Pfeffer's flamboyant cuttlefish is a wonder of nature and a possible evolutionary 'next step' in cuttlefish. These cuttlefish have three remarkable features. The first, which gives it its name, is the fact that when startled these cuttlefish display vibrant colors of white, yellow, pink and purple. (Like all cephalapods, they achieve this remarkable feat of quick change using chromatophores which open and close to reveal different pigments.) This is a warning display to alert predators to the fact that the cuttlefish is in fact toxic. This is the only known example of a toxic cuttlefish. They contain a toxin as deadly as that of its cousin the blue-ringed octopus. This toxin is pervasive throughout the body with the muscles actually containing the toxin. This is actually the first instance of a toxic bodied animal in this group of animals. This toxin is a previously unknown class which may at some point have medical applications. (NOVA) The third remarkable feature is the preferred locomotion of this creature. Flamboyants tend to spend most of their time 'walking' along the s...
Because of its size and abundance, T. californicus is commonly regarded as the insect of the sea. This creature is generally very small, from 1-3 mm in size as adults. They are cylindrically shaped, and have a segmented body (head, thorax, abdomen) though no noticeable division between body regions (Powlik 1966). Each segment of the body has a pair of legs. They use their 'legs' to propel themselves through the water in short rapid jerks. They have 2 pairs of long feathered antennae, a chitin us exoskeleton and a single eye in the middle of their head, this simple eye can only differentiate between light and dark.
A defining feature of the lionfish which everyone sees are the “18 venomous spines on its dorsal fin and its pelvic and anal fins, which are used for defense” as described in FACE OFF WITH THE ENEMY: LIONFISH by Special To The Citizen. Which is a neurotoxin that results in intense pain and swelling of one’s body. Fernando Simal, a marine hunter at STINAPA National Marine Park, found out the potency of their venom after his first hunt when being stung by the lionfish he caug...
Understanding other people’s perspective is vital when it comes to making someone a more informed and a more sympathetic person. For example, in politics, there are two main sides; the democrats and the republicans. These two sides almost never see eye to eye, but when they see from the other’s point of view, an agreement can be made.
In the early development process of many organisms, it is important to be able to minimize exposure to agents of stunted or arrested development. By decreasing the mortality rate for a generation of a species, that species is given an advantage in later reproduction; by increasing the number of organisms of the same species within a limited environment, more organisms of the same species are able to reproduce, resulting in an augmented overall population ("Reproduction and Development", 2013). However, when toxins are introduced to an environment, an embryo’s viability can decrease. Mortality rates for the generation of the species can increase, and defects that are harmful to the reproductive cycle can emerge. Thus, it is necessary to measure and observe the effects of certain toxins on embryonic development. The North American brine shrimp, or Artemia Franciscana (Artemia Salina), is subject to changes in its environment. Toxins introduced to its hatching environment, such as ethanol (in concentrations of 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.2%), can have significant impact for the hatching process and embryonic development. The experiment sought to explore the relationship between birth defects and exposure to ethanol at early developmental stages through the use of American brine shrimp. However, to be able to fully comprehend the impact that certain toxins would have on the embryonic development of the North American brine shrimp, it is first important to be versed in its specific hatching process.
Organized in the class Actinopterygii, seahorses, Hippocampus spp., are marine dwelling organisms found in bodies of water which span from tropical to temperate zones around the Earth. As cited by Foster in Life History and Ecology of Seahorses, research by R. A. Fritschze suggests that the genus Hippocampus diverged at least 20 million years ago from its ancestral origins. Research pertaining to organisms organized under the genus Hippocampus are conflicting in regards to the number species contained within it, although a general figure places the number at around fifty discovered species(website source). These odd-looking organisms reside at shallow depths of less than 30 meters and can be found in habitats containing seagrass beds and coral reefs(Foster 10). Hippocampus spp. are all predatory organisms, their main sources of food consist of small crustaceans and fish, as well as other organisms which are small enough to be consumed(lourie 10). Although Hippocampus spp. are predatory, their size and restricted mobility capabilities place them at risk of being prey for other carnivorous organisms.
Lionfish have brown and white stripes covering their body (NOAA, 2011). Lionfish have broad pectoral fins, and long individual dorsal spines that contain the venom glands in the tips (NOAA, 2011). The venom of the lionfish is only intended as a defense mechanism and not meant to kill. The spines of the lionfish deliver a sting that can result in severe pain, respiratory distress, and even paralysis (NOAA, 2011). Lionfish are found in almost all tropical marine habitats consisting of warm waters due to their invasive behavior. Their native range covers a very large area from western Australia and Malaysia east to French Polynesia and off the east coast of Australia to the Kermadec Islands of New Zealand (NOAA, 2011). Lionfish have been found along the coast from Florida to North Carolina. The first lionfish was reported in South Florida waters in 1985 with additional sightings occurring until they were documented as established in the early 2000s (NOAA, 2011). Lionfish are very popular aquarium fish, especially in the U.S making them important to the aquarium trade. There are two possible ideas about how the lionfish were introduced into the Atlantic. The first is through ballast water, the water carried in the bellies of the enormous transport ships of intercontinental trade (Whitney, 2003). Larval lionfish have low oxygen and food needs which makes surviving movement in ballast water a possibility (Whitney, 2003). The second possibility is that a number of...
“Taxonomically speaking, a lobster is a marine crustacean of the family Homaridae, characterized by five pairs of jointed legs, the first pair terminating in large pincerish claws used for subduing prey…. Moreover, a crustacean is an aquatic arthropod of the class Crustacea, which comprises of crabs, shrimp, barnacles, lobsters, and freshwater crayfish” (Wallace, 55). This is an example of Logos since the author uses scientific facts to convey the message he wants to communicate in an objective way. Wallace also uses logos as a persuasive device by presenting facts on the science of the lobster’s neurological system and its ability to feel pain. The Maine Lobster Promotion Council states “The nervous system of a lobster is very simple, and is in fact most similar to the nervous system of a grasshopper. It is decentralized with no brain. There is no cerebral cortex, which in humans is the area of the brain that gives the experience of pain”. Wallace counter-argues this statement by mentioning the fact that since lobsters have a simpler nervous system compared to humans, they are unable to produce their own natural opiates. “One can conclude that lobsters are maybe even more vulnerable to pain, since they lack mammalian nervous systems’ built-in analgesia, or, instead, that the absence of natural opioids implies an absence of the really intense
“Born in the Wrong Place, at the Wrong Time” Would you feel comfortable admitting to a group of people that you have discriminated against them in the past, knowing you will secretly be judged? None of us want to be identified as or called racist, but realistically at one point of our lives we have all discriminated against someone, or judged an individual based off of a stereotype you’ve heard. Discriminating against people can affect not only the person/group you are discriminating against but yourself, which is why individuals must accept people for who they are despite their differences. For several reasons like, it can rob individuals of their innocents, cause loneliness and insanity, and lastly incite acts of prejudice. In these three stories “What of this Goldfish, Would You Wish”, and “The Stolen Party” the authors share characters experiencing prejudice and being treated differently because of their skin color or social status, and in the article “Are Humans Hard-Wired for Racial Prejudice” the author explains why individuals are more likely to be prejudice to someone of a different ethnicity.
A poem without any complications can force an author to say more with much less. Although that may sound quite cliché, it rings true when one examines “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop. Elizabeth’s Bishop’s poem is on an exceedingly straightforward topic about the act of catching a fish. However, her ability to utilize thematic elements such as figurative language, imagery and tone allows for “The Fish” to be about something greater. These three elements weave themselves together to create a work of art that goes beyond its simple subject.
Comparing different works of art from one artist can help a person gain a better understanding of an artist and the purpose of their artwork. An artist’s works of art usually have similarities as well as differences when compared together. Sandy Skoglund is a photographer that stages entire rooms to create a scene for her photographs. Skoglund uses painting, sculpture, and photography to create her artwork. Due to the fact that most of her photographs are created in similar ways, almost all of her photographs have similar components represented throughout the photographs. Differences can be found in her artwork as well. Skoglund’s Revenge of The Goldfish, 1981 (Figure 1), is a popular work of art that is represented at the Akron Art Museum
After careful thought and countless hours of debate, a new mascot has been chosen. The animal selected for this role is called the cuttlefish, The committee has chosen it because of traits proven to be thought provoking and intriguing. Of course, choosing a perfect mascot can be extremely difficult because it needs to be fit the attitude and culture of the school. It helps if the mascot possesses physical prowess or interesting skills. In addition to those, the mascot needs to captivate and entrance. The cuttlefish is a perfect match for our school and has been selected to dethrone the Husky.
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.
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.
The purpose of this lab was to study the response of the genus Daphnia to chemical stimuli and to examine human responses to different stimuli. A stimulus is an incentive; it is the cause of a physical response. Stimuli can have a physical or chemical change; an example of a physical change is a change in temperature and sound. An example of chemical change would be changes in hormone levels and pH levels. Muscular activity or glandular secretions are responses that occurs when stimulus information effects the nervous and/or hormone system. Daphnia is a genus; it is a small crustacean that lives in fresh water. The body of the daphnia is visible and its internal organs are clearly seen thus it was chosen for this exercise. The