nvasive species are capable of causing extinctions of native plants and animals,
reducing biodiversity, competing with native organisms for limited resources, and altering
habitats. The Red Lionfish threaten native fish and the environment in U.S. Atlantic coastal
waters. They have venomous spines that can be very painful. The Red Lionfish can be aggressive
and charge with their spines. They have no known predators in the region so their population can
increase at a high rate. Lionfish are known to grow rapidly, outgrowing native species with
who they compete with for food and space. Main preys of this species are small fish and
crustaceans that inhabit the tropical reefs. It’s predators would be humans catching and putting
them in tanks, eels, and larger fish. In order to hunt, they don’t usually use their venom on other organisms. Once they are close to their prey they use their pectoral fins to lunge at their prey and swallow them in one bite. Lionfish are now found along the entire southeast U.S. coastline at depths between 1 and 1,000 feet, making their removal almost impossible. The best way to stop invasive species from spreading is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. With the Red Lionfish, it would become harder because it began to spread from the cause of humans dumping them into oceans from tanks. The lionfish aren’t used to the ecosystem of an ocean so it would automatically become a threat to the other organisms in the ocean because it would be an unknown. The ecosystem would be affected by the other animals not knowing what a lionfish is and being in danger because of them not knowing it’s capabilities are. One invasive species in Georgia would be a Red Sniper. They can live and reproduce anywhere, can tolerate extreme hot temperature and low oxygen water, eat almost anything, grow rapidly, and can produce large numbers of young. After releases from bait farms, they have traveled to other other places outside of their range. Outside of their territory, they are a serious threat to other species because they outcompete them and prey on their young and introduce tapeworms and other parasites. Nothing yet is being done to stop the invasion of the Red Snipers because of them transferring from one place to another so quickly in a short amount of time.
The barnacle species that ranges into the warmest waters is the Chthamalus barnacle. They tend to range farther in southern waters compared to the Semibalanus
fish would stay in shallow waters making them easier to catch. They caught fish such as red fish
A defining feature of the lionfish which everyone sees are the “18 venomous spines on its dorsal fin and its pelvic and anal fins, which are used for defense” as described in FACE OFF WITH THE ENEMY: LIONFISH by Special To The Citizen. Which is a neurotoxin that results in intense pain and swelling of one’s body. Fernando Simal, a marine hunter at STINAPA National Marine Park, found out the potency of their venom after his first hunt when being stung by the lionfish he caug...
this is due to the habitat they live in and the small number of people living
The sessile consumers are those that are stationary and all feed off small plankton creating competition for their food source which allows some sessile consumers to be more dominant than others. Mussels are the most dominant between the sessile consumer with the Starfish as its predator, followed by Goose Neck Barnacles whose predators are Whelk and Starfish, and Acorn Barnacles whose predators is Whelk. The mobile consumers consist of Whelk(Nucella), Chiton(Katharina), and Starfish(pisaster). The mobile consumers, which are the the species that have a possibility to be the Keystone species are predators and compete for food. The Starfish preys on Mussels and Goose Neck Particles, the Whelk generally prey on Acorn Barnacles and Goose Neck Barnacles, and the Chiton prey on Nori Seaweed, Black Pine, and occasionally Coral Weed. Between the Mobile Consumers the only competition for food is between the Whelk and Starfish who both prey on Goose Neck Barnacles. Lastly, there is the invasive species known as the Green Crab (Carcinus) which has invaded the environment. The Green crab invades the area and is a predator to all
Lionfish have brown and white stripes covering their body (NOAA, 2011). Lionfish have broad pectoral fins, and long individual dorsal spines that contain the venom glands in the tips (NOAA, 2011). The venom of the lionfish is only intended as a defense mechanism and not meant to kill. The spines of the lionfish deliver a sting that can result in severe pain, respiratory distress, and even paralysis (NOAA, 2011). Lionfish are found in almost all tropical marine habitats consisting of warm waters due to their invasive behavior. Their native range covers a very large area from western Australia and Malaysia east to French Polynesia and off the east coast of Australia to the Kermadec Islands of New Zealand (NOAA, 2011). Lionfish have been found along the coast from Florida to North Carolina. The first lionfish was reported in South Florida waters in 1985 with additional sightings occurring until they were documented as established in the early 2000s (NOAA, 2011). Lionfish are very popular aquarium fish, especially in the U.S making them important to the aquarium trade. There are two possible ideas about how the lionfish were introduced into the Atlantic. The first is through ballast water, the water carried in the bellies of the enormous transport ships of intercontinental trade (Whitney, 2003). Larval lionfish have low oxygen and food needs which makes surviving movement in ballast water a possibility (Whitney, 2003). The second possibility is that a number of...
A poem without any complications can force an author to say more with much less. Although that may sound quite cliché, it rings true when one examines “The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop. Elizabeth’s Bishop’s poem is on an exceedingly straightforward topic about the act of catching a fish. However, her ability to utilize thematic elements such as figurative language, imagery and tone allows for “The Fish” to be about something greater. These three elements weave themselves together to create a work of art that goes beyond its simple subject.
About half of the fish species live in groups at some point in their life
Thin flat fish like skillet fish and blennies can slip in and hide in the small spaces within the reef.
Nymphs, despite their excellent predatorily abilities, are usually hunted by fish, although occasionally they are also hunted by birds, crayfish, frogs, and each other. When their development is complete and they are finally an adult dams...
These mammals are opportunistic hunters. they are highly muscular and have very powerful jaws.They are efficient killers, known as being 'stalk and ambush' predators.
complection of the reef waters they live in makes them even easier to be spotted
A crocodile appears as a fierce predator and its appearance is no lie. Crocodiles are violent carnivores and there physical traits help it be successful in its hunting. They are aquatic creatures built for the predator lifestyle. There bodies are designed to swim quickly as they are able to tuck in there feet and cut through the water with little resistance. There feet are also webbed and although are not used to gain speed they are used to make quick changes in directions or sudden moves. There feet are also an advantage in shallow water where they will typically walk. They also have a thick layer of tissue around the mouth that prevents water from entering while they dive down. Crocodiles unlike many reptiles lack a certain characteristic that most have, they do not have the ability to stick out their tongue. This is caused by the membrane that holds there tongue in place giving it little movement. The skin under there bellies and sides is smooth and fragile unlike the rest of their body. On the dorsal side the skin is very thick and rugged and in some parts rather sharp, this gives them a layer of protection. There are pores and capillaries in between the scales that provide feeling and gives them the ability to know hot from cold. Crocodiles produc...