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World's Weirdest Fish?
nationalgeographic ^
Posted on 12/28/2009 1:05:36 PM PST by JoeProBono
Seahorses are truly unique, and not just because of their unusual equine shape. Unlike most other fish, they are monogamous and mate for life. Rarer still, they are among the only animal species on Earth in which the male bears the unborn young.
Found in shallow tropical and temperate waters throughout the world, these upright-swimming relatives of the pipefish can range in size from 0.6 inches (1.5 centimeters) to 14 inches (35 centimeters) long.
Male seahorses are equipped with a brood pouch on their ventral, or front-facing, side. When mating, the female deposits her eggs into his pouch, and the male fertilizes them internally. He carries the eggs in his pouch until they hatch, then releases fully formed, miniature seahorses into the water.
Because of their body shape, seahorses are rather inept swimmers and can easily die of exhaustion when caught in storm-roiled seas. They propel themselves by using a small fin on their back that flutters up to 35 times per second. Even smaller pectoral fins located near the back of the head are used for steering.
They anchor themselves with their prehensile tails to sea grasses and corals, using their elongated snouts to suck in plankton and small crustaceans that drift by. Voracious eaters, they graze continually and can consume 3,000 or more brine shrimp per day.
Population data for most of the worlds 35 seahorse species is sparse. However, worldwide coastal habitat depletion, pollution, and rampant harvesting, mainly for use in Asian traditional medicine, have made several species vulnerable to extinction.
TOPICS: Pets/Animals; Science
KEYWORDS: fish; godsgravesglyphs; jpb; seahorse
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Seahorse Anchored to Coral
To: JoeProBono
2
posted on
12/28/2009 1:08:22 PM PST
by
Puppage
(You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
To: Puppage
3
posted on
12/28/2009 1:12:01 PM PST
by
Scythian
To: Puppage
4
posted on
12/28/2009 1:16:55 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
5
posted on
12/28/2009 1:17:29 PM PST
by
paulycy
(Demand Constitutionality.)
To: JoeProBono
Rarer still, they are among the only animal species on Earth in which the male bears the unborn young. But there was a person with a mustache, no tits and a uterus that called itself a man that got pregnant and delivered a healthy baby naturally via his vagina.
'Pregnant Man' Gives Birth to Girl
Now THAT should get the 'Lie of the Year' award.
To: JoeProBono
To: JoeProBono
The University of Michigan Biology Department has developed a new hybrid fish.
It seems they have cross-bred the Coho Salmon (for its delicious flesh) with the Walleye Pike (for its endurance) and the muskellunge (or muskie for its size and fighting spirit).
The new breed is called the COWALSKI and all that remains before releasing it to the Great Lakes is to teach the dumb SOB to SWIM.
8
posted on
12/28/2009 1:24:14 PM PST
by
Dick Bachert
(THE 2010 ELECTIONS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR LIFETIMES! BE THERE!!!)
To: DogBarkTree
9
posted on
12/28/2009 1:29:31 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Dick Bachert
10
posted on
12/28/2009 1:30:41 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Scythian
11
posted on
12/28/2009 1:33:05 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
Comment #12 Removed by Moderator
To: Slings and Arrows
However, worldwide coastal habitat depletion, pollution, and rampant harvesting, mainly for use in Asian traditional medicine, have made several species vulnerable to extinction. Sea Horse, do you smoke it like vulure brains?
13
posted on
12/28/2009 1:42:46 PM PST
by
a fool in paradise
(Question authority!Who is the University of East Anglia to drive the 'Global Climate Change' agenda?)
To: Revolting cat!
“I wanna sea horse pony!”
14
posted on
12/28/2009 1:43:08 PM PST
by
a fool in paradise
(Question authority!Who is the University of East Anglia to drive the 'Global Climate Change' agenda?)
To: the_devils_advocate_666
its that whole pig / lipstick thing goin on - thanks for ruining my evening
its like a horse face with a vagina
15
posted on
12/28/2009 1:43:08 PM PST
by
Revelation 911
(How many 100's of 1000's of our servicemen died so we would never bow to a king?" -freeper pnh102)
To: paulycy
16
posted on
12/28/2009 1:44:40 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: TexasCajun
17
posted on
12/28/2009 1:45:39 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: the_devils_advocate_666
18
posted on
12/28/2009 1:48:25 PM PST
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
When mating, the female deposits her eggs into his pouch, and the male fertilizes them internally.Sorta' takes all the fun out of it, doesn't it?
19
posted on
12/28/2009 1:48:35 PM PST
by
mikeus_maximus
("I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.")
To: Revelation 911
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