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marine life marine

Like barnacles, marine mussels attach themselves to rocks, wood, or ship hulls. However, unlike barnacles, which fasten themselves tightly to a surface, marine mussels dangle by a network of thin filaments called BYSSUS THREADS. While this method increases the mussel’s flexibility for feeding and migration, the threads seem too flimsy to withstand the impact of ocean waves. How does the byssus allow the mussel to hang on and not be swept out to sea? Byssus threads are stiff on one end, yet soft and stretchy on the other. Researchers have found that the precise ratio used by mussel- 80 percent stiff material to 20 percent soft –is critical for providing the strongest attachment. Hence, the byssus can handle the force of dramatic pulling and pushing by marine waters. Professor Guy Genin calls the results of this research stunning, adding that the magic of this organism lies in the structurally clever integration of this compliant region. Scientists believe that the design of the byssus t

AMAZING MEDICAL CONDITION OF ANEMONEFISH

               Few fish grab our attention the way the clown fish does. Perhaps it wins our hearts with its fancy coloring, which may remind us of a circus clown. Or maybe we are struck by its surprising choice of home –among the stinging tentacles of a sea anemone. Not surprisingly, another name for the clown fish is anemonefish .              Like many Hollywood actors, clown fish are not averse to photographs. Divers and snorkelers can usually expect clown fish to pose for pictures, since they rarely stray far from home and are not particularly shy.            But what makes clown fish amazing is their seemingly risky lifestyle. Living among poisonous tentacles would seem to be comparable to setting up home in a nest of serpents. Still, clown fish and their anemone of choice are inseparable. What makes this strange partnership possible and successful?           Like most good partnerships, clown fish and anemones give and take. The relationship is not merely conv

THE MIRACULOUS BLUBBER OF MARINE MAMMALS

         For decades, scientists could not understand how dolphins could swim at the speed of nearly 40 kilometers an hour. The animals simply did not have enough muscle, the scientists thought. But dolphins have a secret, part of which lies in their blubber, a complex substance also found under the skin of porpoises, whales, and other marine animals           Blubber is a thick, dense layer of highly organized connective tissue with a lot of fat cells. It covers practically the whole creature, and it is strongly attached to the musculature and skeleton by highly organized, fan-shaped networks of tendons and ligament. These networks, in turns, are composed of elastic fibers and collagen, a protein that is also found in skin and bones. Blubber, therefore, is much more than a layer of insulating fat. It is a highly sophisticated combination of various living tissues.         How, though, does blubber help dolphins and porpoises to swim so fast –Dall’s porpoises at speeds of u