McGuire,+P

__Assignment 1__ How does the diversity of species on sediment covered shores compare with that of the rocky shore? Suggest at least one reason why this occur
 * 1/20/11 - Due By January 24th**

McGuire, P. 1/25/11 9:45 pm

There are quite a few differences of species on sediment covered shores that can compare with the species on the rocky shores. Sediment covered shores were created by the glaciers passing through and disintegrating which made the ocean floor soft.This is located on the east coast. The rocky shore on the other hand was created a few different ways. One way was the ocean waves crashing up against rocks and creating a rocky shore. Another way is the shifting of plates into each other.

The species on the east shores differ from the ones on the west shores however. the species on the east are able to bury themselves into sand or a soft sediment bottom. When they know its safe they come out. but the species on the west shores have different adaptations. On the west shores they can't burrow into the soft bottom because its a rocky bottom. so species you abyssal threads to latch onto the rocks. Also some species like the limpet are able to use mucus to seal or carve out the rock by scrapping the rock with their radula. 10 Points

__Assignment 2__
 * 1/31/11 - Due By February 5th**

Peter McGuire 2/9/11 12:00 am

Observe the chart located below. Pick one organism from each of the four zones indicated in the chart and describe it's ability to live in the zone when taking into account the substrate, means of reproduction, feeding method, exposure to the air, defense mechanism, and the rise and lowering of the tide.

The periwinkle, found in the spray zone and mostly lives on the rocky shores. It reproduces annually with internal fertilization of egg capsules that are then shed directly into the sea, leading to a planktotrophic larval development time of four to seven weeks. Its mainly feeding method is grazing on algae, but will feed on smaller organisms such as barnacle larvae. They usually like being exposed to air. Its defense mechanism of the periwinkle is the its shell which is thick, sharply pointed except when its eroded. periwinkles use their foot to hold securely onto rocks when waves crash over them or marsh grasses when the tide rises.

the limpet, found in the high tide zone. Chitons have separate sexes, and fertilisation is external. The male releases sperm into the water, while the female releases eggs either individually, or in a long string. Most chiton feed on algae scraped from rocks and shells with their radula. Chitons are exposed to the air and light for long periods. Others live subtidally. A few species live in deep water, as deep as 6,000 m (about 20,000 ft). There defense mechanism is to roll up into a ball. During tides they usually attach themselves to bottoms of rocks.

Hermit crabs, found in the middle tide zone. The young develop in stages, with the first two the nauplius and protozoa occurring inside the egg. Most hermit crab larvae hatch at the third stage, the zoea. This is a larval stage wherein the crab has several long spines, a long narrow abdomen, and large fringed antennae. After several zoeal moults, this is followed by the final larval stage, the megalopa stage. They normally feed on algae until they grow and are able to eat marine plants. Most hermit crabs live at varying depths of the ocean but they are exposed to air and adapt to it when they become pets. there defense mechanism is that they can hide in there shell and prevent from being attacked or even eaten. During tidal changes they retract into their shells.

Starfish, located in the low tide zone. Fertilization takes place externally, both male and female releasing their gametes into the environment. there feeding habits mostly are mollusks. they use their tube feet to extract some hard shelled animals and pry them open. when exposed to air, they get hard and eventually die and then eaten by other animals. Many starfish use amputation for their defense. and during tides they use there locomoative foot to attach to rocks and surfaces. 15 Points __Assignment 4 Blueworldtv The King of Crustaceans__ Posted 2/9/11 **Due by February 9th**


 * 1. What color is an American lobster? Is it red in the wild? ** A olive color with a hint of orange, also rare blue lobsters. no its not red in the wild. Only after it is cooked


 * 2. How do lobster fishers make sure that the mature egg-laying females do not get caught? How does this improve the future viability of the species? ** they make a v- cut or a notch in the females tail. and it helps by letting them reproduce over n over again.

3. What do most lobsters do when they approach a lobster trap underwater? they usually just walk right by it without even knowing it.

4. What are the two claws of a lobster called and how are they different in design? The crusher and the pincher. one decides to use it and becomes stronger and has more stamina and strength. the pincher is used to grab certain prey.

5. Internet research: what makes an American lobster different from a Spiny lobster? That an American lobster has claws and can be found in the northern areas in the colder waters under rocks. The spiny have spiny antennae instead of claws. their mostly found in warmer Caribbean waters. 4 Points Peter McGuire 2/9/11 1:57 pm

Assignment 3 - NO COMPLETED BY THE DUE DATE Posted 2/7/11 Due by February 10th In which intertidal zone of a steeply sloping, coarse sand beach would you find each of the following organisms: clams, beach hoppers, ghost shrimp, sand crabs, and heart urchins? Include a picture of each of the five species and tell what type of adaptation (structural, behavioral, physiological) it shows and explain why it is that type. 0 Points


 * __Assignment 5__ **
 * Posted 2/28/11 ** - **Due by March 1st**
 * Review the pictures posted below of the organisms. As impossible as it seems, all of the species below are found in the same order ( Decapoda). Without doing any research other than viewing the pictures, discuss three possible features which can account for these species being in the same order. **


 * Adult Pea Crab[[image:dimesand.jpg width="399" height="329" caption="dimesand.jpg"]]**


 * North Atlantic Lobster**


 * Japanese Spider Crab**


 * Prawn**

1.) They all have a exoskeleton. 2.) They all have segmented bodes 3.) They all have walking legs - Jointed Appendages 2 Points Peter McGuire 3/1/11 1:43 pm

0 Points - NOT ANSWERED BY DUE DATE
 * __Assignment 6__ **
 * Posted 2/18/11 due 2/22/10**
 * Research the Blue crab. We discussed how one can tell the sex by the color of the claws, however it can also be done by looking at the apron. Provide four pictures of the aprons which identify the male crab, the "sally", the "sook", and the "sponge". Explain the difference function of the apron for the three types of females. **

Assignment 7 Posted 3/4/11 - Due by March 7th Pick three of the following members of class Asteroidea: (Pillow star, Cushion star, Cake Sea star, Crown of Thorns, Bat star, Brisingid, Basket star, Shiny sun star). Provide a picture of each of the stars you opt for. In looking at the pictures, discuss some possible reasons for the vast differences in structure, habitat, feeding, reproduction, defense, color scheme and so forth. Research if you must but remember we are looking for possibilities.

0 Points - NOT COMPLETED BY DUE DATE

__Assignment 8 Menhaden__ Read the linked article Meet menhaden.pdf. Once you are done reading the article, answer the following questions. 1. Provide a picture of menhaden
 * Posted 3/21/11 due 3/22/11**

2. Menhaden is a simple filter feeder, just like whales and herring. What makes menhaden different than those other filter feeders? They eat the phyotoplankton which gives it the ability to help the other marine organisms survive. They are the only herbivore.

3. Provide two reasons why Omega Protein is harvesting Menhaden?Fish food and poultry feed.

4. What does the name menhaden mean?The Native American name that translates from menhaden is Fertilizer. What was the first use of this fish? For fertilizer

5. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars keeping the menhaden fishing industry functioning for menhaden oil, animal feed, and fertilizer. This has been wasted money and ecologically damaging because those three items have been replaced with what two substitiutes? Petroleum and soybean substitutes.

6. Describe the fishing technique used by OMega Protein. Why is this techniques successful? More than 30 Omega spotter planes direct a fleet of 61 ships to where the menhaden swim close to the surface. Omega Protein turns the aquatic herbivores into poultry feed and fishmeal for farmed salmon. two products for which there are cheaper and less devastating alternative sources is why it is successful.

7. Define "forage" fish. Forage fish are fish at the bottom of the food chain that provide the bigger fish food. Fish the are processed directly into fishmeal and oil used in live stock and aquaculture feeds.

8. What is the importance of the role of menhaden in the ocean? The importance of the menhaden is to provide food and filter out phyotoplankton to prevent algal blooms.

9. Define Ocean Dead Zone. Animals that cannot survive at the depth because there is no oxygen.

10. What will happen if menhaden are eliminated from the ocean? If all the menhaden are eliminated from the ocean there will be no more food for the bigger fish to feed off of. Industries like the Omega would go out of business. 4.75 Points McGuire,P 3/21/11 4:08 pm


 * __Assignment 9__ **
 * Posted 3/22/11 due 3/24/11**
 * Provide a picture of the Thresher shark, Cookie cutter shark, Chain Catshark, Greenland shark, and the Porbeagle shark. Under each picture, include the name of each shark, an identifiable feature of each shark, one very unique feature of each of the sharks. (Hint: all unique features should somehow be tied to feeding). **



Thresher shark- When hunting schooling fish, thresher sharks are known to "slap" the water, herding and stunning prey. The elongated tail is used to swat smaller fish, stunning them before feeding. Thresher sharks are one of the few shark species known to jump fully out of the water making turns like dolphins this behavior is called breaching.



Cookie cutter shark- Cookiecutter sharks have adaptions for hovering in the water column and likely rely on stealth and subterfuge to capture more active prey. Its dark collar seems to mimic the silhouette of a small fish, while the rest of its body blends into the downwelling light via its ventral photophores. When a would-be predator approaches the lure, the shark attaches itself using its suctorial lips and specialized pharynx and neatly excises a chunk of flesh using its bandsaw-like set of lower teeth



Chain cat shark- is a small, spotted shark that has a characteristic fluorescent activity. It is a bottom feeder. What factor does it's color pattern play in it's feeding?



Greenland shark- The Greenland shark mostly eats fish, though it may also prey on marine mammals such as seals. The shark is colonized by the paratitic copepod that eats the shark's corneal tissue, but also helps to attract prey through bioluminescence. The greenland shark is a bottom dwelling shark.



porbeagle shark- Preys mainly on bony fish. the porbeagle is an opportunistic hunter that regularly moves up and down in the water column catching prey in midwater as well as off the bottom.

6.5 Points McGuire,P 3/23/11 2:56 pm

__Assignment 10__ 1. Provide a picture of a squid.
 * Posted 4/4/11 due 4/5/11**

2. Describe the propulsion method of a squid. ** squids move by "jet propulsion" method. Squids do series of sucking water into the mantle cavity then squirting it out quickly in a split-second to make jet propulsion. Such method moves the squid rapidly through the water by propelling itself through the water. **

3. Look a picture of a snail, clam, and a squid. Provide at least one sound reason on why they can possibly be in the same class.**They all have soft bodies.**

4. Discuss four means of defense the squid possess and how they can be considered a means of defense.

**1. camouflage- Helps them hide from predators.** **2. Ink- Ejects ink from there sac into the water to help them escape predators.** **3. Siphon- Allows the squid to change there direction quickly.** **4. Tentacles- used for catching there prey.**

5. What advantage if any does traveling in a shoal have for squid? **To defend themselves in against predators, higher success in finding a mate, & They benefit from shoal membership through increased hydroynamic effciency.**

6. Discuss the hectocotyl? **Is one of the arms of the male of most kinds of cephalopods that is modified in various ways to effect the fertilization of the females eggs. It is a specialized, extended muscular hydrostat used to store spermatophores, the male gametophore.**

7. What advantage is there to a female squid laying eggs in a packet next to another females? 7 Points
 * They care for themselves because the female squids do not take care of their young.**


 * McGuire, P. 4/5/11 10:00 pm**

__Assignment 11__ Click on the following [|website] and scroll over the dark black square at the top and locate the hatchet fish and answer questions 1 through 5. Return to the main page and scroll over the black square and locate the gulper eel. Click on it and answer questions 6 through 10. Return the the main page and locate the firefly squid. Click on it and answer questions 1. Provide a picture of the hatchetfish.
 * Posted 4/8/11 due 4/11/11**

2. Define photophores. Is a light emitting-organ which appears as luminous spots on various marine animals including fish and cephalopods.

3. Provide two **defensive** adaptations the hatchet fish exhibits to survive in the darkest parts of the ocean. Bioluminescent photophores which helps them distract prey and get away. Their big tube shaped eyes help them see the faintest of things to help them get away.

4. What two roles do the photophores play for the hatchetfish. Hide the fish from predators and mating.

5. Does the hatchet fish search for food below it or above it? Explain why. above it because of their eyes pointed upwards.

6. Provide a picture of the gulper eel.

7. How does the gulper eel use photophores to survive? Their tail has a light at the end of it and they attract animals using it.

8. Why must it use the photophores? To be able to eat.

9. Due to it's huge mouth, the gulper eel can consume prey the size of itself, which would really slow it down, how is this possibly a advantage to this fish? It would be able to eat things that other fish couldn't eat. 10. Explain one physiological adaptation gulper eels have that help their species continue to survive. The male gulper eels have olfactory organs that help with sense of smell. 11. Provide a picture of the firefly squid.

12. What two reasons firefly squids use their ability to make light? confuses their prey and helps draw in food for them.

13. Provide one physiological adaptation shown by the firefly squid and its believed purpose. colored vision. 10 Points LATE __Assignment 12__ - Blueworldtv.com Episode 7 - Shark wreck Mystery
 * Posted 4/15/11 due 4/15/11**

1. Why do sharks sometimes lose teeth when they mate? The male losses their teeth while they mate because they have something to grab onto while they mate.

2. What possible reasons might explain why the sharks seemed to be doing nothing when the divers were filming? Because the sharks had a sense of knowledge of them being there.

3. Why might the sharks have still done nothing when the remote cameras were operating? (hint: think about the senses of a shark, particularly the ampullae of Lorenzini) The probably sensed the camera being there since they have good senses. 4. What might have affected the behavior ofthe sharks at night? The bright lights from the camera and the population of food around.

5. What makes the Sand Tiger shark teeth special? They always grow back no matter how many times they lose their teeth. 5 Points
 * McGuire, P 4/15/11 1:57 PM**

__Assignment 14__ - Blueworldtv.com Episode 6
 * Posted 4/20/11 due 4/20/11**

1. What are Thresher sharks doing at the seamount? They get cleaned by smaller fish. 2. Why would a shark want to allow itself to be cleaned by a fish? What’s in it for the fish? So they are clean and the fish benefit by getting food. 3. Why did Jonathan use a rebreather insteadof normal scuba gear? It makes him more quiet underwater so he doesnt disturb any fish. 4. Do the sharks feed at the seamount? no 5. Do manta rays feed at the seamount? How do the mantas feed? yes and through their gills. 6. Describe a seamount. a mountain rising from the ocean floor that does not reach the waters surface. 7. What do biologists think Threshers do withtheir long tail? they use it like a whip to stun their prey. 5 Points - LATE

__Assignment 16 - Blueworldtv.com "Shark feeding frenzies"__ 1. How do the sharks react to the divers in the water? Do they see them as a threat? A competitor for food? 2. Do sharks attack each other in competition for food? What is a “feeding frenzy?” 3. In your opinion, did the sharks exhibit a “feeding frenzy?” 4. What happened after all the food was gone? 5. Why do the shark lose teeth? Is it a bad thing? 6. Internet research: what makes Gray reef sharks somewhat unique in how they hunt? 0 Points - Not completed
 * Posted 5/4/11**

__Assignment 17__ Posted 5/6/11 1. What six senses do sharks have? 2. Discuss how each of the shark’s six senses function in their search for prey. 3. Different species of sharks have unique attributes that allow them to survive in their specific habitat. Explain the usefulness of some (5) of the adaptations. Characteristics to consider are the shark’s eyes, teeth, diet, body patterns, and tails. 0 Points - Not completed