Jual Obat Cytotec COD mahakam ulu 085334765071 Obat aborsi COD mahakam Ulu

More documents

Recommendations

Info

creature featureMARTA MORTON — WWW.HARBOURCLUBVILLAS.COMChitons are recognized by eight overlapping armor plates surroundedand held together by a leathery girdle.Armadillos of the SeaChitons possess a range of amazing qualities.By Brian Heagney, B.Sc Marine BiologyTucked away in intertidal rock pools on the southwest point of Gibbs Cay in the Turks Islands, there areclusters of tiny dinosaurs called chitons. These ancient mariners are easily overlooked by the untrainedeye, but they do deserve a second glance if you have the chance to visit “Stingray Island.” With a fossilrecord stretching back to the Devonion period 400 million years ago, these surprising little critters havea design that has successfully stood the test of time.28 www.timespub.tc
Chitons, commonly referred to as Coat of Mail shellsor Sea Cradles, are a relatively small marine mollusc easilyrecognized by eight overlapping armor plates (valves)surrounded and held together by a leathery girdle ormantle. Small nodules of the mineral aragonite embeddedin the shell provide a lens through which the aesthetes(unique light sensitive cells) lying below can detect light,movement and possibly even discern shapes. The chitonessentially “sees” through these opaque rocks in its shell,visual equipment unlike that of almost any other creature.The girdle is often ornamented with hairy tufts, bristles,spikes or scales that provide camouflage and mayalso aid in defence. In some species including the largest(the Gumboot Chiton or Wandering Meatloaf), the mantleactually covers the entire shell.The armor plates themselves are articulated and canflex and move over each other, offering both protectionand freedom of movement over the jagged intertidalrocks on which they choose to make their home. Whena chiton dies, the girdle decomposes and the individualplates fall apart. These may be discovered by keen-eyedbeachcombers and are referred to as Butterfly Shells.Most chitons are herbivorous grazers, roaming therocks under cover of darkness, feeding on encrustingalgae by scraping it into their mouth with a tooth-coveredtongue called a radula (from the Latin radere “to scrape”).There are, however, some carniverous chitons, competingwith all the suspense and horror of a good Ridley Scottmovie. The predatory species Placiphorella velata waitspatiently in ambush, its body held aloft. Smaller animalsseeking shelter and shade under this murderous caveare crushed to death and consumed should they inadvertentlytouch the sensitive tentacles below and spring thedeadly trap above.The chiton’s teeth are of significant interest to scienceas their microscopic structure and composition—amatrix of organic tissue and inorganic minerals—makesthe teeth incredibly wear-resistant, allowing the chiton tononchalantly chew through rock. A chiton literally makesits home (scar) in the rock by eating the rock away. Theteeth contain magnetite or iron (II, III) oxide, a crystalcompound that is also found in the beaks of homingpigeons and is the most magnetic of all the natural minerals.These highly magnetic inorganic teeth are foundnowhere else in the animal kingdom and may explain thechiton’s remarkable homing ability, after a night of foraging,to use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate backto precisely the same home scar in the rock.Their taxonomic class name is Polyplachophora(many plated). Unlike most molluscs, conch for example,chitons cannot withdraw back into their shell. Insteadthey use their very powerful, muscular foot to cling tothe rocks like a limpet and are almost impossible to priseoff. When dislodged from the substrate, the chiton canroll up into a protective ball, like a tiny marine armadillo.The chitons’ main predators are man (naturally),seagulls, starfish, crabs, lobsters and fish. Chitonsare eaten in several parts of the world including theCaribbean islands of Trinidad, Tobago, The Bahamas,Aruba, Anguilla, Bonaire, St. Maarten and Barbados. Thefoot of the chiton is prepared in a manner similar to abalone.They don’t seem to be on the menu in the Turks &Caicos though, conch being the much-preferred option.Next time you look into a rock pool you may see alittle armored snail, present from the dawn of time withmagnetic teeth that can pulverize rock with its tongueand see through eyes of made of stone—an amazing littleanimal that you probably didn’t even know was there. aA native of Ireland, Brian moved to the Turks & Caicoswith his wife Sabine in 2016 where they opened TheHumpback Dive Shack on Grand Turk.Times of the Islands Spring 2020 29
Page 1 and 2: TIMESSAMPLING THE SOUL OF THE TURKS
Page 3 and 4: EVERYTHING’S INCLUDED FOR EVERYON
Page 5 and 6: TurksAndCaicosProperty.comBernadett
Page 7 and 8: Introducing the BoathousesThe Boath
Page 9 and 10: The Last of the True ExoticsIsFIRST
Page 11 and 12: World-ClassMaster Chefs5-Star Globa
Page 13 and 14: TurksandCaicosRealEstate.comw/Direc
Page 15 and 16: getting to knowFrom top: Gus walks
Page 17 and 18: PROVEN IN PROVO435’ on Grace Bay
Page 19 and 20: while not at sea participating in h
Page 21: the TCI. Local members were now inv
Page 24 and 25: Here we are, some 124 years later,
Page 26 and 27: Ferry Fall 17_Layout 1 8/22/17 12:5
Page 30 and 31: green pagesnewsletter of the depart
Page 32 and 33: green pages newsletter of the depar
Page 44 and 45: MARTA MORTON—WWW.HARBOURCLUBVILLA
Page 46 and 47: Exile and second chancesThe story o
Page 48 and 49: many belonged to whom and the purch
Page 50 and 51: and forced to work as a slave on a
Page 52 and 53: side. However, Lorimer still felt c
Page 55 and 56: featureOpposite page and above: The
Page 57 and 58: Above: Hon. Edwin Astwood, TCI Mini
Page 59 and 60: campaign that would continue spread
Page 61 and 62: The SNAP Centre garden is sponsored
Page 63 and 64: astrolabenewsletter of the Turks &
Page 65 and 66: astrolabe newsletter of the Turks &
Page 71 and 72: around the islandsLovey Forbes and
Page 73 and 74: about the IslandsMap provided court
Page 75 and 76: TelecommunicationsFLOW Ltd. provide
Page 77 and 78: bahamensis). The National Costume c
Page 79 and 80:
where to stayTimes of the Islands S
Page 81 and 82:
diningTimes of the Islands Spring 2
Page 83 and 84:
SUSTAINABLEENERGYYou CanCount OnR-N
show all

Jual Obat Cytotec COD mahakam ulu 085334765071 Obat aborsi COD mahakam Ulu

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?