OCTOPUS

The Octopus: The word octopus means "eight feet." Octopuses are solitary, eight-armed animals that live on the ocean floor. There are over 100 different species of octopuses. The Giant Octopus is the biggest octopus. This huge mollusk is up to 23 ft (7 m) from arm tip to arm tip, weighing up to 400 pounds (182 kg). The smallest is the Californian octopus, which is only 3/8 inch (1 cm) long. Anatomy: An octopus has a soft body and eight arms. Each arm has two rows of suction cups. If it loses an arm, it will eventually regrow another arm. It has blue blood. An octopus has an eye on each side of its head and has very good eyesight. An octopus cannot hear. Diet: Octopuses eat small crabs and scallops, plus some snails, fish, turtles, crustaceans (like shrimp), and other octopuses. They catch prey with their arms, then kill it by biting it with their tough beak, paralyzing the prey with a nerve poison, and softening the flesh. They then suck out the flesh. Octopuses hunt mostly at night. Only the Australian Blue-ringed octopus has a poison strong enough to kill a person. Protection: Octopuses live in dens, spaces under rocks, crevices on the sea floor, or holes they dig under large rocks. Octopuses pile rocks to block the front of their den. The den protects them from predators (like moray eels) and provides a place to lay eggs and care for them (a mother octopus doesn't eat during the entire 1 to 2 months she is caring for her eggs). In order to escape predators, octopuses can squirt black ink into the water, allowing the octopus to escape. Another defense that octopuses have is changing their skin color to blend into the background, camouflaging themselves. The octopus swims by spewing water from its body, a type of jet propulsion.

SEA STARS

Sea stars (also known as starfish) are spiny, hard-skinned animals that live on the rocky sea floor. These invertebrates are NOT fish; they are echinoderms. Sea stars move very slowly along the sea bed, using hundreds of tiny tube feet. There are over 2,000 different species of sea stars worldwide. Reproduction: Most species of starfish expel enormous numbers of eggs and sperm into the ocean; fertilization is external. After fertilization, the tiny, transparent, bilaterally-symmetrical larvae (baby sea stars) travel many miles as they are swept along by ocean currents for about two months. As they develop, the tiny larvae swim in the sea, eat phytoplankton, and are a component of zooplankton. Diet: Sea stars are carnivores (meat-eaters). They eat clams, oysters, coral, fish, and other animals. They push their stomach out through their mouth (located on the underside of the sea star) and digest the prey. Anatomy: Most sea stars have five arms (or a multiple of five) that radiate from a central disk. Sea stars do not have a brain; they have a simple ring of nerve cells that moves information around the body. Eyespots (primitive light sensors) are at the tip of each arm. If a sea star's arm is cut off, it will regenerate (regrow). Classification: Kingdom Animalia (animals), Phylum Echinodermata (echinoderms), Class Asteroidea (sea stars), about 2,000 species.

CROCODILE

Name The Saltwater crocodile, crocodilus porosus, is also known as the estuarine crocodile. The term porsus comes from the Greek porosis meaning full of calloses and refers to the bumpy nature of the upper surfaces of the body. The word crocodile originates from Greek krokodilos meaning worm of the stones, referring to their habit of basking on pebbles at the waters edge. In Australia the species is commonly refered to as Salties.

Description At up to 7 metres in length and one tonne in mass, it is the largest extant example of the species and the largest surviving reptile in terms of mass. However, specimens over 5 metres long are very rare and at their average length the weight will be closer to 500Kg. Females are smaller, generally reaching a maximum length of 3 metres. Young salties have a pale yellow colouration with dark spots and stripes. After many years they become darker with lighter areas visible, the underside being a creamy white. Colouration does, however, vary with area. They have a pair of ridges running from the eyes to the snout which become more distinct with age and have oval shaped scales Thay have particularly large heads and strong jaws (strong enough to crush a buffalo skull) and the ears, nose and eyes are all on the top of the head, allowing these senses to be used whilst almost completely submerged. The eyes have a nictitating membrane which act as a second, clear, set of eyelids, giving protected underwater vision. Crocodiles spend most of the time basking in order to regulate body temperature (at 30 to 32 degrees C) and defending a territory by the use of postures and low-frequency vocalizations. Fights are rare. Maximum lifespan is at least 70 years, possibly over 100.
Diet Saltwater crocodiles are carnivores whose choice of meat depends purely upon the size of the prey that they are able to catch. Hence fully grown adults can take prey the size of a buffalo and smaller, young crocs will prey mainly on crabs and other small crustaceans, as well as small fish and insects. Large salties will also take humans, although this is very rare (14 deaths in 27 years since protection was introduced) and usually due to a lack of care by the human. Attack is normally from the waters edge and is extremely rapid. Prey is then normally dragged back to the water where it is drowned, although when multiple crocodiles are involved death may be by dismemberment. Larger prey will be torn

SHARK

Shark Habitat Sharks have very few natural predators which allow them to freely move to new habitats when food is scarce. They are loners for most part of their lives so they dont travel together. Shark Distribution Many people believe that sharks only live in the oceans. However, they are distributed in bodies of water found all over the world. What do Sharks Eat Many people ask what do sharks eat and the answer it greatly depend of the specias of shark and the habitat where it is inhabitating. Shark Reproduction There hasnt been much research conducted in regards to shark reproduction but a great deal is know about the process. The conception generally takes place privately in the waters of the ocean Shark Senses Sharks depend on their senses to help them survive in their natural habitat. Therefore, most of the shark senses are highly developed and efficient. Shark Anatomy There are more than 300 different species of sharks in the ocean but they all share the same basic anatomy. Anatomic shark characteristics have made them ruthless predators.. Shark Communication Sharks engage in different forms of communication. Although sharks are loners, they have the intelligence to communicate. Shark Social Structure Sharks are loners and there is no other social structure than survival for the fittest. Even pups have to take care of themselves as soon as they are born. Shark Evolution Sharks have been on Earth for almost 450 million years, although modern sharks have evolved for 100 million years. Shark Tails Images of the most common types of shark tails. Tails are important part of shark anatomy which help them to achieve fast swimming speeds.

SEA LION

The California sea lion is a type of seal that lives in cool waters off the rocky coast of western North America. This marine mammal makes a roaring noise (hence its name), barks, and honks. Sea lions are fast swimmers, going up to 25 mph (40 kph) in short bursts. They are also very fast on land, "walking" with all four flippers.

These intelligent and social animals congregate in large groups on land (called colonies) and smaller groups in the water (called rafts). Breeding areas are called rookeries. (Classification: Suborder Pinnipedia, Family Otariidae, Subfamily Otariinae, Genus Zalophus, Species californianus)

Anatomy: The California sea lion has a thick layer of blubber (fat), short, thick fur that is dark brown to buff-colored, and a dog-like head. Males (called bulls) are darker and bigger than females. Males also have a thick furry mane around the neck. Bulls weigh up to 850 pounds (380 kg) and are up to 8 feet (2.5 m) long. Females weigh up to 250 pounds (115 kg) and are up to 6.5 feet (2 m) long. The whiskers (called vibrissae) help the seal's sense of touch. The nostrils are closed in the resting state. The sea lion has small external ears and a good sense of hearing. It also has keen eyesight but no color vision.

Diet: Sea lions are carnivores (meat-eaters); they eat fish, squid, octopi, crabs, clams, and lobsters. Seals don't chew their food. They swallow it in large chunks. They can crush the shells of crustaceans and mollusks with their flat back teeth.

Predators: Sea lions are hunted by killer whales (orcas) and some sharks.