Octopus or (Octopuses/octopi/octopodes)
The have a very short lifespan!
Smaller pygmy octopuses live around 6 months (these types are usually your pets) and the Giant Pacific Octopus lives between 3-5 years, possibly longer in colder water !!
The mother octopus lays eggs, stops eating, hides in her den, and withers away ~tear.
Squid or (Squid/squids) - squid can be plural, squids usually refers to multiple species
Skin:
- have chromatophores - produce color changes
- photophores - produce light (believe this if for group communication)
Blood:
- have hemocyanin (instead of hemoglobin) which provides oxidation by using copper (instead of iron) as a carrier of sulfide H2O (instead of oxygen)
- this "blue blood" is less viscous, making it very efficient at oxygenating gills.
Movement:
- Jet propulsion - water pushed through funnel in mantel, very efficent at pushing water over gills.
Cephalopods
gelatinous tissue - filled with ammonium ions - to approximate sea water buoyancy !!
3 comments:
I don't understand. If they have hemocyanin instead of hemoglobin, how can they be more efficient at oxygenating anything? Do they use oxygen to ... do whatever it is that we use oxygen for? I'll think of it here in a minute ... oh, well, I know it's used for energy (how very vague! ;-P )
yeah energy, the oxidation process - electron pathway in the kreb cycle for ATP energy. We use oxygen they use ?sulfide. I don't fully understand that, but I wasn't too good at biochem. Can't tell if all squids have this, or just some ? I'm thinking all squid, but then it's not a deep sea thing ??
I want more squid facts! It's been a long time, Gemma!
Post a Comment