. A
sea anemone usually attaches itself to rocks or coral. They have a central
mouth, which is surrounded by tentacles with nematocysts, stinging cells
that paralyze and entangle small marine animals. Sea anemones primarily
reproduce sexually: most often, their eggs are fertilized in the gastric
cavity, and then their young are released through the mouth temporarily
as free-swimming larvae--they soon find somewhere to attach themselves
to. A few sea anemones have symbiotic relationships with some hermit crabs;
they attach themselves on the shell of the hermit crab (or they are attached
by the hermit crab). The
theory is that this is beneficial to the hermit crab for protection since
the stinging cells on certain sea anemones can be quite potent, and the
sea anemone may benefit from scraps of the hermit crab's food that it did
not eat. Anemones are the relatives of corals and sea fans. They exist
only in the polyp stage and obtain their food by filter feeding.
.Moray
eels lurk in holes and crevices in rocky areas or on the coral reef. During
the day, often only the head is visible at the entrance to its shelter,
but most eels are never seen. They usually emerge at night to search within
and over the reef for prey which they locate, using a keen sense of smell.
They often prey on inactive diurnal species that are resting within the
reef framework at night.
Moray
eels are true bony fish with bodies highly modified to suit their life
style. The elongated head bears a large, gaping mouth and tube-like nostrils.
The mouth is held open so that water can be pumped over the gills. The
gill cover is reduced to a small hole for streamlining and protection of
the delicate gills. The elongated muscular body of the eel lacks paired
fins (pectoral and pelvic fins) seen in other fish, allowing the eels to
move more easily within the narrow crevices of the reef framework. The
dorsal (top), anal (bottom), and caudal (tail) fins remain as fleshy ridges,
covered with thickened skin to protect them from abrasion. Lacking paired
fins, eels swim by moving their entire body side to side in a S-shaped
wave. Using this wave pattern an eel can move forward or backward, an important
advantage if living within the narrow holes of the reef. The scales have
either been lost completely or are buried within the skin.
The
Hawksbill is a small to medium sized turtle. Nesting females average about
87 centimeters in curved carapace length and can weigh to 80 kilograms
in the Caribbean. The record weight of one animal was 127 kg and was reported
by Archie Carr in 1952. The Hawksbill is listed as an endangered
species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources. Sponges are the principal diet of hawksbills once they
enter shallow coastal waters and begin feeding on the bottom. The
6 month nesting season of the Hawksbill is longer than that of other sea
turtles. Nesting occurs between July and October and courtship and mating
begin somewhat earlier. Nesting in the Caribbean is principally nocturnal,
although rare daytime nesting does occur
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Clownfish
get their name because of their "waddling" like swimming motion and their
clown-like markings. The clownfish live in symbiosis with certain anemones,
which means they live together, with both the clownfish and the anemone
benefiting from each other’s company. |