Ocean

We are all familiar with dolphins, whales and sharks; we know what tuna and snapper look like, but what about some less familiar fish such as lizardfish, giant squid, or blind eels? There are so many lesser known animals in the depths of the ocean that we hear little or nothing about most times, it is interesting to investigate a few of these creatures and understand them a little more.

The first on our list of deep sea creatures is the fangtooth fish. This fish is one of the most evil looking ocean predators. It lives in the deep ocean and catches its prey by luring them in with glowing light organs called photophores. In such a dark abyss, fish are attracted to the light put off by the organ and once they are close enough the fangtooth fish catches them in his numerous large teeth. He looks like an underwater vampire.

Another carnivorous sea animal is the deep-sea lizardfish. These interesting fish look almost like a short snake in water. Their mouths are covered with harpoon-tipped teeth that grasp their prey and don’t let go, similar to a fish hook. These teeth are hinged so that they can flattened down when prey is going in and stand up when resisting. They don’t even need to actively swallow; the struggling prey just ratchets itself inside. With their glowing yellow eyes, the lizardfish is a wonder to behold.

Often called the nastiest fish in the ocean, the blind eel is next on our list. These fish are called blind eels because they have such small, ineffective eyes. Who needs eyes when you are living in almost complete darkness? They prey on live or dead fish which they locate through smell. They have circular mouths that they use to suck on their prey. They have tooth-studded tongues that allow them to cut through their victims flesh and literally eat them from the inside out. They are also sometimes called slime eels because their skin emits a sticky slime, up to a gallon at a time. It is used to suffocate predators by clogging their gills when they attempt to eat the eel.

The last of our unusual deep sea animals, giant squid, has been the subject of tall tales for centuries. Until recently, however, these tales were dismissed as fiction. The only information we have on them comes from finding pieces of their bodies in the stomachs of sperm whales, or those that have been washed up on shore. Another area where their existence is apparent is on the skin of sperm whales where giant sucker scars can be seen after what must be epic battles between the two huge creatures. Giant squid can grow to the size of a school bus or bigger. They are carnivorous and have a long, torpedo shaped body. At one end, surrounding a beak-like mouth strong enough to cut through steel cable, are five pairs of arms. One pair, thinner and longer than the rest, is used to catch food and bring it to the mouth. Just past the mouth are the eyes, eyes that are the largest in the animal kingdom, getting as big as eighteen inches across. They are nearly impossible to photograph alive because they live in such deep waters.

It is interesting to think about what other types of deep sea animals exist that we haven’t yet discovered. What wonders does the bottom of the ocean hold and can we ever know? With modern technology constantly searching for new ways to study the ocean floor, the possibility of finding new creatures becomes more real every day. For a world who thinks they have seen it all, the deep, deep ocean still holds the hope for something new.

Copyright 2006 Emma Snow

Emma Snow has always adored wild animals. Emma provides content for Wildlife Animals http://www.wildlife-animals.com and Riding Stable http://www.riding-stable.com.

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Has a book ever grabbed you long before your hands met the cover, long before your eyes glossed over the jacket copy? Has a book ever compelled you long before you heard the rhythm of its prose, long before its glossy pages slipped between your fingers?

A book did that for me. “Riptide” did that for me.

It was last year. I was in Cape Cod on vacation, enjoying lazy late spring mornings on the sand dunes and afternoons browsing through touristy shops for the best souvenirs. During the course of the day, I chanced upon a pamphlet detailing, among other things, the work of local writers. There, in crisp black and white, was an image of the cover of “Riptide” — a dog standing high atop a grassy dune, head into the wind, hair blown back, overlooking the ocean.

I knew at once that — despite the fact that Riptide is a children’s book and I have no children — I must have this book.

My husband and I hunted high and low for that book, and despite the fact that we tore apart every bookshop on Cape Cod, it was nowhere to be found. And though I enjoyed every moment of my Cape Cod Holiday, I went home empty-handed and ever so slightly disappointed.

Happily though, we live in an age of technology, and weeks later, I came home from work to find a book-sized box waiting for me. And there it was — my much sought-after “Riptide” right on my own front step.

“Riptide” is easily the most beautiful book I’ve ever laid eyes on, both in the way of its prose and its artwork.

Frances Ward Weller writes exquisite prose. Her prose delivers the romance of the shoreline, with words that are certain to enchant adults and a rhythm sure to sooth any child…

They called him Rip. Riptide Windjammer. Not Scout or Pal or any of the plain old names for dogs they knew. Riptide for a current that runs out to sea when sandbars crumble. Windjammer for a ship that runs before the wind.

“Riptide” is illustrated to perfection by Robert J. Blake, an experienced book illustrator for both children and adults. His oil based illustrations capture the essence of the New England seashore. In his paintings, you feel the rush of the wind and the sting of the sea spray. His paintings are full of motion and sunshine. Children will love these paintings, and they would make beautiful framed prints for any aficionado of the seashore.

“Riptide” would make a beautiful coffee table book, as well.

Based on the true story of a dog who loved the sea, “Riptide” is sure to keep any child captivated. It’s a book that an adult would not mind reading again and again to the child in his or her life.

**One word of caution:

“Riptide” may not be suitable for very young children, as several of the closing pages are disturbing, both in content and in illustration.

Lisa is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing

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Of all the interesting and odd creatures in the oceans, nothing is as amazing as the octopus. Here is a quick guide to this interesting creature to wrap yourself around.

A Quick Guide to the Octopus

The octopus is a mollusk. It belongs to the same group as chitons, abalone, snails, limpets, scallops, oysters, clams and mussels. The octopus also belongs to a sub-species of mollusks called the cephalopods. This means head to foot and is used as the name because an octopus’ “feet” are attached to its head.

Octopuses tend to be small in warm tropical waters and larger in colder waters. Octopi live in all the oceans, but are strictly salt water creatures. The Giant Pacific Octopus lives in the coastal waters of British Columbia and is the largest octopus in the world. The largest Giant Pacific Octopus ever caught weighed about 600 pounds, about the same weight as a Brown bear! The tentacles on the beast spanned upwards of 33 feet in length. Obviously, octopi are generally much smaller. For example, females rarely exceed 55 pounds and males average less than 90. The Giant Pacific Octopus is one of the longer lived species whereas most octopi live only one or two years. The male can live to approximately 4 years and the female can live to about 3.5 years.

An octopus has eight arms attached to its head around the mouth. These “arms” have rows of suckers along their length. They are covered with suckers on the surface and many nerves within, which means they are used to both grab and “taste” things. As an example, the Giant Pacific Octopus has two rows of suckers per arm with 1,600 suckers in all.

One of the more amazing things about an octopus is that it has absolutely no bones. The only stiff anatomical structure is the beak around the mouth, which is made of material similar to your fingernails. By the way, octopi bites are poisonous to their prey.

The octopus has an excellent eyesight and well-developed brain. It can instantly change the color and texture of its skin to match the surrounding area. This camouflage is a major method of protection.

The body of the octopus looks like a bag. It moves as the octopus breathes. Inside the mantle (the body) there are 3 hearts, the stomach and other organs. One heart pumps blood through each gill at the end of each of the two appendages while the third pumps blood through the body. Water flows over the gills and fills the mantle when the octopus breathes in. The water is forced out a tube call the siphon as the octopus breathes out. It can force water through the siphon rapidly and jet itself backwards if the octopus is trying to escape a predator. Using jet propulsion, octopi travel many kilometers. An octopus can protect itself temporarily blinding an attacker by squirting ink at it.

Richard Monk is with www.factsmonk.com - a site with facts about everything.

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