The Pacific Banana Slug
By: Demi DeRose

Introduction:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Arionidae
Genus: Ariolimax
Species: Ariolimax Californicus (California Banana Slug), Ariolimax Columbianus (Pacific Banana Slug) & Ariolimax Columbianus (Slender Banana Slug)

The banana slug is the common name used to describe 3 air breathing land slugs. The Ariolimax Columbianus is commonly called the Pacific Banana Slug, and was discovered in 1851 by Gould. All 3 of these species are often yellow, and sometimes have black spots, resembling an overripe banana! This banana slug is usually found along the Pacific coast, from as far north as Alaska to as south as California, where there is the highest concentration of banana slugs. Most banana slugs are found on forest floors respire through their skin so they need a moist living environment. They are known as “decomposers” in forests, because they break down plant material and produce a nitrogen rich fertilizer. The Pacific banana slug is the 2nd largest species of terrestrial slugs in the world. This slug can grow up to 25 cm long, and as heavy as 4 oz.

Photos:








Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB3scGais-4&feature=related

Anatomy:

The coloration of the slugs change depending on their diet and how much moisture is in their environment
Have a muscular foot for locomotion& a mantle
Lungs that open to outside air through a Pneumostome for respiration
2 pairs of retractable tentacles (optical used to sense light& sensory used to sense smells)

Form& Function:
The Pacific banana slug is an herbivore (plant eating), and eats materials such as: leaves, dead plants, fungi, and animal droppings. The banana slug eats their food by using their radula made up of many rows of teeth used to grind up their food particles.
The Pacific Banana Slug reproduces hermaphroditically. Because slugs are dioecious, we automatically assume that they “self fertilize,” but it is more often that the slugs cross mate. Meaning that when the slug is ready to mate it leaves behind a chemical in its slime to signal potential mates (use their sensory tentacles). Before mating, they ingest each others slime. When the mating occurs, the slugs exchange sperm that fertilizers the eggs internally. The banana slug can produce up to 20 translucent eggs from just one sperm exchange.

Impact on the World& Humanity:
The banana slugs have no economic importance for humans, and are sometimes considered pests by gardeners when they eat garden plants and flowers.
A positive impact that the banana slugs has is that after it has eaten and the nutrients has cycled through the body, the slug creates a nitrogen rich fertilizer for the surrounding environment.

Journal Article Review:
FROM SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY:
The banana slug is a mollusc and has evolved greatly. Their stages of evolution can be seen in other various species and they are believed to have evolved from marine snails, and at one point, were protected by a shell. But because of the extreme adaptation that the slug has gone through, fossils are extremely challenging to distort, and draw conclusions from.
Also in article, she states that: Slugs love to eat strawberries, lettuce, and poison oak. And FUN FACT: The University of California, Santa Cruz, announced their schools mascot to be a Banana Slug, this was inspired by the amount of banana slugs found in forests surrounding the campus.


Work Cited:
Works Cited
"Banana Slug." Park Guide - a source for information on parks in the West. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .
"Banana slug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .
Morrow, Jasmine. "Biogeography of the Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus)." redirect. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .
Thomas, Kristen. "ADW: Ariolimax columbianus: Information." Animal Diversity Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .
"banana slug anatomy - Bing Images." Bing. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .

The Pacific Banana Slug by Demi DeRose

The Pacific Banana Slug

By: Demi DeRose

Introduction:

          Kingdom: Animalia

          Phylum: Mollusca

          Class: Gastropoda

          Order: Stylommatophora

          Family: Arionidae

          Genus: Ariolimax

          Species: Ariolimax Californicus (California Banana Slug), Ariolimax Columbianus (Pacific Banana Slug) & Ariolimax Columbianus (Slender Banana Slug)

      

          The banana slug is the common name used to describe 3 air breathing land slugs. The Ariolimax Columbianus is commonly called the Pacific Banana Slug, and was discovered in 1851 by Gould.  All 3 of these species are often yellow, and sometimes have black spots, resembling an overripe banana! This banana slug is usually found along the Pacific coast, from as far north as Alaska to as south as California, where there is the highest concentration of banana slugs.  Most banana slugs are found on forest floors respire through their skin so they need a moist living environment.  They are known as “decomposers” in forests, because they break down plant material and produce a nitrogen rich fertilizer. The Pacific banana slug is the 2^nd largest species of terrestrial slugs in the world.  This slug can grow up to 25 cm long, and as heavy as 4 oz.

Photos:

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB3scGais-4&feature=related

Anatomy:

                    The coloration of the slugs change depending on their diet and how much moisture is in their environment

                    Have a muscular foot for locomotion& a mantle

                    Lungs that open to outside air through a Pneumostome for respiration

                    2 pairs of retractable tentacles (optical used to sense light& sensory used to sense smells)

Form& Function:

          The Pacific banana slug is an herbivore (plant eating), and eats materials such as: leaves, dead plants, fungi, and animal droppings.  The banana slug eats their food by using their radula made up of many rows of teeth used to grind up their food particles.

          The Pacific Banana Slug reproduces hermaphroditically.  Because slugs are dioecious, we automatically assume that they “self fertilize,” but it is more often that the slugs cross mate.  Meaning that when the slug is ready to mate it leaves behind a chemical in its slime to signal potential mates (use their sensory tentacles).  Before mating, they ingest each others slime.  When the mating occurs, the slugs exchange sperm that fertilizers the eggs internally.  The banana slug can produce up to 20 translucent eggs from just one sperm exchange. 

Impact on the World& Humanity:

          The banana slugs have no economic importance for humans, and are sometimes considered pests by gardeners when they eat garden plants and flowers.

          A positive impact that the banana slugs has is that after it has eaten and the nutrients has cycled through the body, the slug creates a nitrogen rich fertilizer for the surrounding environment.

Journal Article Review:

FROM SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY:

          The banana slug is a mollusc and has evolved greatly.  Their stages of evolution can be seen in other various species and they are believed to have evolved from marine snails, and at one point, were protected by a shell.  But because of the extreme adaptation that the slug has gone through, fossils are extremely challenging to distort, and draw conclusions from.

          Also in article, she states that: Slugs love to eat strawberries, lettuce, and poison oak. And FUN FACT: The University of California, Santa Cruz, announced their schools mascot to be a Banana Slug, this was inspired by the amount of banana slugs found in forests surrounding the campus. 

         

Work Cited:

Works Cited

"Banana Slug." Park Guide - a source for information on parks in the West. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <http://kennethadair.org/banana.htm>.

"Banana slug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_slug>.

Morrow, Jasmine. "Biogeography of the Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus)." redirect. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://bss.sfsu.edu/holzman/courses/Fall00Projects/bananaslug.html>.

Thomas, Kristen. "ADW:     Ariolimax columbianus: Information." Animal Diversity Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ariolimax_columbianus.html>.

"banana slug anatomy - Bing Images." Bing. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=banana+slug+anatomy&view=detail&id=C8E07729225E45F3FBB205EB4BEA08273ED96058&first=1&FORM=IDFRIR>.

The Atlantic Horseshoe Crab! by Connie Gould

The Atlantic Horseshoe Crab! (Limulus polyphemus)

Introduction
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Merostomata
Order: Xiphosura
Family: Limulidae
Genus: Limulus
Species: L. polyphemus
The Atlantic horseshoe crab lives primarily in shallow ocean waters on soft, sandy, or muddy bottoms. They do, however, come ashore for mating in the late spring, and they spend their winters on the continental shelf. There are four species of horseshoe crab and are the only remaining members of the order Xiphosura, one of the oldest classes of marine arthropods. Despite their name, they are actually not crabs, but are related to arachnids (e.g. spiders, scorpions, ticks, and mites). The name “limulus” means “askew” and “polyphemus” refers to the one-eyed giant in Greek mythology.
Anatomy
The Atlantic horseshoe crab has three parts to its body: the prosoma (the anterior region), the opisthosoma (the abdominal region) and the telson, a spine-like tail. They have a hard outer shell (an exoskeleton), 5 pairs of jointed legs (the first four are used for walking, while the last pair are located near the gills and are used for pushing. They also have a pair of pincers. They can grow up to 2 feet long and weigh up to 10 pounds. The horseshoe crab sheds its skin as it matures. The male horseshoe crab is smaller than the female; being two-thirds the female’s size. The horseshoe crab has two pairs of eyes; the first pair is compound, and the other pair is simple.

Form and Function
Horseshoe crabs are scavengers and feed on molluscs, worms, crustaceans, and small fish. They obtain their food by using chelicerae, which are feeding appendages which are jointed and sometimes will have claws. The chelicerae are used to push food into the mouth while mandibles cut or grasp the food. The food passes from the mouth into the esophagus then into a crop and a gizzard that grind the food, before finally passing into the stomach and intestine and ends in the anus which is located ventrally in front of the telson. Behind the horseshoe crab legs, they have book gills, which exchange respiratory gases and can sometimes be used for swimming. One interesting thing about horseshoe crabs is that they have no hemoglobin in their blood, and instead must rely on hemocyanin to carry oxygen. Because of the copper found in the hemocyanin, their blood is blue. Their blood contains cells called amebocytes, which are similar to white blood cells in humans. The horseshoe crabs protects itself against predators with its hard shell covering, and its spiked tail (the telson) is used as a rudder, so say the crab finds itself flipped upside down, it can bend it abdomen at the point where it meets the main shell, and can dig into the sand (the tail serving as an anchor) while it turns itself over. To reproduce, horseshoe crabs come ashore to shallow coastal waters. The male finds a female and clings onto her back. The female will then dig a hole in sand, lay her eggs, and the male will fertilize them. The eggs (if they survive the wrath of the many hungry shore birds) take two weeks to hatch. The horseshoe crab excretes waste through an anus located on the ventral side near the telson.








Impact on Humanity
Horseshoe crabs are frequently used as bait for eel and conch fishing, especially in the USA. It is important to conserve the horseshoe crab and prevent their endangerment because of the time it takes for them to reach sexual maturity, which is not reached for 9 to 12 years, and their eggs are a very important part of the food web, as they are sources of nutrition for many shore bird communities. Horseshoe crabs are also used in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries. Horseshoe crabs have blue blood that clots when exposed to endotoxins (a dangerous class of chemicals). This clotting feature serves as an important alarm system to pharmaceutical companies which need to test the sterility of fluids intended for use on human patients.








Journal Article Review
The article discusses how the decline in the numbers of horseshoe crabs could signify climate change. While most people attribute the decrease in the horseshoe crab population to overharvesting for fishing bait, new research suggests that climate change also plays a role in modifying the numbers of horseshoe crabs. The decline in horseshoe crabs draws parallels to climate change experienced near the end of the last ice age. The decrease in horseshoe crabs could impose serious problems for nearby wildlife that feed on their eggs, such as Atlantic loggerhead sea turtles.











Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHjPCzgJkfo&feature=fvst
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrrYtOc6Y0c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJHfYtJ2caY
Sources
"Climate Change Implicated in Decline of Horseshoe Crabs." Welcome to the USGS - U.S. Geological Survey. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .
"Horseshoe Crab." Assateague Animals and Plants. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .
"Horseshoe Crab." Enchanted Learning. Web. .
"Horseshoe Crab." Wikipedia. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .
"Limulus Polyphemus." Smithsonian Marine Station (SMS) at Fort Pierce. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .

Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum Stellatarum) By Dylan Burchett

Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum Stellatarum)
By Dylan Burchett



Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Macroglossum
Species: M. stellatarum

The Humming bird Hawkmoth is a species of moth most known for its resemblance in both physical appearance and lifestyle to the hummingbird. This remarkable resemblance is often theorized to be a result of convergent evolution, meaning that it is a great example of two unrelated lineages that have acquired the same biological trait(s). The Hummingbird Hawkmoth is found through much of Europe and Asia, where it flourishes in the summertime and in warmer climates. The Hummingbird Hawkmoth will fly in day or night, rain or shine which is unusual for moths in general. The Hummingbird Hawkmoth has also shown to have a good ability to learn colors, and has shown to have a good memory, often returning to the same flowerbeds at the same time of day in repetition.

Anatomy

Adult Hummingbird Hawkmoths are brown and black on their forewings and black and orange on their hindwings. Their wingspan is 40-45 millimeters and their wings beat fast enough to give off a hum, much like the humming bird.


Form and Function

Hummingbird Hawkmoths feed on the nectar of various plants with their proboscis and are able to hover near the flowers they wish to feed from for long periods of time. Hummingbird Hawkmoths reproduce in pairs by internal fertalization, their courtship can often be seen near large cliffs, buildings, or large areas of open ground. Once a female’s ova have been fertilized, the female feeds and then searches for a proper patch of Galium aparine to deposit its ova on, depositing up to 200 ova at a time. The eggs look similar to the flower buds of the host plant, and will hatch 6-8 days after being deposited. Once the eggs are hatched, a larval stage begins, which lasts about 20 days. The larva will feed on the host plant until becoming pupae. Once maturing is complete, the Hummingbird Hawkmoth will leave its cocoon and come out into the world.

Impact on Humanity

I would assume that the Hummingbird Hawkmoth has some affect on flower pollination, be it the actual transference of pollen, or the prevention of other animals from utilizing their flowers for pollination.

Journal Article Review

http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/199/5/1127.pdf

This is a journal article about the study of color learning in the Hummingbird Hawkmoth. In this study, a dual-choice situation was created in which two different colored flowers were presented, one giving a reward and the other not. In the study, the Hummingbird Hawkmoth was shown to learn to not only visit the rewarded color, but to avoid the unrewarded color.

The Earwig... by jacque prado

I.Introduction:
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda (image 1)

Subphylum: Hexapoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Dermaptera

Earwigs make up the order Dermaptera, which translates into skin wings. They are a smaller insect order with only 1,800 species in 12 families. They are found throughout North and South America, Eurasia, Australia, and New Zealand. They are nocturnal and undergo around 5 molts per year (which is about their life span). Many earwigs are epizoic and some show signs of maternal care, which is very uncommon for insects.

II. Anatomy:

(image 2 & 3)

Most earwigs’ bodies are flattened and flexible abdomens to help them fit into tight crevices. They normally grow between 7-50 millimeters and are characterized by the pincers on their abdomen. The males have curved pincers and the females have straight ones. They fold their wings under their pincers which they rarely use to fly. The epizoic species do not have wings.

III. Form and Function:

Earwigs use their pincers to obtain their food and to protect themselves. They are normally scavengers but can also be omnivores and predators. They are one of the few insects that actually hunt for their food. They prey on arthropods, plants, and ripe fruit. They are eaten by birds, lizards, centipedes, and spiders.

Earwigs are hemimetabolous, which means they go through incomplete metamorphosis. After the male and female mate, the sperm sometimes remains in the female for months before the eggs are fertilized. The female then begins to lay about 80 white eggs in 2 days. The babies hatch within 7 days. The mother will warm, clean, and defend the eggs until they hatch. The parasitic earwigs give birth to live babies. The mother takes care of the babies until their second molting.

(image 4&5)

IV.Impact on the World/Humanity:

They do not transmit any diseases to humans or any animals. An urban legend says that they crawl into human ears and lay eggs in the brain….finding them in a human ear is very uncommon.

They are helpful and harmful to crops. They eat the insects that infest the crops yet also eat the crops themselves.

V. Journal Article review:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/owt/blowt-earwig.htm

This journal article is about the urban legend of earwigs crawling into peoples ears and causing them to go deaf and experience pain. This article is saying how it’s a false myth and that earwigs do not harm people.

Sources:

images 1,2,3,5- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earwigs

images 4- http://agspsrv34.agric.wa.gov.au/ento/pestweb/Images/earwig1.gif

"Earwig." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. .

The Bobbit Snail

The Bobbit Worm
By Zachary Kaye

Classification:

l Phylum: Annelida
l Class: Polychaete
l Order: Eunicida
l Genus: Eunis
l Species: Eunice Aphriditois

Introduction:

The Bobbit Worm (Eunice Aphriditois) is a marine polychaete that lives in depths of around 30 feet. It is a menacing predator and is also known as the Eunice Worm. It is a very rare polychaete and can only be found in select locations. It has only been found in Police Pier & Nudie Retreat in Lembeh, Indonesia, Basura, Phillipines, and Secret Bay, Bali, Indonesia. However, other members of the Eunis family can be found throughout regions of the Pacific Ocean, usually warmer waters.

Anatomy:

The main body of the Bobbit Worm is a shell with approximately 29 legs on each side depending on the length of the animal.
It has 5 antennas on the top of its head that it uses to sense objects and to feed.
On the end of each antenna are sensory receptors.
It has a two piece jaw used for consuming its prey.
They have a pair of eyes; however they are not very useful.


Form and Function:

Bobbit Worms burrow into the ground, which is usually sandy sentiment. They wait there most of the time unless food is scarce, in which they will scout out for food. When prey swims or crawls nearby, the Bobbit Worm senses it with its sensory receptors on each of its antennae, and lashes out, ambushing and eating its prey. It has been known to attack so quickly that it slices the animal in half. It will then pull it into its mouth, where its sharp teeth tear up the prey and prepare it for digestion. Even though they do have eyes, they do not help much in regards to feeding. Some species of Eunice have bristles on their body that are capable of stinging humans and leaving them with permanent numbness.

Reproduction:

Bobbit Worms are called broadcast spawners, which means that the male and female shoot their sperm and eggs into the water. The egg and sperm meet and the egg are fertilized and soon start to grow. There is no copulation or formal mating as the males and females never actually touch each other. Only a select amount of Bobbit Worms look after their young after they are born, and even these species do so minimally. Some also produce egg cocoons; however will not even feed their young. Reproduction occurs when the worm is usually around 3 inches long. This means that they are very young when they reproduce, saying that they can live to be up to three meters long.

Impact on the World:

Unfortunately, Bobbit Worms do not have an impact on humanity. This is most likely because of the lack of knowledge of these animals. The only slight impact would be controlling the population of animals that they feed off of.


Journal/Article Review:

A four foot “sea monster” had been destroying coral at the Newquay Aquarium, located in the UK. Workers had been curious as to what had been destroying all the coral. Not being able to find out what it was they dismantled the whole aquarium space rock by rock. While doing so they discovered Barry, the four foot-long Bobbit Worm. Not only was this one of the longest Bobbit Worms ever found, but it was one of the species that contained the bristles capable of leaving permanent numbness. Studies are being done on the bristles and how exactly they work.

Video of Feeding:

Bibliography:

http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/bobbit-worm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobbit_worm
http://www.mesa.edu.au/friends/seashores/e_aphroditois.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1165930/Barry-giant-sea-worm-discovered-aquarium-staff-mysterious-attacks-coral-reef.html

Bombardier Beetle

By Sarah Smith

Intro:
Bombardier beetles are a form of ground beetles, also known as Carabidae. There are over 500 species of them, and they all have an extremely unique defense mechanism. When frightened, the make a popping sound and then eject a spray of chemical toxins which can reach up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. They are also capable of aiming their defense glands which can rotate 270 degrees very accurately. Bombardier beetles live every continent except Antartica and Asia. They are usually found in woodlands in tropical areas, but can be found in most places that are moist where they can lay their eggs. They are carnivorous, and usually hunt at night. They eat other insects, and sometimes other beetles.

Classification:

Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Carabidae

Anatomy:

Form and Function:

The chemical that bombardier beetles eject is a combination of two chemical compounds, hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide. Inside the insect, there are two chambers, containing each chemical separated. When threatened, however, it contracts muscles which force the two chemicals into a mixing chamber in the abdomen which contains water and a mixture of catalytic enzymes. When they are mixed, they form a chemical reaction which heats it to the boiling point of water. Because of the pressure from the boiling, the valves from the storage chamber close, which protects the internal organs. Then, the liquid becomes a gas because of Flash Evaporation. Flash evaporation is when a vapor comes from a liquid when it undergoes a reduction in pressure and passes through a valve. The liquid is shot out through a valve, creating a loud popping sound and frightens and burns the predator.
Like most beetles, bombardier beetles mate to reproduce sexually. They have four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. They are usually found in woodlands in tropical areas, but can be found in most places that are moist where they can lay their eggs. They are carnivorous, and usually hunt at night. They eat other insects, and sometimes other beetles.

Impact on World/Humanity:
Bombardier beetles do not affect humans economically or in any other direct way, however they can cause damage if you get sprayed by one. The main way that they affect people is through the debate of creation versus evolution. Their origin is a comon dispute among scientists.

Journal Article:
Creationism—bombardier beetle
Nature Friend magazine
http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v12/i1/bombardier.asp
This article talks about how the Bombardier Beetle came into existence. Dr. Schildknecht, a German chemist, states that the bombardier beetle is far too complex to have simply evolved. Because of the fact that two chemicals can be contained in separate chambers and then mixed at just the right time, without blowing the beetle up, and containing the right enzymes, is far too complex to have happened by chance or natural selection.

Really Cool Video!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pib9qT-pccI

Sources:

http://outlook.seacrest.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://insects.about.com/od/coolandunusualinsects/a/bombdefenses.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_beetle

http://www.aboundingjoy.com/beetle-fs.html