Erin Snyder
November 23, 2015
BIOL 112
Dr. Irish
How does the Blue-ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena Lunulata) Flash its Blue Rings? Journal Article Summary
Introduction
The blue-ringed octopus uses an interesting technique to ward off its predators. Utilizing aposematic coloring (a warning mechanism), this creature can let other animals know to stay away. The tiny cephalopod bears about sixty bright blue rings, appearing as a pattern on its dermal covering. When these rings flash, one can tell that the octopus has been threatened. Although this tropical marine creature may generally be calm, when it is agitated, it can bite with its beak and inject tetrodotoxin into the blood stream. This venom can quickly kill an adult human. Typically, the blue-ringed octopus, or Hapalochlaena Lunulata, resides among rocks and shells on the ocean floor and exhibits a camouflaged appearance (Mathger et al., 2012). However, its skin contains many more interesting structures that allow it to have such a distinct presentation.
Many cephalopods have camouflage techniques and use aposematic coloring as well. The two methods they can use to accomplish this kind of coloring are either through chromatophores and pigments or structural reflectors (Mathger et al., 2012). Chromatophores are organs that have pigment sacs.
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Suggested by its name, the octopus’ sixty or so blue rings light up in an iridescent fashion. The colorful rings extend from the head down to the body and arms of the creature on an otherwise dull body. As observed by the recorded video of the octopuses being disturbed, the rings were quick to light up with a dark brown colored outer circle, and a blue-green center. This display could be accomplished in as fast as 0.3 seconds, up to a little over 0.5 seconds. They noted that this brown ring of chromatophores along the edge increases the distinction between the rings and the pale
In the lab the isopods were observed in a way to where behavior and structures could be properly recorded. The isopods were revealed to two dissimilar scenarios, normal temperature water vs. warm temperature water, to calculate which environment was most preferred. In each distinct scenario ten isopods were placed ten a choice chamber, one side being normal temperature (26.7celsius) and the other being warm temperature (43.3 celsius) , and observed for a total of ten minutes with thirty second intervals which was when we recorded our observations. After observations, it was seen that normal conditions was the most preferred environment by the isopods. In the scenario the Isopods exhibited taxis behavior, which is behavior caused by factors such as light, temperature, water and such. Nothing physical, but rather environmental.
Cephalopods are known to be exceptionally intelligent by invertebrate standards and in some respects even rival “higher” vertebrates. These animals have many highly evolved sensory and processing organs that allow them to gain a greater understanding of their environment and their place within it. Due to their advanced structures, many of which are analogous to vertebrate structures, and abilities they have been widely studied. Their methods of learning have been of prime interest and many experiments have been conducted to determine the different ways in which octopuses can learn. From these experiments four main kinds of learning have been identified in octopuses: associative learning, special learning,
“Their habitat lies on the Eastern side of the Olympic mountain range, adjacent to Hood Canal.”. Because of the moistness of the rainforest and their specialized skin, they are able to keep from becoming desiccated for long periods of time, but if they get the chance they would prefer resting in pooled water. The tree octopus explores the world by both touch and sight. Tree octopuses have eyesight comparable to human. Besides the fact that it allows them to see their prey and environment around them, it helps in inter-octopus relations. Even though they are not social like us, they show each other their emotions through their ability to change the color of their skin: red indicates anger, white fear, while they normally maintain a mottled brown tone to blend in with the background. (Lyle
My vomit clouded the ocean surface with a purple-brown color before fading below the depths. On the other side of the vessel, I re-equipped my mask and plunged into the water to be greeted by my aunt – she was to be my snorkeling partner as she had much experience in the depths of Hawaii. When I submerged my head it was almost as if I had entered a new world. This unseen dimension housed a coral reef that vibrantly shone with a mixture of bright reds and deep blues. The reef almost seemed to pulsate as thousands of fish darted in and out of their subterranean homes. The water was thick with salt and teemed with plankton. We often resurfaced to point out fish to each other. I remember my aunt telling me of the environmental dangers of touching the still-living coral. “If you pierce its skin it will likely become infected and die, and all of the fish who live in it will die too,” she expertly explained. From then on I kept my distance to at least 5-6
There is a squid-like monster seen off the coasts of Norway that is a mile and a half in circumference named a Kraken. Legend says these creatures have the ability to squirt their blinding venom into the victim’s eye to cripple them. (...
An example would be the firefly squid, which has thousands of photophores, or organs that emit a deep blue
Seaworld is a giant marine life theme park. The greatest attraction to these many theme park would be those killer whales. In fact, these killer whales are the face of the park. As gigant as these mammals are, seaworld is keeping them in some pretty tight quarters. Mr. Jett and Mr.Ventre says “Wild killer whales can swim a hundred miles daily as they socialize, forage, communicate, and breed. In stark contrast, with little horizontal or vertical space in their enclosures, captive orcas swim only limited distances, with most spending many hours surface resting.” The animals don't have the freedom they need. Also when taking the whales out of their natural habit the whales tend to be depressed and not as heath in that situation. They need their freedom in the big ocean blue. Bring them into the small living units, breeding whales in captivity all for the entertainment of humans. At young ages the calves are taken away from their mothers on to a new seaworld park. Mothers of the calves have even been seen denying their offspring.
H. maculosa is a member of Class Cephalopoda and Family Octopodidae. The octopus is made up of a main body, or head, in which there is a well-developed brain, a mouth region that houses the beak, and a pair of eyes. Surrounding the mouth are eight or ten tentacles which are lined with suckers. Within the mantle cavity are the visceral organs, including the venom apparatus (Halstead et al.
The Sea Organ is a natural musical instrument, seventy meters long with thirty-five organ pipes built under concrete. The instrument was made by the architect Nikola Bašić as part of the project to redesign the new city coast, and the site was opened to the public on 15 April 2005. The Sea Organ’s pipes are located so that the sea water and wind movements produce musical sounds that are heard by citizens passing through the area. Since the sea’s waves and wind movements are unpredictable, the organ provides never-ending concert. Each organ pipe is blown by a column of air, pushed in turn by a column of wave-moved water, through a plastic tube inside of the water. The 7 groups of musical tubes are alternately tuned to two musically
This research focuses on Gambierdiscus toxicus which is an armored, marine, benthic species in the phylum Dinoflagellata. It has an epitheca and a hypotheca, that is very similar in size, compressed anterio-posteriorly. The theca is covered with numerous deep and dense pores which are very thick. This species is autotrophic creating energy via several golden-brown chloroplasts (Hackett et al 2004), but is also heterotrophic and hence is referred to as mixotrophic. It has a ventrally – oriented crescent shaped nucleus. (Adachi & Fukuyo 1979). It usually inhabits warmer waters such as bay, mediterranian, tropical/sub – tropical in North/Central America (Shiumuzu et al 1982; Loeblich & Indelicato 1986), Asia/Pacific (Holmes & Tao 2002; Lu & Hodgkiss 2004) and has recently been identified in the Mediterranean (Aligizaki & Nikolaidis 2008). These authors identified the organisms to genus level, at best of their effort, so may have been one of the less common members of its genus although it is unlikely.
Considered to have the world’s most dangerous land and sea animals, Australia probably wouldn’t be the most popular travel destination for most people. For me, just the thought of encountering dangerous animals gives me an adrenaline rush. Knowing there could be a chance meeting with the Eastern Brown Snake, which are known for their aggressive behavior and very bad temper and also have the second most deadliest venom in the world, intrigues me. The Gold Coast of Australia is beautiful. Miles and miles of beach and ocean gives you the chance to encounter the Box Jellyfish, the most venomous marine animal in the world. That is not just in the country, that is the entire world. That is what amazes me the most, to have a chance to see the most venomous marine animal in the entire world, in it’s natural habitat.
Land, M.F.1965. Image formation by a concave reflector in the eye of the scallop, Pecten maximus. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 179: 138 153.
Chameleons have special cells that allows it to change colors. These special cells are called chromatophores (Raxworthy, 2004). They contain layers of pigments that lie below their outer skin. Dispersion of the pigment granules in the chromatophores determines how deep the color is. When the pigment is equally distributed in a chromatophore, the whole cell is deeply colored. When the pigment is located only in...
First of all, an octopus is a cellapod. Which means it has a soft body, and no bones. An octopus also has eight arms, large useful eyes, and suction cups. ( Octopuses and Squid, page 6 by: Tori Miller.) All of these traits are mostly used for hunting. Eight arms come in handy when your prey is fast and can get away easily, large eyes are useful when you need to see in the dark or the depths of the ocean, and suction cups are used when they need to grab hold of something.( Octopuses Squid, page 14.) ( National Geographic, Octopus Facts.) Octopuses have blue blood caused by copper and bag like bodies. When born they're 1/4 of an inch and don't rely on...
Their flesh gradually becomes clear and their white skeleton becomes visible. Moreover, their whole body would be covered by fuzzy microalgae.