Jellyfish2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132550935234846738" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Like all other cnidarians, jellyfish have stinging cells called cnidocytes which contains the stinging nematocysts on their tentacles. Whenever a prey comes in contact with a tentacle, hundreds to thousands of nematocysts fire one or another type of "hook and line" into the prey's direction. These stinging cells are thus able to latch onto the prey and the tentacles bring the prey item into their large "mouth" for digestion.These cells are activated by a simple but precise nervous system called a nerve net which is located in the epidermis of the jellyfish. Impulses to these nerve cells are sent from the nerve rings that have collected information from the environment of the jellyfish through the rhopalial lappet, which is located around the animal's body.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WcRNloQyIFqXyOFeiC7tJ8D297V_RgyIjgieRojwQbnDZ9qoxpeOmPG56E90ybNxquBtS-cDx4BB3WcOyWJCekYKj7kKhMYg4lgaWSEEAyEb9HxMMJaFmCpcFOML-WlJkhFo15mctyDm/s1600-h/Electric+Jellyfish.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WcRNloQyIFqXyOFeiC7tJ8D297V_RgyIjgieRojwQbnDZ9qoxpeOmPG56E90ybNxquBtS-cDx4BB3WcOyWJCekYKj7kKhMYg4lgaWSEEAyEb9HxMMJaFmCpcFOML-WlJkhFo15mctyDm/s320/Electric+Jellyfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132550591637463010" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkyBN5GkiXGEmSKA1Sm7lN4dyCB2WW6lvKF7D0VFRyMC5ORdbvyYodD-APKH3Aa1XdOJL1HuA0_pFdmkmjR4nTOT4lI2YEeEkmjKP_R3YxeFpd6UzUIVZ5MgMnYWXY0AynuLPWvCS66q4/s1600-h/Jellyfish.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkyBN5GkiXGEmSKA1Sm7lN4dyCB2WW6lvKF7D0VFRyMC5ORdbvyYodD-APKH3Aa1XdOJL1HuA0_pFdmkmjR4nTOT4lI2YEeEkmjKP_R3YxeFpd6UzUIVZ5MgMnYWXY0AynuLPWvCS66q4/s320/Jellyfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132550729076416498" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Jellyfish also have "eyes" or ocelli that cannot form images, but are sensitive to light. Jellyfish do not have a specialized digestive system, excretory system, respiratory system, and circulatory system. They are able to digest with the help of the gastrodermis that lines the gastrovascular cavity, where nutrients from their food is absorbed. They do not need a respiratory system since their skin is thin enough that oxygen can easily diffuse in and out of their bodies. They do not have a brain, a heart, a central nervous system, a skeletal system and also no bones and no blood. Jellyfish move using a hydrostatic skeleton that controls the water pouch in their body to manipulate their movements.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMF-ec_vJuFP4UjiUMC1oi_XsNJdKInQ4gR6hNZaAz1HgHVXNd0oz-0T4CAp3bXDyCJR54K0IjJCjmDPhC4-W9lxkdMVNQILGPK838zy-kEqwq2tn3dWK-ZjfnZfPk2PBHdG1t0JVfQMR/s1600-h/165553778_4947da39f5_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMF-ec_vJuFP4UjiUMC1oi_XsNJdKInQ4gR6hNZaAz1HgHVXNd0oz-0T4CAp3bXDyCJR54K0IjJCjmDPhC4-W9lxkdMVNQILGPK838zy-kEqwq2tn3dWK-ZjfnZfPk2PBHdG1t0JVfQMR/s320/165553778_4947da39f5_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132550488558247874" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkCgpigXe8HQPaAiTIP-Uak4ENJeVxpcVP5kj2XzwSYjHvUmxw7UXHiHf3LkTj4ji39M7izYS6n6f71q6ZCmaEDg5YUK-hs3lEn9I8MqsggWmwisj-5bwg15U95oEUQ49Si23ObC8NBap/s1600-h/Crown+Jellyfish.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkCgpigXe8HQPaAiTIP-Uak4ENJeVxpcVP5kj2XzwSYjHvUmxw7UXHiHf3LkTj4ji39M7izYS6n6f71q6ZCmaEDg5YUK-hs3lEn9I8MqsggWmwisj-5bwg15U95oEUQ49Si23ObC8NBap/s320/Crown+Jellyfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132550540097855442" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Most jellyfish are not dangerous to humans but a few are highly toxic, such as the Cyanea capillata. Contrary to popular belief, the menacingly infamous Portuguese Man O' War (Physalia) isn't actually a jellyfish, but a colony of hydrozoan polyps.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-53256965956846892232007-11-11T21:26:00.001-08:002008-12-11T15:14:52.608-08:00Crab<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO1XfryiCSHXbTInWpW8YyJzMlTLynRfi28sjH3gapP_61RB90wzLGFuvb5yYpM9bwenoKoHgAQV4rK_-tDXmlyCFl0fjlGnbxX4J-MyzM2emN2OnfZhoTHISNwX2gRm1GvC8Q2hkwqZz/s1600-h/Crab6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO1XfryiCSHXbTInWpW8YyJzMlTLynRfi28sjH3gapP_61RB90wzLGFuvb5yYpM9bwenoKoHgAQV4rK_-tDXmlyCFl0fjlGnbxX4J-MyzM2emN2OnfZhoTHISNwX2gRm1GvC8Q2hkwqZz/s320/Crab6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131822052604193922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGP_pU9_Jxheajrwp1fpLl2KF6ZNerndKq3ISeXftc12xWrCiSG7BnnUCBk6ActyZ_ut4ZqNyR3WW7MjLzCi4tRQDPHjBZqSnzocvfwNVvBiRshTG2zk2iDRo5k1kM7m_U9JFyKSIWehrW/s1600-h/Crab5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGP_pU9_Jxheajrwp1fpLl2KF6ZNerndKq3ISeXftc12xWrCiSG7BnnUCBk6ActyZ_ut4ZqNyR3WW7MjLzCi4tRQDPHjBZqSnzocvfwNVvBiRshTG2zk2iDRo5k1kM7m_U9JFyKSIWehrW/s320/Crab5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131821996769619058" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (Greek: brachy = short, ura = tail), or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax. They are generally covered with a thick exoskeleton, and are armed with a single pair of chelae (claws). Crabs are found in all of the world's oceans; there are also many freshwater and terrestrial crabs, particularly in tropical regions. Crabs vary in size from the pea crab, only a few millimetres wide, to the Japanese spider crab, with a leg span of up to 4 m<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdot1B3ZNTemjYZAiGTZOahn3mT7Ge9faFjm9Osl5xPff30fKfNBgPcysAeNsYRgPvsXOdbZVTcU8yzbRbgSL_a6jSd7tWkaai503kI0Puzbk2VBA_NbemhVItrfAAdqRWzUcSn_hoVi7g/s1600-h/Crab2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 237px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdot1B3ZNTemjYZAiGTZOahn3mT7Ge9faFjm9Osl5xPff30fKfNBgPcysAeNsYRgPvsXOdbZVTcU8yzbRbgSL_a6jSd7tWkaai503kI0Puzbk2VBA_NbemhVItrfAAdqRWzUcSn_hoVi7g/s320/Crab2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131821889395436626" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbzAXNbOu-JsVhv_lhKiENeeOgFTD9iZD8JfpOWC7K1VGewu_wVr2QO4S_kmpzEE4HhurD1yK_EgD145hP6_MA8p9rProFk7qhakamQBklRSQaXja2TOMnuwlu0mDWooywa8_AN8SyVew/s1600-h/Crab3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbzAXNbOu-JsVhv_lhKiENeeOgFTD9iZD8JfpOWC7K1VGewu_wVr2QO4S_kmpzEE4HhurD1yK_EgD145hP6_MA8p9rProFk7qhakamQBklRSQaXja2TOMnuwlu0mDWooywa8_AN8SyVew/s320/Crab3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131821945230011490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>True crabs have five pairs of legs, the first of which are modified into a pair of claws and are not used for locomotion. In all but a few crabs (for example, Raninoida), the abdomen is folded under the cephalothorax in the adult stage. The mouthparts of crabs are covered by flattened maxillipeds, and the front of the carapace does not form a long rostrum . The gills of crabs are formed of flattened plates ("phyllobranchiate"), resembling those of shrimp, but of a different structure .They can also be the size of a pea, or even smaller.<br /><br />Most crabs show clear sexual dimorphism and so can be easily sexed. The abdomen, which is held recurved under the thorax, is narrow in males. In females, however, the abdomen retains a greater number of pleopods and is considerably wider . This relates to the carrying of the fertilised eggs by the female crabs (as seen in all pleocyemates). In those species in which no such dimorphism is found, the position of the gonopores must be used instead. In females, these are on the third pereiopod, or nearby on the sternum in higher crabs; in males, the gonopores are at the base of the fifth pereiopods or, in higher crabs, on the sternum nearby.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hT0_kiDhA5d9FoaekeRvniWkl_EQwx6fVSH6oc27xQcIXWCuWjSFmi0nBvslsuF0phlBhH9cNPe2QPa4RlurRahTs3z09MAL4FWYo8gmivxKy4bPte-IEbEXDuJg85wMm2QBLl0XSRAI/s1600-h/Crab1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hT0_kiDhA5d9FoaekeRvniWkl_EQwx6fVSH6oc27xQcIXWCuWjSFmi0nBvslsuF0phlBhH9cNPe2QPa4RlurRahTs3z09MAL4FWYo8gmivxKy4bPte-IEbEXDuJg85wMm2QBLl0XSRAI/s320/Crab1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131821730481646642" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01NNpeF_3XWY1xYqmJffhc-TpwVQDjrIP4i1uADbZ3ivSFkeSP1pdQ5wIXDDfB0-RKPClagQZPfPjawdA0DmqzESSseLga_7lciF0bXGLcKumqS2wdcqLKOCErCV2yLUITMRW3vcTgVu_/s1600-h/Crab10.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 209px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01NNpeF_3XWY1xYqmJffhc-TpwVQDjrIP4i1uADbZ3ivSFkeSP1pdQ5wIXDDfB0-RKPClagQZPfPjawdA0DmqzESSseLga_7lciF0bXGLcKumqS2wdcqLKOCErCV2yLUITMRW3vcTgVu_/s320/Crab10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131821794906156098" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>Crabs are omnivores, feeding primarily on algae , and taking any other food, including molluscs, worms, other crustaceans, fungi, bacteria and detritus, depending on their availability and the crab species. For many crabs, a mixed diet of plant and animal matter results in the fastest growth and greatest fitness.<br /><br />Crabs make up 20% of all marine crustaceans caught and farmed worldwide, with over 1½ million tonnes being consumed annually. Of that total, one species accounts for one fifth: Portunus trituberculatus. Other important taxa include Portunus pelagicus, several species in the genus Chionoecetes, the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), Charybdis spp., Cancer pagurus, the Dungeness crab (Cancer magister) and Scylla serrata, each of which provides more than 20,000 tonnes annually.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRl6QItWm69TP8NJXiqQT4RyFn-Xkksp0nSOJjaJBDXD4Xf0mKXHp5dKPWGGswQKKKbsPm_g_KrZUIA8-zZQ26KypzAy4GeOgeKNAo7ZRfGy1QovIXyxo2GZ-ihSyyLK4pDqF0u8EliO4_/s1600-h/CRAB+01.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRl6QItWm69TP8NJXiqQT4RyFn-Xkksp0nSOJjaJBDXD4Xf0mKXHp5dKPWGGswQKKKbsPm_g_KrZUIA8-zZQ26KypzAy4GeOgeKNAo7ZRfGy1QovIXyxo2GZ-ihSyyLK4pDqF0u8EliO4_/s320/CRAB+01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131821614517529618" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRkaVS7NBJs4zMKaeLmmct1dciVGqj2pLHKgpRih9oZ99HRqTsI6k_fS0uqN02tVdjcGdUHh8fsouoBKkcxNSW9n_jz3Q_80XwEkiYFJzplIHYn7oreKIoTHkG2bY5JQEnS3ynMLK5BRu/s1600-h/CRAB.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRkaVS7NBJs4zMKaeLmmct1dciVGqj2pLHKgpRih9oZ99HRqTsI6k_fS0uqN02tVdjcGdUHh8fsouoBKkcxNSW9n_jz3Q_80XwEkiYFJzplIHYn7oreKIoTHkG2bY5JQEnS3ynMLK5BRu/s320/CRAB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131821666057137186" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>The infraorder Brachyura contains about 70 families, as many as the remainder of the Decapoda . The evolution of crabs is characterised by an increasing robustness of the body, and a reduction in the abdomen. Although other groups have also undergone similar processes of carcinisation, it is most advanced in crabs. The telson is no longer functional in crabs, and the uropods are absent, having probably evolved into small devices for holding the reduced abdomen tight against the sternum.<br /><br />In most decapods, the gonopores (sexual openings) are found on the legs. However, since crabs use the first two pairs of pleopods (abdominal appendages) for sperm transfer, this arrangement has changed. As the male abdomen evolved into a narrower shape, the gonopores have moved towards the midline, away from the legs, and onto the sternum. A similar change occurred, independently, with the female gonopores. The movement of the female gonopore to the sternum defines the clade Eubrachyura, and the later change in the position of the male gonopore defines the Thoracotremata. It is still a subject of debate whether those crabs where the female, but not male, gonopores are situated on the sternum form a monophyletic group.<br /><br />The earliest unambiguous crab fossils date from the Jurassic, although the Carboniferous Imocaris, known only from its carapace is thought to be a primitive crab. The radiation of crabs in the Cretaceous and afterwards may be linked either to the break-up of Gondwana or to the concurrent radiation of bony fish, the main predators of crabs.<br /><br />About 850 species of crab are freshwater or (semi-)terrestrial species; they are found throughout the world's tropical and semi-tropical regions. They were previously thought to be a closely related group, but are now believed to represent at least two distinct lineages, one in the Old World and one in the New World<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aPVhvkSEScpuYX8mh7bM6RvPplCRDHkp3bmnLZyQAcSe3Ac2A_KV8iIS7aJzvYADyVq71NeQoY3mct-tR5rKOExJ1gf8wnGU0Knj1eCJJfAlEmX2muaqQXhqslZ0Vk72cU5r5-GuHkNI/s1600-h/250px-Blue_crab_on_market_in_Piraeus_-_Callinectes_sapidus_Rathbun_20020819-317.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aPVhvkSEScpuYX8mh7bM6RvPplCRDHkp3bmnLZyQAcSe3Ac2A_KV8iIS7aJzvYADyVq71NeQoY3mct-tR5rKOExJ1gf8wnGU0Knj1eCJJfAlEmX2muaqQXhqslZ0Vk72cU5r5-GuHkNI/s320/250px-Blue_crab_on_market_in_Piraeus_-_Callinectes_sapidus_Rathbun_20020819-317.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131821180725832690" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIT_vjiu2smbuA23UPa_C1vPcsH-HbsMmgd1mJfJajidi8C_-xAw7aJp0CbTzz-gujy-fPnTshZp44rtBoSNcimiMFqFSGXm6rFja5cHpNUoKvw2u0Va9wUDtyuAHU6zquGzSw1WOgNBg/s1600-h/250px-DSC02901_crab.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIT_vjiu2smbuA23UPa_C1vPcsH-HbsMmgd1mJfJajidi8C_-xAw7aJp0CbTzz-gujy-fPnTshZp44rtBoSNcimiMFqFSGXm6rFja5cHpNUoKvw2u0Va9wUDtyuAHU6zquGzSw1WOgNBg/s320/250px-DSC02901_crab.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131821245150342146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>Several other groups of animals are either called crabs or have the term "crab" in their names. These include hermit crabs, porcelain crabs and king crabs, which, despite superficial similarities to true crabs, belong to the Anomura. The UK Food Standards Agency allows king crabs to be sold as "crab" , but this practice is not followed outside the food industry. Others, such as horseshoe crabs are much more distantly related. Anomuran "crabs" can be distinguished from true crabs by counting the legs. In Anomura, the last pair of pereiopods (walking legs) is hidden inside the carapace, so only four pairs are visible (counting the claws), whereas uninjured true crabs generally have five visible pairs (in the family Hexapodidae, the last pair of pereiopods is vestigial.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-79446251492889834082007-11-08T21:24:00.000-08:002008-12-11T15:14:56.915-08:00Starfish<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiMLIRSSme6vOKLcOCb_TjB7tQWr2fPdpboeB-RKuYtnZYkJz384dU0zAtGBSxS4yIHCPK5Psz8ILB5j9pZemaWlvylM_ZlXbTsZBKE4lC8QphXl3YdAuc0aXmYvphLAKz7FCTxNfsfAd/s1600-h/starfish1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 348px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiMLIRSSme6vOKLcOCb_TjB7tQWr2fPdpboeB-RKuYtnZYkJz384dU0zAtGBSxS4yIHCPK5Psz8ILB5j9pZemaWlvylM_ZlXbTsZBKE4lC8QphXl3YdAuc0aXmYvphLAKz7FCTxNfsfAd/s320/starfish1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708913045187522" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Starfish or sea stars are any echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. The names sea star and starfish are also (incorrectly) used for the closely related brittle stars, which make up the class Ophiuroidea.<br /><br />Starfish exhibit a superficially radial symmetry. They typically have five or more "arms" which radiate from an indistinct disk (pentaradial symmetry). However, the evolutionary ancestors of echinoderms are believed to have had bilateral symmetry. Starfish do exhibit some superficial remnant of this body structure, evident in their larval pluteus forms.<br /><br />Starfish do not rely on a jointed, movable skeleton for support and locomotion (although they are protected by their skeleton), but instead possess a hydraulic water vascular system that aids in locomotion. The water vascular system has many projections called tube feet on the ventral face of the starfish's arms which function in locomotion and aid with feeding.<br /><br />The star fish usually hunt for shelled animals such as oysters and clams. They have two stomachs. One stomach is used for digestion, and the other stomach can be extended outward to engulf and digest prey. This feature allows the starfish to hunt prey that is much larger than its mouth would otherwise allow. Starfish are able to regenerate lost arms. A new starfish may be regenerated from a single arm attached to a portion of the central disk.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8u4zy1Ua9Ft8xt2o_O_MvanP6q_cKU6mIl1wLZ5qGH5mJo5tbPQzXcY3qcs5eEFtjsPsa5xtU6ttkUizLQrw9lMtuuTClIxr-pkIvL4-NiHLsQuo3gyITW-iVEq9iI7_V7_WonBj02WYt/s1600-h/Southern+Biscuit+Star,+Edithburgh+Jetty,+South+Australia.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8u4zy1Ua9Ft8xt2o_O_MvanP6q_cKU6mIl1wLZ5qGH5mJo5tbPQzXcY3qcs5eEFtjsPsa5xtU6ttkUizLQrw9lMtuuTClIxr-pkIvL4-NiHLsQuo3gyITW-iVEq9iI7_V7_WonBj02WYt/s320/Southern+Biscuit+Star,+Edithburgh+Jetty,+South+Australia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708784196168610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizO2XKftxCNdYXSKyLc1h8iLmflN-emujk5XO4Bt5vGM2tGfj_nYJtnk1-TfBQwz7y4X4qcDcRY8VRvViO2GUKr0hf8nITDXZB8kVe03MFtxnPLH75UH6ajbT_6F5AfBQgRtu6Uv3eul0a/s1600-h/starfish.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizO2XKftxCNdYXSKyLc1h8iLmflN-emujk5XO4Bt5vGM2tGfj_nYJtnk1-TfBQwz7y4X4qcDcRY8VRvViO2GUKr0hf8nITDXZB8kVe03MFtxnPLH75UH6ajbT_6F5AfBQgRtu6Uv3eul0a/s320/starfish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708835735776178" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Starfish are composed of a central disc from which arms sprout in pentaradial symmetry. Most starfish have five arms, but some have more or fewer. Some starfish have shown differing numbers of limbs within a single species. The mouth is located underneath the starfish on the oral or ventral surface, while the anus is located on the top of the animal. The spiny upper surface is called the aboral or dorsal surface. On the aboral surface there is a structure called the madreporite, a small white spot located slightly off-center on the central disc which acts as a water filter and supplies the starfish's water vascular system with water to move. Porcellanasteridae employ additional cribriform organs used to generate current in the burrows made by these infaunal starfish.<br /><br />While having their own basic body plan, starfish radiate diversely in shapes and colors, the morphology differing between each species. A starfish may have dense rows of spines as a means of protection, or it may have no spines at all. Ranging from nearly pentagonal (example: Indo-pacific cushion star, Culcita novaeguineae) to gracile stars like those of the Zoroaster genus.<br /><br />Starfish have a simple photoreceptor eyespot at the end of each arm. The eye is only able to register differences of light and dark, which are useful in detecting movement.<br /><br />Surrounding the spines on the surface of the starfish are small white objects known as pedicellariae. There are large numbers of these pedicellariae on the external body which serve to prevent encrusting organisms from colonizing the starfish. The radial canal which is across each arm of the starfish has tooth-like structures called ampullae, which surround the radial canal. Patterns including mosaic-like tiles formed by ossicles, stripes, interconnecting net between spines, pustules with bright colors, mottles or spots. These mainly serve as camouflage or warning coloration which is displayed by many marine animals as a means of protection against predation. Several types of toxins and secondary metabolites have been extracted from several species of starfish. Research into the efficacy of these compounds for possible pharmacological or industrial use occurs worldwide.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ_zfdweJKWhqukhfQgPaeTVaHeyjIqmTTyZMmszRPS_z3_0TlY8b0dsNCcbpTOTz_Y4TZwTyh4-FQzhIsqr5DZFTmz1nq5oQbR0NxMiqdji6DGxSTTWjVhejZA7W3RyOiQ4RbIgsNv5L/s1600-h/pearl_sea_star_s_.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 257px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZ_zfdweJKWhqukhfQgPaeTVaHeyjIqmTTyZMmszRPS_z3_0TlY8b0dsNCcbpTOTz_Y4TZwTyh4-FQzhIsqr5DZFTmz1nq5oQbR0NxMiqdji6DGxSTTWjVhejZA7W3RyOiQ4RbIgsNv5L/s320/pearl_sea_star_s_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708668232051586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaMx8PBpp5paR7D2XQ2xs0uPaeI6syLY1TihSJJyVhJbYl7Uc3r_X0axevjJUaAkTCTFv2wTMXNv-BT4LIbNyyeNQia0cc86EIQq4cbkrLmDf04eMC3zEEAfRx8j6kTL3RMPgE19QUxdM/s1600-h/Sea+Star+on+a+Rocky+Beach,+Baja+California,+Mexico.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaMx8PBpp5paR7D2XQ2xs0uPaeI6syLY1TihSJJyVhJbYl7Uc3r_X0axevjJUaAkTCTFv2wTMXNv-BT4LIbNyyeNQia0cc86EIQq4cbkrLmDf04eMC3zEEAfRx8j6kTL3RMPgE19QUxdM/s320/Sea+Star+on+a+Rocky+Beach,+Baja+California,+Mexico.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708715476691858" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The body cavity also contains the water vascular system that operates the tube feet, and the circulatory system, also called the hemal system. Hemal channels form rings around the mouth (the oral hemal ring), closer to the top of the starfish and around the digestive system (the gastric hemal ring). A portion of the body cavity called the axial sinus connects the three rings. Each ray also has hemal channels running next to the gonads.<br /><br />Starfish digestion is carried out in two stomachs: the cardiac stomach and the pyloric stomach. The cardiac stomach is a sack like stomach located at the center of the body and may be everted out of the organism's body to engulf and digest food. Some species are able to use their water vascular systems to force open the shells of bivalve mollusks such as clams and mussels by injecting their stomachs into the shells. With the stomach inserted inside the shell, the starfish is able to digest the mollusk in place. The cardiac stomach is then brought back inside the body, and the partially digested food is moved to the pyloric stomach. Further digestion occurs in the intestine. Waste is either excreted through the anus on the aboral side of the body, or excreted through the mouth if the anus is absent as in brittle stars.<br /><br />Because of this ability to digest food outside of its body, the sea star is able to hunt prey that are much larger than its mouth would otherwise allow, including arthropods, small fish, and mollusks.<br /><br />Some echinoderms live several weeks without food under artificial conditions. It is believed that they may receive some nutrients from organic material dissolved in seawater.<br /><br />Sea stars and other echinoderms have endoskeletons, suggesting that echinoderms are very closely related to chordates; animals with a hollow nerve chord that usually have vertebrae.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lJf7AR-9o6ljz4npuFMNvUVWVT_0bkzoWh1LqVEfe_A7YWfF-SIzs_pLxnsvV-aFheCgRTzZmutSSdljruSuBM6fFub5R2RcGmDaF-lLb5kWVp9LcyymVIAC2X1kFCiYdODd96eGntuh/s1600-h/66405399_4b3fd6abcb.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lJf7AR-9o6ljz4npuFMNvUVWVT_0bkzoWh1LqVEfe_A7YWfF-SIzs_pLxnsvV-aFheCgRTzZmutSSdljruSuBM6fFub5R2RcGmDaF-lLb5kWVp9LcyymVIAC2X1kFCiYdODd96eGntuh/s320/66405399_4b3fd6abcb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708496433359698" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRp-ztOqykdYAX1cuV8zViZr7Wye-ui3ZZjMAgP3QfuMIi0PABpzKMW-IuqzF7FfXNJXxH_TwwOYIphmLBvN_0nGiLDzocTpsbGYPVR2GV77hZm_W6jE10uBJ5hCIWDbjnFsn1dSf7TXe0/s1600-h/Blue+Linckia+Sea+Star,+Great+Barrier+Reef,+Australia.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRp-ztOqykdYAX1cuV8zViZr7Wye-ui3ZZjMAgP3QfuMIi0PABpzKMW-IuqzF7FfXNJXxH_TwwOYIphmLBvN_0nGiLDzocTpsbGYPVR2GV77hZm_W6jE10uBJ5hCIWDbjnFsn1dSf7TXe0/s320/Blue+Linckia+Sea+Star,+Great+Barrier+Reef,+Australia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708620987411314" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Echinoderms have rather complex nervous systems, but lack a true centralized brain. All echinoderms have a network of interlacing nerves called a nerve plexus which lies within as well as below the skin. The esophagus is also surrounded by a number of nerve rings which send radial nerves that are often parallel with the branches of the water vascular system. The ring nerves and radial nerves coordinate the starfish's balance and directional systems. Although the echinoderms do not have many well-defined sensory inputs, they are sensitive to touch, light, temperature, orientation, and the status of water around them. The tube feet, spines, and pedicellariae found on starfish are sensitive to touch, while eyespots on the ends of the rays are light-sensitive.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjP1FjkDk0jaTLQv86247IrDBf09QneaCu0eczeFTWe7VCnvTQ0GB3SvQ_oW6n6ot5M4o2vx-nWbzO1OAYoZzlBydhClVjof4Niai9ch63HGs_76Xr_pkYQLKg2E3vvLRM9otl4p_ibgO/s1600-h/486876251_0ea83a0de9_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOjP1FjkDk0jaTLQv86247IrDBf09QneaCu0eczeFTWe7VCnvTQ0GB3SvQ_oW6n6ot5M4o2vx-nWbzO1OAYoZzlBydhClVjof4Niai9ch63HGs_76Xr_pkYQLKg2E3vvLRM9otl4p_ibgO/s320/486876251_0ea83a0de9_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708432008850242" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGHxP_jkNmU4DRLe4ctmWiH2I-FGZOmXo9181Vt_yfh6CFO_lQAAnRtgj4YNxmv_9tOzcC7tDOyhaz9YqVcnpwkgp6RfCmQZ81NlKyO0Ogyo0QxZ6yVtOcSYWgo8NPcSH1rbHl3xKK5ed/s1600-h/85280351_f9b62915d1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGHxP_jkNmU4DRLe4ctmWiH2I-FGZOmXo9181Vt_yfh6CFO_lQAAnRtgj4YNxmv_9tOzcC7tDOyhaz9YqVcnpwkgp6RfCmQZ81NlKyO0Ogyo0QxZ6yVtOcSYWgo8NPcSH1rbHl3xKK5ed/s320/85280351_f9b62915d1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708569447803746" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Most species are generalist predators, some eating clams, and oysters; or any animal too slow to evade the attack (e.g. dying fish). Some species are detritivores, eating decomposed animal and plant material or organic films attached to substrate. The others may consume coral polyps (the best-known example for this is the infamous Acanthaster planci), sponges or even suspended particles and planktons (starfish from the Order Brisingida). The processes of feeding and capture may be aided by special parts; Pisaster brevispinus or Short-spined Pisaster from the west coast of America may use a set of specialized tube feet to extend itself deep into the soft substrata to extract prey (usually clams). Grasping the shellfish, the Starfish slowly pries open the shell by wearing out the Adductor muscle and then inserts an arm into an opening to devour the organism.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJE-whxWLpw1e4ZjSCY48iR6XYYAkSWBrN5Egfjc4kXHLvn4ortsh1iKmNeVH3lNGYsjVJ_s3wyB4JLeUlhTmpwmaLMDl4xbmXC36ZEJupMwWr7-93YtcNzo5JEihz0h3oH5yqg33eBt_O/s1600-h/425355048_864758de9e.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJE-whxWLpw1e4ZjSCY48iR6XYYAkSWBrN5Egfjc4kXHLvn4ortsh1iKmNeVH3lNGYsjVJ_s3wyB4JLeUlhTmpwmaLMDl4xbmXC36ZEJupMwWr7-93YtcNzo5JEihz0h3oH5yqg33eBt_O/s320/425355048_864758de9e.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708311749765922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnH-TyYUc4JK6ivxzAdOch96zBCRHrdgo7yPYAP3ECPtA8enH7ti9qkoGJBTkOBmU02chJXrBpbR9SExOLAvtbJGrnIXz63XP-VGEIK3GI-aMu2Sdc8oSC58GI9f6fzp6YZZOb624Bf1h/s1600-h/470892557_646cd8a4f9.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnH-TyYUc4JK6ivxzAdOch96zBCRHrdgo7yPYAP3ECPtA8enH7ti9qkoGJBTkOBmU02chJXrBpbR9SExOLAvtbJGrnIXz63XP-VGEIK3GI-aMu2Sdc8oSC58GI9f6fzp6YZZOb624Bf1h/s320/470892557_646cd8a4f9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708376174275378" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Starfish are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction. Individual starfish are male or female. Fertilization takes place externally, both male and female releasing their gametes into the environment. Resulting fertilized embryos form part of the zooplankton.<br /><br />Starfish are developmentally (embryologically) known as deuterostomes. Their embryo initially develops bilateral symmetry, indicating that starfish probably share a common ancestor with the chordates, which includes the fish. Later development takes a very different path however as the developing starfish settles out of the zooplankton and develops the characteristic radial symmetry. Some species reproduce cooperatively, using environmental signals to coordinate the timing of gamete release; in other species, one to one pairing is the norm.<br /><br />Some species of starfish also reproduce asexually by fragmentation, often with part of an arm becoming detached and eventually developing into an independent individual starfish. This has led to some notoriety. Starfish can be pests to fishermen who make their living on the capture of clams and other mollusks at sea as starfish prey on these. The fishermen would presumably kill the starfish by chopping them up and disposing of them at sea, ultimately leading to their increased numbers until the issue was better understood. A starfish arm can only regenerate into a whole new organism if some of the central ring of the starfish is part of the chopped off arm.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnfNppt3DdWIEp-k_XmFwLXlekn4W8X_dKeimbcY9uXaQ2LGO5YwIE1m2uz8AyvzXoAvybAxo4NKdJniXi2hcKna1nGTMYqBmkonLweYscBIRKqZCeJFd3mnOEqDJusVNHqoa3YsISXH5/s1600-h/31833835_400c865b84.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnfNppt3DdWIEp-k_XmFwLXlekn4W8X_dKeimbcY9uXaQ2LGO5YwIE1m2uz8AyvzXoAvybAxo4NKdJniXi2hcKna1nGTMYqBmkonLweYscBIRKqZCeJFd3mnOEqDJusVNHqoa3YsISXH5/s320/31833835_400c865b84.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708187195714306" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIwZ7AjkzQziihbBKLTwUjDKJvRHgRIC8uQ5T9IyMg8CwGtEjUhqWdkjPvR4OI_Zo0UbvnlZ5VWddgRBCozdobDnGXFttPqfPQmbFxQTUtIXS01E8zUTWhRSR1O5hdxUGIc3LNeCQgz_I/s1600-h/397169182_a635c71050_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIwZ7AjkzQziihbBKLTwUjDKJvRHgRIC8uQ5T9IyMg8CwGtEjUhqWdkjPvR4OI_Zo0UbvnlZ5VWddgRBCozdobDnGXFttPqfPQmbFxQTUtIXS01E8zUTWhRSR1O5hdxUGIc3LNeCQgz_I/s320/397169182_a635c71050_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708238735321874" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Starfish move using a water vascular system. Water comes into the system via the madreporite. It is then circulated from the stone canal to the ring canal and into the radial canals. The radial canals carry water to the ampullae and provide suction to the tube feet. The tube feet latch on to surfaces and move in a wave, with one body section attaching to the surfaces as another releases. Most starfish cannot move quickly. However, some burrowing species like starfish from genus Astropecten and Luidia are capable of rapid, creeping motion: "gliding" across the ocean floor. This motion results from their pointed tubefeet adapted specially for excavating patches of sand.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Go9gqwvBZenHzEnVt6-oPa7_JTz0-jskqt7F3b7e_7tL0aLi8VAV_lHLv7fg2u_CbXr8z5-VKp5OGGQLP6ZCIMXl0cglnaTJ-FFXMPboafKLEMw0aNQfYBhy8Gr4J3aChJVR5ITfSGZ_/s1600-h/278026057_cee6889812.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Go9gqwvBZenHzEnVt6-oPa7_JTz0-jskqt7F3b7e_7tL0aLi8VAV_lHLv7fg2u_CbXr8z5-VKp5OGGQLP6ZCIMXl0cglnaTJ-FFXMPboafKLEMw0aNQfYBhy8Gr4J3aChJVR5ITfSGZ_/s320/278026057_cee6889812.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708028281924322" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_Jgj5QsScvuCYhXFPQ2ioQAKaTjz65sXi4szYBQcPhZbu2LLKJL6jDRWG0vTGdYPBbIE6hC5zgZ0JZ-mTIA7IEm9S0Sh4e3LZa6mcvZx1k_jMG2q5IqJ_SwQLHxVQX0ri7j06I6B1JgJ/s1600-h/317002880_0777d8d5ce.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_Jgj5QsScvuCYhXFPQ2ioQAKaTjz65sXi4szYBQcPhZbu2LLKJL6jDRWG0vTGdYPBbIE6hC5zgZ0JZ-mTIA7IEm9S0Sh4e3LZa6mcvZx1k_jMG2q5IqJ_SwQLHxVQX0ri7j06I6B1JgJ/s320/317002880_0777d8d5ce.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130708097001401074" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Some species of starfish have the ability to regenerate lost arms and can regrow an entire new arm in time. Most species must have the central part of the body intact to be able to regenerate, but a few can grow an entire starfish from a single ray. Included in this group are the red and blue Linckia star. The regeneration of these stars is possible due to the vital organs kept in their arms.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkGcM6840I-dS4EyTxVEGPRtO41a4vCZzYfPGNIEsYS1cJxRSMOuUEaSUdqe9U8AZxLEojkOmpEgT60eLqOlyDz6ShImVTYVXNi9Bpb87S2frblgP1e7fNWO-DbyM50H6Y6W0HsZ9SDFw/s1600-h/1370509386_5cafd1b240.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkGcM6840I-dS4EyTxVEGPRtO41a4vCZzYfPGNIEsYS1cJxRSMOuUEaSUdqe9U8AZxLEojkOmpEgT60eLqOlyDz6ShImVTYVXNi9Bpb87S2frblgP1e7fNWO-DbyM50H6Y6W0HsZ9SDFw/s320/1370509386_5cafd1b240.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130707877958068930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43M6nrjY14vc7ol1b7YzWu8R5E2nONGGETnixnqQi9eLmig8I-65q8nolYNNmr2DeFzzs13_rveKPakNutKLyskj9_GN8V6aRdix6Z13Vk6NOSebUp29UNFz9vRQ1MIWUktkAS3fZBacb/s1600-h/234903366_a3bac10641.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43M6nrjY14vc7ol1b7YzWu8R5E2nONGGETnixnqQi9eLmig8I-65q8nolYNNmr2DeFzzs13_rveKPakNutKLyskj9_GN8V6aRdix6Z13Vk6NOSebUp29UNFz9vRQ1MIWUktkAS3fZBacb/s320/234903366_a3bac10641.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130707968152382162" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span><br />Fossil starfish and brittle stars are first known from rocks of Ordovician age indicating that two groups probably diverged in the Cambrian. However, Ordovician examples of the two groups show many similarities and can be difficult to distinguish. Complete fossil starfish are very rare, but where they do occur they may be abundant. Most fossil starfish consist of scattered individual plates or segments of arms. This is because the skeleton is not rigid, as in the case of echinoids (sea urchins), but is composed of many small plates (or ossicles) which quickly fall apart and are scattered after death and the decay of the soft parts of the creature. Scattered starfish ossicles are reasonably common in the Cretaceous Chalk Formation of England.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCte_NLcigOAli-QjM305OJ3wn7T89MioPtCVa_8QZR39QqcYJSfvgi2PL0yi_oa6M07utV02Ti3UApKGsLQ0CEVIbXUysmtmf3YSP4-Rc5hLRay0xNix94rC9_RWpmhW0MD2YiI26Ojd/s1600-h/180px-Ochre_sea_star_on_beach,_Olympic_National_Park_USA.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCte_NLcigOAli-QjM305OJ3wn7T89MioPtCVa_8QZR39QqcYJSfvgi2PL0yi_oa6M07utV02Ti3UApKGsLQ0CEVIbXUysmtmf3YSP4-Rc5hLRay0xNix94rC9_RWpmhW0MD2YiI26Ojd/s320/180px-Ochre_sea_star_on_beach,_Olympic_National_Park_USA.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130710927384849362" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsNos-bceUsam1PQtkmaoA8fB0pkeGKPt38JQE-xGwjbbo-W9f7hNG4hOdgz7H0vBxv737WNCYGghYYbcqtOu8c-npM4KD0pgS1EpLc3n7ghl46NXXjKVhpjOl3vS-FkGQwMRkOz3Y4VM/s1600-h/200px-Sandstar_300.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsNos-bceUsam1PQtkmaoA8fB0pkeGKPt38JQE-xGwjbbo-W9f7hNG4hOdgz7H0vBxv737WNCYGghYYbcqtOu8c-npM4KD0pgS1EpLc3n7ghl46NXXjKVhpjOl3vS-FkGQwMRkOz3Y4VM/s320/200px-Sandstar_300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130710978924456930" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />There are about 1,800 known living species of starfish, and they occur in all of the Earth's oceans. The greatest variety of starfish is found in the tropical Indo-Pacific. Areas known for their great diversity include the tropical-temperate regions around Australia, the tropical East Pacific, and the cold-temperate water of the North Pacific (California to Alaska). Asterias is a common genus found in European waters and on the eastern coast of the United States; Pisaster, along with Dermasterias ("leather star"), are usually found on the western coast. Habitats could range from tropical coral reefs, kelp forests to deep-sea floor, although none of them live within the water column; all species of starfish found are living as benthos. Echinoderms need a delicate internal balance in their body; no starfish are found in freshwater environments.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-56561885182943485452007-11-05T19:56:00.001-08:002008-12-11T15:14:59.275-08:00Anemone Tentacles<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj2yrhknkMWWMkuf8ysTt4wJxCryUzeZKU-v13FmjaEC6DIBReIUcIe4WFg-HANg9xNnCm5yae5MVWjLfnWTp9EfgWitIeEV12OLIiz7T0AfgL_w6Hqr6kvqxusPnanDfJQtOfe0tp-zU/s1600-h/Tube+Anemone+Redux.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj2yrhknkMWWMkuf8ysTt4wJxCryUzeZKU-v13FmjaEC6DIBReIUcIe4WFg-HANg9xNnCm5yae5MVWjLfnWTp9EfgWitIeEV12OLIiz7T0AfgL_w6Hqr6kvqxusPnanDfJQtOfe0tp-zU/s200/Tube+Anemone+Redux.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129576122445227170" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDi_hQsiLIWhe5SlyEHwwEafmcWMDHCFk6ZuY80MoZNg5U8j-wMoHl_KSOTJF3caFXAR7JyXV_K1m4Oq53o1H-PvKyRWMeqEsUMhfQEusso6lI0z-3XIiu08nksMnHviyW3W6j1aP7ml1/s1600-h/Anemone+Tentacles5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDi_hQsiLIWhe5SlyEHwwEafmcWMDHCFk6ZuY80MoZNg5U8j-wMoHl_KSOTJF3caFXAR7JyXV_K1m4Oq53o1H-PvKyRWMeqEsUMhfQEusso6lI0z-3XIiu08nksMnHviyW3W6j1aP7ml1/s200/Anemone+Tentacles5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129571638499370082" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Sea anemones are a group of water dwelling, predatory animals of the order Actiniaria; they are named after the anemone, a terrestrial flower. As cnidarians, sea anemones are closely related to corals, jellyfish, tube-dwelling anemones and Hydra.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEerUrXebxopiuXWqKT_ksKuWgt-cDRsniC474acAMCXfvB_WvRFdEoxMawIt965JJn6KwHCdr3GCWJCFEvE9Cb_J3WojhDWBgqYoxFDzKlPynVVJNg8FNUBOcaGx_Tj39legsZDdfEJk/s1600-h/Anemone+Tentacles9.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEerUrXebxopiuXWqKT_ksKuWgt-cDRsniC474acAMCXfvB_WvRFdEoxMawIt965JJn6KwHCdr3GCWJCFEvE9Cb_J3WojhDWBgqYoxFDzKlPynVVJNg8FNUBOcaGx_Tj39legsZDdfEJk/s200/Anemone+Tentacles9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129571793118192786" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDUs5xsmtcMnuYWBpSv9uB9X9MopqtH2kSS8TEBcjhU1-P7txbauewIvew7C-WXWl_xxPkQyj6hVYaNmOK1KuGGGOJLRFfrK9gUULQ-GIfAgWam2kuuc7w9qHtDY3QYXbN8ggHMKYl_VE/s1600-h/Anemone+Tentacles3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDUs5xsmtcMnuYWBpSv9uB9X9MopqtH2kSS8TEBcjhU1-P7txbauewIvew7C-WXWl_xxPkQyj6hVYaNmOK1KuGGGOJLRFfrK9gUULQ-GIfAgWam2kuuc7w9qHtDY3QYXbN8ggHMKYl_VE/s200/Anemone+Tentacles3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129571535420154946" border="0" /></a></div><br />A sea anemone is a small sac, attached to the bottom by an adhesive foot, with a column shaped body ending in an oral disc. The mouth is in the middle of the oral disc, surrounded by tentacles armed with many cnidocytes, which are cells that function as a defense and as a means to capture prey. Cnidocytes contain cnidae, capsule-like organelles capable of everting, giving phylum Cnidaria its name. The cnidae that sting are called nematocysts. Each nematocyst contains a small vesicle filled with toxins—actinoporins—an inner filament and an external sensory hair. When the hair is touched, it mechanically triggers the cell explosion, a harpoon-like structure which attaches to organisms that trigger it, and injects a dose of poison in the flesh of the aggressor or prey. This gives the anemone its characteristic sticky feeling.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6B3oMgRKhavGnunKf5DhJhAzt2qfOZxdJW1_VZI5ryYbo4PO9uNw91Ge19eo2-4fALiopvH421fD4DHXn0TljCJNZJGQyUL7jk3qYAAgvwhXEBoQMuJwixPKw66Q41SdTXDlEV8rBmLBA/s1600-h/Anemone+Tentacles8.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6B3oMgRKhavGnunKf5DhJhAzt2qfOZxdJW1_VZI5ryYbo4PO9uNw91Ge19eo2-4fALiopvH421fD4DHXn0TljCJNZJGQyUL7jk3qYAAgvwhXEBoQMuJwixPKw66Q41SdTXDlEV8rBmLBA/s200/Anemone+Tentacles8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129571745873552514" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRkuXxFfN4y2VZjBphzKVPLYKHkX6FOF-OrCi2vU84RckejyCoJokSsjN7hrHYlfxQN-PU7EUDvvTyNHX0YJZPsBUfitmnT3uwGXcvFxW9Hj06JL1R8EVssf0L8G7z1bdFeqMpq0PdNKP/s1600-h/Anemone+Tentacles4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRkuXxFfN4y2VZjBphzKVPLYKHkX6FOF-OrCi2vU84RckejyCoJokSsjN7hrHYlfxQN-PU7EUDvvTyNHX0YJZPsBUfitmnT3uwGXcvFxW9Hj06JL1R8EVssf0L8G7z1bdFeqMpq0PdNKP/s200/Anemone+Tentacles4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129571586959762514" border="0" /></a></div><br />The poison is a mix of toxins, including neurotoxins, which paralyze the prey, which is then moved by the tentacles to the mouth/anus for digestion inside the gastrovascular cavity. Actinoporins have been reported as highly toxic to fish and crustaceans, which may be the natural prey of sea anemones. In addition to their role in predation, it has been suggested that actinoporins could act, when released in water, as repellents against potential predators. Clownfish are immune to an anemone's sting.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nHGqO-0-M9i_jbvcAKZsPWw0cIfFPg3-OW7sb6epNufn3-6Em8yWWsr0KqvHk37Y-ul7S14mYuwX24t_DpoBG-Qji_gAr7O3uOnGoFRXMmNZ1rddykJBAvhwOOAkYMD7YIuak-qSRC4r/s1600-h/22728769_bb9e876b15_m.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nHGqO-0-M9i_jbvcAKZsPWw0cIfFPg3-OW7sb6epNufn3-6Em8yWWsr0KqvHk37Y-ul7S14mYuwX24t_DpoBG-Qji_gAr7O3uOnGoFRXMmNZ1rddykJBAvhwOOAkYMD7YIuak-qSRC4r/s200/22728769_bb9e876b15_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129577282086397138" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xVD_-eevxKpKgdVRIfBruppX89cb5uLborH_VrXBANGKWjVF7vcKaPMPznyOtPj6VkyNH76j8Tz-IV1-VEKVySLf1t1uHgWfh9km_aJvgK9oX2V2OYqgLUIeZQB1uHnvKvIWQHeWc4u7/s1600-h/Waving+Tentacles.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8xVD_-eevxKpKgdVRIfBruppX89cb5uLborH_VrXBANGKWjVF7vcKaPMPznyOtPj6VkyNH76j8Tz-IV1-VEKVySLf1t1uHgWfh9km_aJvgK9oX2V2OYqgLUIeZQB1uHnvKvIWQHeWc4u7/s200/Waving+Tentacles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129577754532799730" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The internal anatomy of anemones is simple. There is a gastrovascular cavity (which functions as a stomach) with a single opening to the outside which functions as both a mouth and an anus: waste and undigested matter is excreted through the mouth/anus. A primitive nervous system, without centralization, coordinates the processes involved in maintaining homeostasis as well as biochemical and physical responses to various stimuli. Anemones range in size from less than 1¼ cm (½ in) to nearly 2 m (6 ft) in diameter.[citation needed] They can have a range of 10 tentacles to hundreds.<br /><br />The muscles and nerves in anemones are much simpler than those of other animals. Cells in the outer layer (epidermis) and the inner layer (gastrodermis) have microfilaments grouped together into contractile fibers. These are not true muscles because they are not freely suspended in the body cavity as they are in more developed animals. Since the anemone lacks a skeleton, the contractile cells pull against the gastrovascular cavity, which acts as a hydrostatic skeleton. The stability for this hydrostatic skeleton is caused by the anemone shutting its mouth, which keeps the gastrovascular cavity at a constant volume, making it more rigid.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqXhEk805VtbmkKP6mSHgzntv-iMc1SIR2N_KvaFs6NNcleglvAYILd_ISQWbEDvmpK9NGR7Y2yCogJMsnkMdmTE6HtyQb80vK4f6kAbrVxeKUJBBpqs-R9fkOI-O5ddLXgmLGcBR8slZ/s1600-h/Anemone+Tentacles1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqXhEk805VtbmkKP6mSHgzntv-iMc1SIR2N_KvaFs6NNcleglvAYILd_ISQWbEDvmpK9NGR7Y2yCogJMsnkMdmTE6HtyQb80vK4f6kAbrVxeKUJBBpqs-R9fkOI-O5ddLXgmLGcBR8slZ/s200/Anemone+Tentacles1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129571380801332242" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfiX2V0jlMnEXWvHEC1ODkH_odgQPV4-mcwTEQkBoQd-CjrE2ruHEk7APZLi1goUZWpDL-yTMNgHnk2LU6eSWLV7osST8KJA_2hh7jh134Ukbgj1uV6r5YibQbGGougH4zOAGV7j-TeaI/s1600-h/Anemone+Tentacles6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfiX2V0jlMnEXWvHEC1ODkH_odgQPV4-mcwTEQkBoQd-CjrE2ruHEk7APZLi1goUZWpDL-yTMNgHnk2LU6eSWLV7osST8KJA_2hh7jh134Ukbgj1uV6r5YibQbGGougH4zOAGV7j-TeaI/s200/Anemone+Tentacles6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129571681449043058" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Unlike other cnidarians, anemones (and other anthozoans) entirely lack the free-swimming medusa stage of the life cycle: the polyp produces eggs and sperm, and the fertilized egg develops into a planula that develops directly into another polyp.<br /><br />A few anemones are parasitic to marine organisms. Anemones tend to stay in the same spot until conditions become unsuitable (prolonged dryness, for example), or a predator is attacking them. In the case of an attack, anemones can release themselves from the substrate and swim away to a new location using flexing motions.<br /><br />The sexes in sea anemones are separate for some species while some are hermaphroditic. Both sexual and asexual reproduction may occur. In sexual reproduction males release sperm which stimulates females to release eggs, and fertilization occurs. The eggs or sperm are ejected through the mouth. The fertilized egg develops into a planula, which finally settles down and grows into a single anemone. They can also reproduce asexually by budding, binary fission, which involves pulling apart into two halves, and pedal laceration, in which small pieces of the pedal disc break off and regenerate into small anemones.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6q586knEYgBPbh6vX95RtAZEK9_Wvx7jd3vR_mTkb-TB1IxH7gvn3KkVzNr_5MLbJ5nS5xjxJIoArNfB2WNVX5xbXzOWIFt4cQ6d_9392-brBqyA2F_-Ys4910sbu0DlP7DVSgUU2yVDb/s1600-h/Anemone+Tentacles.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6q586knEYgBPbh6vX95RtAZEK9_Wvx7jd3vR_mTkb-TB1IxH7gvn3KkVzNr_5MLbJ5nS5xjxJIoArNfB2WNVX5xbXzOWIFt4cQ6d_9392-brBqyA2F_-Ys4910sbu0DlP7DVSgUU2yVDb/s200/Anemone+Tentacles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129571324966757378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCbdXsclXd6OM1ykSM1n2a6kBGHYy-4uy-rlHbr1brwRx9NwM5bwgavAZtPACshMx_wmNXo3C89dm2KtrNLuX1AQYrQssy4u3hjhfUMcgGEvFnedDE0sA6c95GpgU7imNaufSDdxbhWBU/s1600-h/Anemone+Tentacles10.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCbdXsclXd6OM1ykSM1n2a6kBGHYy-4uy-rlHbr1brwRx9NwM5bwgavAZtPACshMx_wmNXo3C89dm2KtrNLuX1AQYrQssy4u3hjhfUMcgGEvFnedDE0sA6c95GpgU7imNaufSDdxbhWBU/s200/Anemone+Tentacles10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129571432340939810" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The sea anemone has a foot which in most species attaches itself to rocks or anchors in the sand. Others also burrow into a stronger object. Some species attach to kelp and others are free-swimming. Although not plants and therefore incapable of photosynthesis themselves, many sea anemones form an important facultative symbiotic relationship with certain single-celled green algae species which reside in the animals' gastrodermal cells. These algae may be either zooxanthellae, zoochlorellae or both. The sea anemone benefits from the products of the algae's photosynthesis, namely oxygen and food in the form of glycerol, glucose and alanine; the algae in turn are assured a reliable exposure to sunlight and protection from micro-feeders, which the anemones actively maintain. The algae also benefit by being protected due to the presence of stinging cells called nematacysts, reducing the likelihood of being eaten by herbivores. Most species inhabit tropical reefs, although there are species adapted to relatively cold waters, intertidal reefs, and sand/kelp environments.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5546296614950151468.post-59169649712014940922007-11-04T18:20:00.000-08:002008-12-11T15:15:00.178-08:00Lionfish<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkgMfolIEv3J3fkN68clvML4JeeDdnvEcA5ji778lfRmHVCXY8SGG5aS_iBFvz6LDEWwvSfiKxPG5JVSvoa7V9-lJhXDGJfyNzzXEgSW-t30u0wCJKrB1rn4pE9mPU6QJSMEqNIthYhM4/s1600-h/The+Lion+fish24.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkgMfolIEv3J3fkN68clvML4JeeDdnvEcA5ji778lfRmHVCXY8SGG5aS_iBFvz6LDEWwvSfiKxPG5JVSvoa7V9-lJhXDGJfyNzzXEgSW-t30u0wCJKrB1rn4pE9mPU6QJSMEqNIthYhM4/s200/The+Lion+fish24.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129180946799289314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-Xfndg2kltEa__TKn_xwBjWVFCPFrjCe0QOSat22MivZUDhOy3c60MekSP_oIb5dBA6jjYUBLBnhYAN1TxUCBfA2C-7lCBpiKSeCPv_stuvv73un_EOuy794Tm4kgjnx8eiNxrCoHBXI/s1600-h/The+Lion+fish25.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-Xfndg2kltEa__TKn_xwBjWVFCPFrjCe0QOSat22MivZUDhOy3c60MekSP_oIb5dBA6jjYUBLBnhYAN1TxUCBfA2C-7lCBpiKSeCPv_stuvv73un_EOuy794Tm4kgjnx8eiNxrCoHBXI/s200/The+Lion+fish25.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129181006928831474" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />A Lionfish is any of several species of venomous marine fish in the genera Pterois, Parapterois, Brachypterois, Ebosia or Dendrochirus, of the family Scorpaenidae. The lionfish is also known as the Turkey Fish, Dragon Fish, and Scorpion Fish. The lionfish are voracious predators. When they are hunting, they corner prey using their large fins and then use their lightning quick reflexes to swallow the prey whole. They are notable for their extremely long and separated spines, and have a generally striped appearance, red, brown, orange, yellow, black, or white.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDfK9dM72G0ZoPC3phWRSCfY4KIDNg5RHVaxWOQYAI5pVlu-wDgxThjTAOmzxYAAZEF5xekO0af-x6xAsTtSFpzdShWpvjKpp_j1H4tRK_DhVHXZMNHsFNppsCfw0KYmSZPT4OOcxQgdN/s1600-h/The+Lion+fish1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDfK9dM72G0ZoPC3phWRSCfY4KIDNg5RHVaxWOQYAI5pVlu-wDgxThjTAOmzxYAAZEF5xekO0af-x6xAsTtSFpzdShWpvjKpp_j1H4tRK_DhVHXZMNHsFNppsCfw0KYmSZPT4OOcxQgdN/s200/The+Lion+fish1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129180813655303106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B2MB4gOg4PY2S3E0H9a5LFWcWSGU0k2z4S65i5mzCPqAPQFwyhHSKDwtG-skDwylRwKJETsQAW1OiwlBcmJCBr1J-dt1vc3dAEPhWcQ2xnHwjN86pSGp3F80_Xpf10bgnbjDOCX0_Z8j/s1600-h/The+Lion+fish2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B2MB4gOg4PY2S3E0H9a5LFWcWSGU0k2z4S65i5mzCPqAPQFwyhHSKDwtG-skDwylRwKJETsQAW1OiwlBcmJCBr1J-dt1vc3dAEPhWcQ2xnHwjN86pSGp3F80_Xpf10bgnbjDOCX0_Z8j/s200/The+Lion+fish2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129180882374779858" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The group of fish has been classified as a subfamily (Pteroinae) or as a tribe under Scorpaeninae (Pteroini).<br /><br />While the hardiness and disease resistance of the lionfish make their care relatively simple, the venom of the spines is extremely painful, and lionfish are recommended for only the careful aquarist.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw68tKgl08KGSpigFPLjf3saC6bmmLi6_2yNjjzL7iPLLAd7ggjBM64mWYreX3yGUXx_BJvGkdOQcPnNA9bV7Os_53jg2PZ057GEZkxQ7rwNC5pXWhZwIDniTz2cmac12mr0dT4iUA4ck/s1600-h/The+Lion+3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw68tKgl08KGSpigFPLjf3saC6bmmLi6_2yNjjzL7iPLLAd7ggjBM64mWYreX3yGUXx_BJvGkdOQcPnNA9bV7Os_53jg2PZ057GEZkxQ7rwNC5pXWhZwIDniTz2cmac12mr0dT4iUA4ck/s200/The+Lion+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129180624676742050" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5er8Tkf6a2TdY81UNmvVBH1Dc31AaQV59-ri9hviiqwVqYJhm66U_csXJ8WrEyhwxfROSxVOb6sCjwC-R0tue4zP6RiJwfuhtNTHFBordXUc2Cm9cM0ExMyHWUAhYYNL-e9CBcqrEryx/s1600-h/The+Lion+fish.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5er8Tkf6a2TdY81UNmvVBH1Dc31AaQV59-ri9hviiqwVqYJhm66U_csXJ8WrEyhwxfROSxVOb6sCjwC-R0tue4zP6RiJwfuhtNTHFBordXUc2Cm9cM0ExMyHWUAhYYNL-e9CBcqrEryx/s200/The+Lion+fish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129180749230793650" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />The lionfish is native to the tropical Indo-Pacific region of the world, but various species can be found worldwide. Due to a recent introduction, the lionfish has recently been spotted in the warmer coral regions of the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Successful breeding of the lionfish in captivity has not been reported.Ocean Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783889623324185019noreply@blogger.com0