Animal Camouflage and Bioluminescence
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Questions and Answers

What primarily dictates the bite force quotient (BFQ) in animals?

  • The size of the animal
  • The shape of the jaw
  • The age of the animal
  • The arrangement and number of muscle fibers (correct)

    • The nurse shark's mean time to maximum gape is 32 seconds.

    False

    What is the purpose of the counter illumination adaptation in some fish?

    To remain undetected as prey or to help catch prey.

    The whip-like motion used by thresher sharks to stun their prey is known as _____ smacking.

    <p>tail</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the organisms with their unique predatory adaptation:

    <p>Nurse Shark = Suction Feeding Thresher Shark = Tail Smacking Electric Ray = Electric Organ Stealth Fish = Counter Illumination</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following animals can deliver a voltage of up to 720 volts?

    <p>Electric Eel</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Bioluminescent sharks have varying light output that changes constantly.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are photophores?

    <p>Photogenic organs that produce bioluminescent light.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one consequence of having bigger eyes in certain morphs?

    <p>Higher risk of predation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All animals that are transparent have evolved to eat only other transparent animals.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are chromatophores and what do they do in squid?

    <p>Chromatophores are pigment cells that allow squid to change color by expanding or contracting.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Bioluminescence is the production of light by living organisms and does not require an external _____ source.

    <p>light</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following types of cells to their function in squid:

    <p>Chromatophores = Changing skin color Iridophores = Reflecting light Reflective cells = Masking digestive content Gastrointestinal tract = Digestion of prey</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is true regarding bioluminescent organisms?

    <p>80% of bioluminescent organisms are marine.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The light produced by bioluminescence is known as warm light.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term describes the efficient chemical reaction that produces light in bioluminescence?

    <p>Chemiluminescence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of hormones are derived from cholesterol?

    <p>Steroid hormones</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Protein hormones elicit a response from target cells by directly binding to DNA.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of glucocorticoids in the body?

    <p>Stress hormones</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Steroid hormones migrate into the nucleus and bind to DNA, causing changes in gene ______.

    <p>expression</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of electroreception in elasmobranchs?

    <p>To perceive electrical stimuli from various sources</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common indication of population health in animals?

    <p>Individual physiology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Active electroreception is primarily associated with sharks.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the hormones to their classifications:

    <p>Cortisol = Glucocorticoids Estradiol = Estrogen Testosterone = Androgens ACTH = Protein hormone</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The North Atlantic Right Whale's population has increased due to hunting regulations.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What specialized organs are responsible for electroreception in elasmobranchs?

    <p>Ampullae of Lorenzini</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect do boat activities have on North Atlantic right whales?

    <p>They elicit low frequency sounds that disrupt communication.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does POMC stand for and what is its relevance in hormone formation?

    <p>Proopiomelanocortin</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Sharks can detect electric fields as weak as ___ volt.

    <p>1 billionth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Endocrine disrupters exclusively come from synthetic sources.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the species of elasmobranchs with their respective number of electroreception pores:

    <p>Hammerhead = 2000 – 3000 pores Great White = 1000 – 2000 pores Wobbegong = 300 – 1000 pores Horn Shark = 150 – 200 pores</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two main types of cells in the testes involved in reproductive success?

    <p>Leydig cells and Sertoli cells</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factors influence the abundance of electroreception pores in elasmobranchs?

    <p>How they feed and what they feed on</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Human activities have no impact on the electroreception of sharks.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The _____ is a chemical that can mimic or interfere with the body's hormones.

    <p>endocrine disrupter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the type of endocrine disrupter with its effect:

    <p>Agonists = Mimic hormone response Antagonists = Block hormone receptors Super-agonists = Exaggerate hormonal responses Endocrine disrupters = Interfere with hormone function</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which marine animals have been observed to use the Earth's magnetic field for navigation?

    <p>Sharks, turtles, bees, and crustaceans</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following can be considered an endocrine disrupter?

    <p>Pesticides</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Exposure to estrogenic compounds can reduce reproductive behaviors in male Sand Gobies.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    After 9/11, the harbor closure led to significantly lower _____ levels in North Atlantic right whales.

    <p>GC's (geographical communications)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the HPG axis stand for?

    <p>Hypothalamus, Pituitary gland, Gonads</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Eggshells can indicate the gender of loggerhead turtles.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What hormone is released by the hypothalamus in the HPG axis?

    <p>GnRH</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The main hormones monitored to understand reproductive cycles are ___ and ___ for females.

    <p>estradiol, progesterone</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the monitoring method with its purpose:

    <p>Serum = Monitoring recent hormone levels Faeces = Tracking hormonal changes over time Hair = Indicating long-term physiological status Eggshells = Determining the gender of turtles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What cues activate the HPG axis?

    <p>Temperature, Photoperiod, Food availability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Monitoring hormone levels can help determine if a female is pregnant.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one advantage of collecting whale blow for monitoring?

    <p>It is non-invasive.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Lecture 1 - Inconspicuousness and Transparency

    • Terrestrial and aquatic animals use substrate for hiding or mimicking to avoid predation or capture prey
    • Examples include hiding under things or mimicking the surrounding substrate like a snake eel
    • Camouflage methods:
      • Colour matching (e.g., anemone shrimp)
      • Structural matching (e.g., stonefish)
      • A combination of techniques (e.g., flounder)
    • Crypsis is the camouflage method, blending into the surroundings
    • Animals can manage light scattering and reflection to reduce visibility.
      • Transparency minimises light scattering or reflection (this is a full body form of crypsis)
      • Can be partial (only part) or complete (entire organism)
      • Example: glasswing butterfly
      • Most commonly seen in deep water/oceanic environments due to light levels.

    Lecture 2 - Bioluminescence

    • Bioluminescence is the production of light by a chemical reaction (chemiluminescence) within an organism, this is considered cold light (not producing heat) efficient for the organism
    • 80% of bioluminescent organisms are marine found in pelagic, mesopelagic, and benthic zones.
    • Bioluminescence is found in various invertebrates (like fireflies and bacteria) and in some terrestrial organisms (fungi).
    • Uses:
      • Prey capture and hunting,
      • Mate attraction,
      • Defence
      • Camouflage.
    • Some organisms obtain luciferin (the substance which causes bioluminescence) through their diet.
    • Other organisms can produce their own luciferin.

    Lecture 3 - Deep-sea Adaptations

    • Deep-sea challenges: high pressure, cold temperatures, absence of light, and a lack of strong currents, lack of food which leads to slow metabolic rates
    • Proteins in deep-water organisms are adapted to high pressure
    • Organisms often have reduced musculature and larger gut sizes which relates to food scarcity and availability.
    • Other adaptations include high proportions of phospholipid tails containing unsaturated fatty acids in the cellular membrane - this makes the membrane more pliable when under pressure.
    • Some other specific adaptations in deep-sea organisms include:
      • giant mouths
      • inward-facing teeth
      • bioluminescence for capturing prey
      • reduced musculature

    Lecture 1 - Fish Feeding

    • Fishes have very diverse feeding strategies. This is dependent on diet, and activity patterns which may vary
    • Sit-and-wait or ambush predators are often well-camouflaged
    • Active hunting predators may have lures, such as barbels or specialized coloration.

    Lecture 2 - Chemoreception

    • Chemoreception is the combined process of detecting molecules in the water (smells) and identifying tastes/flavours
    • Various species use olfactory plumes (smell trails) to find mates, food and avoiding predators in areas with high salinity
    • The ability to detect odour in water can be affected by salinity, temperature, and currents
    • The ability to identify taste and smell (odours) is dependent to whether an animal is a bony or cartilaginous fish

    Lecture 2 - Sensory Capabilities

    • The sensory capabilities of fishes vary enormously, dependent on their lifestyle and environment
    • Fish have several sensory systems including hearing, vision, smell, touch, electroreception, and taste, each of which has particular structures, functions, sensitivities and adaptations
    • The neurobiology of fishes is important for understanding their behaviour, and their relationship to their environment
    • Electrical fields are a crucial adaptation and method of sensing prey

    Lecture 3 - Metabolism and Fish Kills

    • Fish metabolism is dictated by several factors, including environmental factors like temperature (and oxygen)
    • Fish kills are an extreme event that happens when several factors, including high biomass, high temperature, and a lack of oxygen in the environment, combine to have a negative impact on the equilibrium
    • Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, food availability, current etc can be several factors which limit or affect fish physiology

    Lecture 1 - Hormonal and Behaviour Control

    • Hormones are chemical messengers in the body which are sent to a receptor in another part of the body
    • Hormones are involved in a multitude of processes, including reproduction, stress response, and behaviour
    • These have an effect on neural activity, organ function and can control or affect the output of other chemical messengers in the body
    • Hormones can affect the speed, and level of behaviour and also regulate/control reproductive functions

    Lecture 1 - Endocrine Biomarker

    • Endocrine biomarkers represent factors relating to a population's health and include factors relating to reproductive and stress health
    • A shift to using individual physiology as an indicator of population health has been made
    • Physiological changes can act as an early warning system to change or potential dangers of population decline

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    Animal Camouflage and Bioluminescence Notes PDF

    Description

    Explore the fascinating methods of camouflage used by terrestrial and aquatic animals, including crypsis and transparency. Additionally, delve into the phenomenon of bioluminescence, where organisms produce light through chemical reactions. Understand how these adaptations help animals survive in their environments.

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