365 replies to this topic

[Dive_Girl]

Yeah Hawk - you said SPERM Whale....and you are correct!!! Guess what your prize will be? A year's supply of...ok ok back to the game - PLAY ON!

CREATURE FEATURE 18

Name this sea creature (aka Think the shower scene from Psycho here folks!!):

This creature hunts by "harpooning" its victims. It has an “ordnance depot” of toxic darts ready to fire in all directions, even backwards (that would lead me to believe it's out the rear "portal"....*ahem* ). Once the victim has been paralyzed, this creature will consume its prey in a gulp. (Since the Sperm Whale was the subject of the hunt by Moby Dick - I thought turn-about was fairplay....let the creature do the "harpooning.")

[MartianBeerPig]

Is it those military dolphins that escaped after Cyclone Katrina hit Louisiana?

Edited by MartianBeerPig, 25 October 2005 - 02:05 PM.

[Brinybay]

Name this sea creature (aka Think the shower scene from Psycho here folks!!):

This creature hunts by "harpooning" its victims. It has an “ordnance depot” of toxic darts ready to fire in all directions, even backwards (that would lead me to believe it's out the rear "portal"....*ahem* ). Once the victim has been paralyzed, this creature will consume its prey in a gulp. (Since the Sperm Whale was the subject of the hunt by Moby Dick - I thought turn-about was fairplay....let the creature do the "harpooning.")

Cone snails.

(Escaped killer dolphin rumor isn't true).

http://www.snopes.co...or/dolphins.asp

[Dive_Girl]

Is it those military dolphins that escaped after Cyclone Katrina hit Louisiana?

And seriously....I attended a seminar at DEMA in the beginning of this month where our presenters were the esteemed Capt. Mark Helmkamp and Mark Lonsdale. They discussed NAVY diving today and at the end of their fabulous presentation they opened the floor up to questions. One of the first was a guy seriously asking them about the status of the recovery of these dolphins....seriously!!!!

good grief....all the military guys in the room rolled their eyes. I was embarassed for him.

[MartianBeerPig]

I had a good laugh when that one started doing the rounds.

[Dive_Girl]

BrinyBay gets this one - Cone Snails. Another reason to not touch! The little buggers will stick you quicker than Norman will at the Bates Motel!!!! (was anyne else scarred by that movie?? I have always have see through shower curtains because of that movie...)

CREATURE FEATURE 19

Name this sea creature (aka Cousin IT!!):

These creatures have evolved the ability to mate as either a female or a male, increasing their odds for success. When it comes time to mate, one assumes a female role, while the other plays the role of a male. Throughout their lifetime, these creatures are capable of playing either role. Just like typical reproduction, the male creature releases its sperm, which enters the female. Internal fertilization takes place. (is it a he, is it a she….it's androgyny!)

[cmt489]

So I'm guessing if you keep one of these as a pet, you call it "Pat"?

[drbill]

Hmmm... don't see a clear cut answer to that one. There are a number of totally unrelated (evolutionarily) critters that could be an answer.

Guess I should give at least one answer... hamlets.

Edited by drbill, 25 October 2005 - 04:44 PM.

[Dive_Girl]

I know DrBill! I tried to think of a way to narrow down the playing field without giving away the answer I am looking for.

This creature is not a vertebrate.
HINT: "the male creature releases its sperm"

Hamlets are busy little sex changers, according to one source, taking sex shifting goes to dynamic extremes. Hamlets (genus Hypoplectrus) are simultaneous hermaphrodites. Hamlets hold the sex-shifting record, switching from one set of gonads to the other and back in 30 seconds or less, with an average of 14 spawns in one day. The creatures I am looking for do not switch that quickly. "Throughout their lifetime, these creatures are capable of playing either role."

And on a side note, DrBill is this your article that mentions fish that switch sexes: Dive Dry with Dr. Bill: #137: You Think Your Sex Life is Strange?

[drdiver]

Guess I'm missing something here. There are a lot of Mollusca (especially snails) that do that. Sea Hares, prosobranchs, as well as the pulmonates and opisthobranchs do this. Even some of the land pulmonates alternate roles. Teacher, I don't understand the question.

[Dive_Girl]

Oh well fish poo! Sounds like my description is too inclusive of many sea creatures. We'll call it all a draw and everyone is correct - except Hawk! (just throwing that in to see if he's reading the thread ). The sea creatures I had in mind were Sponges

CREATURE FEATURE 20

Name this water creature (aka The Creature from the Black Lagoon!!):

This creepy carnivorous water creature has razor-sharp teeth and can actually breathe out of the water and "walk" on land. (close your windows at night kiddies….)

[drdiver]

Would that be Channa argus, the Northern Snakehead or Clarias batrachus, the walking catfish?

Edited by drdiver, 25 October 2005 - 05:58 PM.

[Dive_Girl]

Yes and ICK ICK ICK!!!! It is the creepy Snakehead which has been the subject of a terrible, worse than B, horror flick "Snakehead Terror" starring Bruce Boxleitner and Carol Alt. Click here if you want more info on that SciFi flick..."When a horror from the deep hunts on land, there is no place to hide"........AAACKKKK! - You know.....this gives me another idea......mwa ha ha

CREATURE FEATURE 21

Name this sea creature (aka You big baby!!):

The ostrich is often credited with laying the largest eggs, but reportedly (caveat since I was off with the barnacle organ!) the largest egg in the world was actually laid by this sea creature. The egg was over a foot long (that's 30cm+ for your Metrics out there) and found in 1953. (now that's what I call spawn!!)

(Last one from me for the night little creatures - see y'all in the morning. So if the answer to this one is easy, you are required to post more than a simple answer. Give us some info and history on this that you can conjure up!! And if you're feeling spry, post one of your own Creature Features - many brownie points there as I'll bet some of you have some real doosies....yep I used the word doosie Grandma would be so proud! )

[ScubaHawk]

Sorry, I had a photo shoot today for one of the Features in town (sombody's got to take the "degrading" photos that nobody looks at)

When it comes to big egg layers - the Whale Shark's gotta be #1

and it so happens I have CREATURE FEATURE 22

Return of the dead.

This sea creature was thought to be extinct for 80 million years. Trouble is, nobody told the fisherman who caught one in the 30's. Although they might not have actually returned from the dead, they do take first place in the pan-species hide and seek contest.

[Dive_Girl]

OOOoooo this is a good one and made for a hilarious line in a VW commercial!