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24. The ecosystem of floating ocean deserts.

CREATURES OF THE LIMIT OF THE BORDER By Jose Antonio Cabello

What is this? Is it an alien in a B movie?

Very little is known about the ecosystem that occupies the waterline of our oceans. Indeed, the little information that has come across the creatures that have been stranded on the beach. Always appear on our shores after a storm or strong winds, or when the sea is rough.

Unfortunately there is very little knowledge about the ecology of these animals and their social behavior.

On these occasions, swimmers have been surprised at this strange animal, is difficult to define at first glance, it seems the product of imagination in form and beauty.

This species is found in warm and temperate waters worldwide. Take care if you play it, it stores the jellyfish stinging cells on the tips of the appendages (cerata ) on each side of your body.

is the Glaucus atlanticus, which is a linear design quirk of evolution. Her appearance has confused many people. There is still controversy about the way they move, because they know their actual behavior in the freedom of the big blue.

The Glaucus live in ocean waters and is only found on the shore when the wind blows up stranded. Every time you see jellyfish stranded on land Physalia is very likely to find Glaucus .

drag Storms to the beach all the sea creatures floating blue, like this Velella

which data are available on this species are:

1. lives in the water, face down giving her belly to the sun and back to the deep sea.

The Glaucus usually does not exceed 5 cm in length

2. His diet is based on jellyfish, with a special predilection for Physalia, Velella and Porpita . Of them uses its stinging cells, accumulates in your body gradually into a very dangerous animal. The poison is concentrated in their false fingers or appendages.

By feeding on jellyfish and accumulate their poison taken for use as a defense

3. belongs to the family of nudibranchs, which is a sea slug. Just a close relative, the Glaucilla marginata identical behavior.
4. is very difficult to maintain in captivity in an aquarium. In the best case does not survive more than two weeks. It seems that predatory instinct makes them territorial and have been many cases of cannibalism when it meets in one place for several copies. The truth is that there is very little documentation.
5. have what is called a hidroesqueleto, it is the fluid that supports the body cavity. Also, to keep users afloat, accumulates a bubble of gas in your stomach.
6. Just as other bodies of their ecosystem, most siphonophores, is blue. In the view from above is almost invisible, because it camouflages its bright blue with the sea (to avoid being seen by birds) and its bottom facing the submarine is silver space while achieving the same effect of mimicry (The fish do not see it).

View from the sky (the bright blue belly)

Vista from deep underwater (silvery white back)

7. Moves through the great expanses of open sea together with a group of organisms that make up this simple blue ecosystem in balance. Navigate to the whim of wind and water currents.

OCEAN DESERT ECOSYSTEM: THE BLUE FLEET

These fascinating creatures live on the border of two worlds

Oceans, with an area of \u200b\u200b361 million square kilometers, covering 71% of the planet's surface. To much free space without obstacles, the two most important means touching the water and air, developing a simple ecosystem where life has taken a unique and extraordinary ways.

simple outline flotation ecosystem (Figure of Joseph A. Cabello)

In the aquatic environment of currents that move both nutrients such as living beings themselves. Since water is a good solvent, contains many substances, especially salts and gases in solution. Other key features of this medium is its density and viscosity, on the one hand, facilitate the organisms are suspended and, secondly, make your travel is difficult.

This ecosystem is the extreme conditions that these animals have adapted

air environment in the environmental conditions are more variable than in the aquatic environment, especially temperature and humidity. Seasonal changes, for example, tend to be more marked. Water bodies tends to evaporate, so the latter must be replaced. The air has a very low density and only provides support to several agencies. Moreover, the composition of the atmosphere is fairly homogeneous, partly thanks to the winds.

here by force, all creatures are soft and flexible

Just on the border of these two media is the call waterline. is home to a number of organizations that navigate in large groups. They are islands of life and death, which met every ecosystem factors, nutrients, predators and prey, breeding ... Life adapted to this environment on the sea surface, where conditions can change radically and traumatically absolute calm can skip to the most hostile conditions (storms, tidal waves, high winds, etc.). Arguably it is the antithesis of deep-sea trenches.

Physalia, Portuguese man known as is actually a colony of tiny people living together. The float reaches 15 cm.

length

Velella, also called Sailboat has a float that is 3 cm. diameter

Porpita : medusa small umbrella which makes 3 cm in diameter

Caracol violet Janthina gender. Produces slime bubbles that solidifies and floats

The other predator relative and Glaucus competition, the Glaucilla Marginata. Their webbed appendages are not in range.

Foster Brothers were the first discoverers of Glaucus . Between 1772-1775 shared a unique experience that is transcribed in his book, A trip around the world in His Majesty's sloop, commanded by Captain James Cook :

Monday 14 September Found 1772

at different intervals, the sea is covered by animals belonging to the class of mollusks, of which one, a blue color, the shape of a slug, has four arms, which are divided into many branches , was named Glaucus atlanticus (...). George Forster, 1777 : p. 49 .

Dr. AI Savilov (1913 - 1969), Russian marine biologist, specializing in the fauna of the area of \u200b\u200bOcean wrote in 1968:

In the long hours adrift the boat " Vytiaz " We saw a group of blue creatures, consisting mainly of jellyfish Velella. We look for the possible presence of Glaucus , but it is difficult to distinguish because they are virtually invisible because of their color that mimics the blue-green ocean.

Finally we sighted some of his splashing, they jumped from wave, paddling very quickly using the taste as oars, heading toward the Velella. (...). Notes Dr. AI Savilov .

is the only existing reference and comprehensive field study. In fact, Dr. AI Savilov descriptions are in contradiction with those of other scientists who argue that the Glaucus not use these false tips to paddle or swim as if they were wings. On this subject more later.

glaucus: THE FLOATING voracious predator OF JELLYFISH

Many nudibranchs seem to use their Rhinoforos as sense to locate the odors or chemicals from the water, in order to reach potential food (water carries the molecules of food and the animal moves toward the chemical source of smell.) Dr. AI

Savilov has been, by far, the only scientist who made drawings and notes on the observation of behavior in Glaucus freedom :

Savilov AI Drawing on a Glaucus is eating a Velella

The Glaucus is a carnivore that feeds mainly on Velella . Prefers to remain free on the surface of the water and is close to the dam when really hungry.

(...) The voracious Glaucus, clinging to Velella the ends of the papillae tentaculiformes begins to start and sweep the area of \u200b\u200blarge pieces of floating disk phinophoro . Sometimes the Glaucus bends his body, grasps the edge of the disc, gnawing a whole section of the colony of polyps.

The nudibranch Glaucus is a very voracious, specializing in floating jellyfish and snails

A devouring a snail Janthina Glaucilla

The buccal armature Glaucus is based on a fairly well developed jaws serrated. You can count 45 denticles on the masticatory apparatus. When the mouth is closed so tightly wedged like a zipper.

Dr. AI Savilov Photographs showing details of the mouthparts of Glaucus

Biologists Tom Tompson and Isobel Bennett were the first to report at the end the decade of the 60 on its lethal capacity to select the most potent venom of a jellyfish Physalia , collecting causing stinging nematocysts for their own use. Both Glaucus as Glaucilla (next of kin) are more dangerous than the jellyfish Physalia , because as a natural method of defense, are capable of accumulating high doses of poison in their bodies.

Both Glaucus and Glaucilla, seem to belong to monotypic. Means that each gender has only one species. The main visual difference is that in the cerata Glaucus is arranged in a single row in each arch, while the Glaucilla multiple rows. The biology of the two species is discussed in the representation of Glaucus Atlanticus. In the picture a feeding Glaucilla

As with most Aeolos nudibranchs, Glaucus takes the stinging cells (nematocysts ) of jellyfish for their own use. The poison they keep their "fingers" which actually are called cerata (appendices).

Although the poison in the Glaucus is more powerful than Medusa Physalia , is much less likely to suffer the sting. Before the accident, should be cured like a jellyfish sting. Glaucus The Ocean live in and really is rare to find on the coast, which occurs when you have been swept away by strong currents, winds, storms, etc.

Another scientist, P. Bieri (1966) described the cannibalistic habits of Glaucus :

An individual 20 mm long ate the head and torso of an individual of 15 mm in 30 minutes. When food is scarce or for long periods of starvation the Glaucus responds with the cannibalism of their kind.

are many experiences that speak of the voracious appetite of Glaucus , even to their fellows. Being hermaphrodites, his prolific nature of survival keeps them alive in times of scarcity. The image is brutal example

some experts also suggest that this cannibalism corresponds to a behavior associated with low tolerance for sharing the same space or territory.

REPRODUCTION: THE SEX hermaphrodites

All nudibranchs are hermaphrodites, alternating male and female reproductive system, and are laying eggs.

Details

left nostril where in this case can be the penis

Extension detailed where the penis can be seen Glaucus. It can reach a size of 4 or 5 cms.

On the left side of Glaucus can see a hole through which comes a protuberance, the penis, curved and white. You can extend more than 60 mm, ie longer than their wax ("arms"). These complicate the approach, among animals, to reach their mating partner in the side.

Frame mating of Glaucus

produce short chains of 10-20 eggs that float on the surface until the larvae hatch.

biologist B. photo Rudman showing long chains of eggs belonging to Glaucus and short belonging to Glaucilla . Animal is left floating eggs, as they do not generally nudibranchs that hold on the substrate or a surface. These strings of eggs are encapsulated together by a substance tube mucosa consistency.

Savilov

AI (1968) describes the egg-laying:

For egg laying, the Glaucus looking for floating objects that are based on a surface, and what is the scope in their environment are the skeletons of other floating bodies. (p. 292).

The skeleton in plate jellyfish Chondrolphora , clean after being chosen by predators, it retains its buoyancy for a long time and use it to attach their egg masses. Some species (Glaucus , Halobates ) used as the platform of their cocoons and eggs. Once born, the young are used for support during their first days of his life. There

similar data in the monograph of Dakin WJ (1953). Stated (p. 270-271):

(...) The existence of something better than water to lay their egg masses in the skeleton of the creature has to eat.

and M. Tompson Farlade (1967), accept and add another possibility:

eggs (...) strings each 12 to 15 eggs at sea sailing or glued to the dam.

CONTROVERSY: HOW DOES THE glaucus ?

The morphology of Glaucus makes us think that has tips, but today can not be said to be his means of locomotion

Both Glaucus as Glaucilla spend their lives floating face down in the water. Their "feet" (the cerata ) play with movements that have little to do with locomotion. At best, glaucus flex the side of your body.

According to experts, such as B. Rudman (biologist nudibranchs), the Glaucus have very limited movement, since their movement is slight zig zag . By their morphology might think that exercising the fake arm to move, but quite the contrary, remains motionless. You may rather use those false "arms with his hands and fingers" like sails to take advantage of water currents and wind. Maybe they will slow down also.

But remember that this analysis is far from that described by Dr. AI Savilov who described the Glaucus in their habitat, paddling very quickly with the taste as oars, heading toward the Velella. In favor of AI Savilov remember that she studied sea, and no observation in aquaria.

This assertion is contrary to the opinion of T. Thompson and I. Farlane (1967), who argue that small contractions and movements of the cerata metapodium and not get settled in here. Glaucus is, they say, " plantócnico pelagic" and later T. Tompson (1976) stated that given that the nudibranchs not move their cerata , "does not seem to give rise to translational motion" .

This glaucus was found in Tenerife. In recent years we have seen in Mexico, USA, Uruguay, Australia ...

P. Bieri was aware of these comments Savilov, in relation to the characteristics of the free swimming Atlanticus Glaucus. P. Bieri could read Savilov work and experimented with Glaucus , stating that in his research, conducted in aquaria with flowing water, they never swam according to the descriptions of the Russian scientist. For this reason he said that surely the behavior of these nudibranchs offshore should be very different studied in captivity.

A. Fredol said of the comments Savilov:

Savilov If the observations are not accidental, we can consider the Glaucus as an organism rather pelagic planktonic .

So how can be based on the appendices if there are tips?

On the occasions that Glaucus is seen beached, may give the impression that you try to scroll with the false "legs" for the move and hang over them. B. Rudman explains:

Their cerata are very sensitive to touch, which when in contact with the sand on the beach when they are washed, try to avoid this contact (overstimulation), so it gives the feeling of wanting up with their false "legs."

NOTE: Dedicated to my father, the author of this blog. This article represents a tribute to the person who made that "dreaming" with exotic and distant places. With him, the world was beyond my imagination. He also taught me to respect and love nature the true and fair representation of what it symbolizes beauty.

I hope you enjoy this article, Mr. AquaFlash. I wanted a challenge, as this chapter of the book talks about a very little known. Displays objectivity, with references to other biologists and scientists. I talk about the fascinating history of the creatures that live on the border of two worlds. An ecosystem is hidden in the vastness of the big blue. Only with Glaucus , just to be an issue to arouse curiosity. Notebooks

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