Other Tales of Tails Dolphin Fluke Flexible to

Other Tales of Tails • Dolphin Fluke : – Flexible to catch water going up and down. – helps to lift the dolphin making it easier to breath – also used to kill fish – slapping -believed to be a signal of danger or upset

Flying Fish • The bottom cercal (lobe) is larger than the top so it can swim above the surface of the water when feeling threatened. • the large pectorals provide lift

Deep Sea Fish (Mesopelagic, Bathypelagic and Abyssopelagic) • The morphology of deep sea fish is adapted to: – the cold, – the dark, – high pressure – and scarce food.

Adaptations to Less Light • Many deep sea fish (mesopelagic) have adapted large eyes to capture what little light exists. Most often, this light is blue-green • Cryptic coloration in the deep: – Deep sea fish are often transparent, black, silvery and even red in color. The absence of red light at these depths keeps them concealed.

Bioluminescence • Some fish produce light – possible functions: attract prey, attract mates, counter shading (dark on top light on the bottom), startle or confuse predators • Light organs = photophores – chemical reaction – symbiotic relationship with light producing bacteria

Coloration note: • some fish have special dark lining in their stomach that may serve to conceal light emitted from the light organs of engulfed prey • Some fish produce red light – to not be detected – to attract curious prey

Total Darkness • Bathypelagic and abyssopelagic fish have small or no eyes • Use other senses to detect prey

The Better to Eat You With Deep Sea Fish have : 1. Long sharp teeth 2. Large mouth 3. Distensible stomach (it stretches) Rattail (high in TMAO >TMA)

other Feeding Adaptations • 1. 2. 3. Scarcity of food adaptations: Conserve energy (slow or no movement) Low metabolism (cold helps) Feed on detritus and bacteria (marine snow)

“Under Pressure” • • • Pressure increases 1 atmosphere (atm) for each 10 m in depth. The deep sea depth = 700 m - 10, 000 m Deep sea pressure = 70 atm -1, 000 atm.

Adaptations to Pressure 1. Gelatinous Bones 2. Gelatinous Muscle and tissue 3. No large body cavities (that could collapse)

“Dancing in the Dark” i. e. Finding a Mate • Darkness and Vastness makes it difficult to find a mate Adaptations: 1. Bioluminescence 2. Chemicals 3. Males attach to females

“You’re as Cold as Ice” • The temperature is cold enough to freeze fresh water (at the abyss) • Adaptations: 1. Slow metabolism 2. Minimal energy usage

Other Creatures of the Deep • Jellies – – no skeleton, – transparent – mostly made of water – use little energy • Squid (giant and colossal) – no skeleton (just a “pen”) – soft tissue