1. Seahorse
(sumber gambar. pinterest.com)
The seahorse is a small species of vertebrate that is found in the tropical shallows and temperate waters around the world. The sea horse is also commonly found around coral reefs where there is plenty of food and places for the seahorse to hide. The seahorse is most closely related to a pipe fish although, the seahorse does not have scales like most fish and instead the seahorse has a bone structure that is made up of little plates and covered with a thin layer of skin.
There are 32 recognised species of seahorse found in all water types worldwide, with the exception of the polar regions. Seahorses are generally small animals averaging around 10cm in height although this is dependent on the species. Seahorses can also be found in many different colours but the exact colour of the seahorse is down to the particular species of seahorse and the area in which it lives
Seahorses spend their time bobbing in the sea grasses and coral reefs and due to their colourings, seahorses are able to camouflage themselves pretty effectively into the aquatic plants and larger coral so as to hide from their predators. The seahorse is an omnivorous animal and the seahorse therefore eats a mixture of plant and animal matter which the seahorse does by sucking the food into its body through its elongated snout. The seahorse primarily feeds on brine shrimp, plankton, tiny species of fish and algae.
The sea horse is best known for the remarkable fact that the male seahorse is the one that actually carries the eggs before they hatch. In most other animal species the female of the species if the one to protect the offspring until birth. Instead, the female seahorse lays her eggs (anywhere between 8 and 600 eggs are laid depending on the species of seahorse), into the male's brooding pouch where they remain until they hatch within around 3 weeks. The seahorse is a highly endangered animal mainly due to habitat loss and over-hunting. The seahorse is a popular ingredient in medicine (mainly in the far east), and hundreds to thousands of seahorse are harvested every year for this purpose
2. Squid
(sumber gambar.theconversation.com)
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida. They are the sister group to the octopods. Squid are carnivores and, in turn, they are hunted. The largest squid, the giant squid and colossal squid, are eaten by sperm whales and sleeper sharks. There are about 300 species of squid. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs, and two longer tentacles with suckers.
All squid have a mouth with a radula, and jet propulsion with the siphon from the mantle. The radulla is a scraping organ in the mouth that scrapes nutrients from food sources. Tentacles are used for locomotive power and capturing food sources. All squids are carnivores; they eat other animals, not plants. Like other cephalopoda, squid are intelligent animals. Squids have a head-like structure, with sense organs and brains in the front end. Although the squids lack exterior shells they have a vestigial shell inside, made of chitin. The skin is covered in chromatophores, which enable the squid to change colour to suit its surroundings, making it effectively camouflaged. Controlled by the nervous system, the camouflage can change in 'real time
After a male and female mate, the female squid lays eggs. The eggs are laid inside an egg case. Since the squid is usually a part of a shoal, it is laid with many other egg cases from many other squids, and then anchored to the sea floor. Because of this, squid eggs are often (many times) found in clumps, and those clumps often look like a flower.
Often, the male will die a short time after mating, and the female will die once she has released her eggs. Because of this, squids usually lay eggs only once. Squids do not live very long. Although there are some long-lived species, most squids live for only one or two years. Most squid are no more than 60 centimetres (24 in) long, although the giant squid may reach 13 metres (43 ft).
3. Jellyfish
(sumber gambar.4ocean.com)
Jellyfish are invertebrates that, together with corals, gorgonians and anemones belong to a group called the cnidarians (knidé = nettle, from the Greek). This animal group has stinging cells which they use both to capture their prey and as a form of defense. These cells contain a capsule with a rolled-up filament and a poison. When a prey animal makes contact with the jellyfish, the capsule opens and the filaments are ejected and stick onto the prey, injecting their poison.
Jellyfish are pelagic animals they live in the open seas from tropical to Artic waters and, although they can propel themselves with rhythmic motions of their umbrella, they are basically at the mercy of the currents of the sea. Because their body is 95% water, they are perfectly camouflaged. The body of a jellyfish exhibits radial symmetry and is divided into three main parts: the umbrella, the oral arms (around the mouth) and the stinging tentacles. They have an internal cavity, in which digestion is carried out. This cavity has a single aperture which functions both the mouth and the anus.
Jellyfish are carnivores and can increase in size rapidly and procreate in large numbers when food is abundant. However, if food is scarce, they can become smaller. These animals, of a gelatinous consistency, have a very unsophisticated anatomy which is nevertheless very effective. They feed mainly on zooplankton, small crustaceans, and in some cases, small fish and other jellyfish also form part of their diet. It is a strange sight to see the jellyfish’s latest prey inside its body before it is digested
Among the predators of the jellyfish, the following have been identified: ocean sunfish, grey triggerfish, turtles (especially the leatherback sea turtle), some seabirds (such as the fulmars), the whale shark, some crabs (such as the arrow and hermit crabs), some whales (such as the humpbacks). Some other cnidarians such as anemones, certain nudibranches (small molluscs without shells) also feed on jellyfish. Some of these may even take over their stinging cells to use in their own defense.
4. Starfish
(image from.pinterest.com)
Starfish are echinoderms (spiny skinned sea urchins). They are also known as sea stars and are not really fish despite the name been given to them. Starfish cannot swim, and they do not use gills to breathe. There are over 2,000 species of starfish. All echinoderms have five-point radial symmetry, which means that their body plan has five sections arranged around a central disk
Starfish are found in the deep blue sea of the ocean and shallow water as well. They are found in every ocean of the world. They are never found in fresh water. Most starfish have a spiky shell which offers them protection. Depending on the species, a sea star’s skin may feel leathery, or slightly prickly. This tough covering on their upper side is made up of plates of calcium carbonate with tiny spines on their surface.
A sea star’s spines are used for protection from predators, which include fish, sea otters and birds. Starfish come in a variety of colors and have many different types of patterns. While the five-armed varieties of sea star are the most well known, not all sea stars have 5 arms. Some have many more. Take the sun star for instance, which has up to 40 arms.
Starfish have hundreds of tiny projections known as tube feet on the underside of their body. The tube feet allow the starfish to move along the ocean bottom and open upon the scallops and clams they hunt for food. The starfish has two stomachs. The cardiac stomach eats the food outside the starfish’s body. When the cardiac stomach comes back into the body, the food in it is transferred to the pyloric stomach. After the tube feet open the shell of its prey, the cardiac stomach is extended into the shell to pull the food inside. The tube feet play an important role in helping the starfish to procure its food. The tube feet are used to open up the oysters or clams. Then the stomach is extended into the shell to pull the food inside. They prey on bivalves like mussels and clams, as well as small fish, snails, and barnacles.
Instead of blood, sea stars have a water vascular system, in which the sea star pumps sea water through its sieve plate, or madreporite, into its tube feet to extend them. Muscles within the tube feet retract them. The starfish have microscopic eyes at the end of each arm; this enables the starfish to view movement and differentiate between light and dark. They don’t, however, see much detail.
(Adapted from. https://kidskonnect.com/)
5.Octopus
(image from. dkfindout.com)
The octopus is a mollusk and an invertebrate, which means it has no bones in its body. The octopus also belongs to a sub-species of mollusks called the cephalopods. This means “head to foot” and is used as the name because an octopus’ “feet” are attached to its head. The octopus can only be found in salt water, but they live in all the oceans. The octopuses that live in warm waters tend to be small. The ones that live in colder waters are much larger. The octopus has a life span of 1 to 2 years
There are about 300 known species of octopus. The body of an octopus looks like a bag. It also has a bulbous head, large eyes, and eight arms. The arms of the octopus have suckers. The arms also have many nerves which allow the octopus to grab and taste things. The octopus has excellent eyesight but poor hearing (between 400Hz and 1000Hz). The octopus has three hearts. The blood of an octopus is light blue.
The octopus is considered the most intelligent of all the invertebrates. The octopus has a beak around the mouth. The octopus can grow to about 4.3 feet (1.3 meters) in length and weigh up to 22 pounds (10 kilograms), although the average octopus is much smaller. The body of the octopus moves as the octopus breathes. The octopus moves by forcing water out of its body through a tube. The force of the water will send the octopus backwards very quickly. If they are threatened by a predator, they will force water out of this tube with a great deal of force, almost as if they have jet propulsion.
The octopus can also protect itself by squirting an inky substance at a predator, temporarily blinding it. The ink also dulls the predator’s sense of smell, which makes it harder to find the fleeing octopus. The octopus can also blend into its surroundings, which allows it to hide from predators. The body of the octopus can also squeeze through very small cracks, which helps them to escape a situation that is threatening. If the octopus is caught, it can give up an arm to the predator and grow it back. The octopus also has beaklike jaws that can deliver a nasty bite. The saliva of the octopus contains venom, which makes it poisonous. Some octopi will collect crustacean shells and other objects to construct fortresses, or “gardens,” around their lairs.
The octopus preys on crabs, crayfish, and mollusks, and will sometimes use their ink to disorient their victims before attacking. They hunt mostly at night. Octopi have great problem-solving skills and can often figure out how to escape even the most secure fish tanks. They have even been known to climb on board of fishing vessels and open holds to feed on crabs. The blue-ringed octopus is one of the most popular species in home aquariums because of their beauty and small size. They are also one of the most poisonous animals on earth! Though the blue-ringed octopus is merely the size of a golf ball, its venom can kill a human being.
(Adapted from. https://kidskonnect.com/)
1 Comments:
Informative blog. Ocean has different types of organisms from small to big animals such as hammerhead sharks and small fishes etc. Here you have given important facts about different types of fishes and their life spanning details etc. Most of the people don't know about this information. Thanks for sharing.
Post a Comment