K E L P B E D S
A forest worth of marine plantlife provides a nutrient-rich
habitat for hundreds of species tied to the ocean.
Thick kelp runs deep to its seabed roots, continuing on
for many miles, hugging the continental coastline.
The water, weighted with life, drags down the energy
of currents and storm surf, protecting the land
against erosion.
Here is our self-sustaining community of animals.
Otters bob on the surface, crushing shellfish while
seals dart about for rockfish and salmon, and
octopus linger nearby. Overhead - pelicans, terns
and gulls.
A N G L E R F I S H
The Seadevil lives in a bizarre world 4,500 feet
beneath the ocean's surface. It is a realm virtually
void of light. The pressure of this depth is enough
to quickly crush a modern submarine. And yet,
here life exists.
The creature above is called an anglerfish
because it has a rod and lure sprouting from the
top of its head. The lure's bioluminescent light
attracts curious inhabitants to their doom;
gobbled up by an enormous mouth armed with
needle teeth, and forced into a stomach that
handles most anything that fits into its mouth.
The anglerfish can swallow something its own
size in one gulp.
Down here you don't often get an opportunity
for a meal.
L A M P R E Y
Had you a ticket to ride 500 million years back
in time you would undoubtedly find many fish
such as this in the oceans of its time.
A couple billion generations later here are their
offspring, a living fossil. Today they live on the
fringe of fish diversity as jawless parasites.
No jaw, no bite. You nab your prey with a
suction cup for a mouth. Your thorny tongue
creates a nourishing open wound.
Here's a free ride.
So you stick around.
F L O U N D E R
Here is a flatfish having both eyes on the same
side of the head. One eye migrates to the other
side early in its development. Why not just have
both eyes born on the same side? Probably because
larva are just trying to survive and they need to see
everywhere. The adult hides beneath sand, his eyes
are all that appears above the surface.
They look like gravel. Maybe a bit too...
crunch. You're dead.
Plus the flounder is like a chameleon -
it changes color to match its surroundings.
If you're a small fish or crab happening bye,
you're going to get eaten.
F L Y I N G F I S H
We start with a very fundamental fish design -
streamlined torso, tailfin, doral fin and so on.
Nearly all fish design begins with this.
The scenario leading to this biological variation
involves how to escape a barracuda, a predator
hot on your tail and faster than you.
Go where it can't. The air above.
If you can reach a speed of 35 mph you can
clear the water's surface. You then fan out your
enormous pectoral fins and glide some 600 feet,
out of reach of the pursuing barracuda.
Six hundred feet.
The Wright brothers' first flight was only
one hundred and twenty.
S E A H O R S E
Must be the product of a coral habitat.
Exotic. Colorful. A real animation feature
for the family until we find out dad is pregnant.
Not to worry, though. It happens all the time.
When the female finds her eggs fertilized
she passes them into the male's brood pouch.
Here they are nurtured the next two to four weeks.
Once the brood is hatched the process starts
over again. Mom presents dad with a new batch
of eggs to fertilize.
* * * * *
OVER EASY
No comments:
Post a Comment