|
|
|
Painted Spiny Lobster
 |
|
| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Painted like a colorful rock with many legs, the spiny lobster uses disruptive coloration or a form of camouflage that breaks up the shape of the animal making it harder to be seen. Stripes, squiggles and spots on its hard shell blend this lobster into the colors and textures of the coral reef. The spiny lobster doesn’t have pincers or claws like most other lobsters. They use legs called walking legs to move about.
Did You Know?
Lobsters can cast off a leg if it is bitten by a predator. This strategy helps to keep the lobster from getting an infection in an open wound where the animals would have bit it. By casting off the limb, the lobster can seal off the place where the leg attached. Eventually, the lobster will regrow or regenerate the leg.
Spiny lobsters produce noises to warn other lobsters to stay out of their territory. They rub the hard area at the bottom of their antennae against ridges on their head. It makes a grating noise that warns others to stay away.
Like a house fly, the spiny lobster has compound eyes. The eye is made of thousands of tiny cylinders that each has their own lens and light receptor. Each cylinder can see part of the image before them, creating a mosaic out of what the animal is seeing. The eyes of the tiny lobster are high on stalks and protected by a clear casing that is part of the lobster’s hard outer shell. Having eyes up high gives the lobster a complete view in front and to the sides.
Scientists are modeling a new telescope after the lobster’s eye. It will give the widest available view of the sky of any telescope. Mounting this type of telescope to a satellite will do years of space surveying work in just weeks.
To quickly escape from predators, the spiny lobster pumps the strong muscles in its tail to shoot off backwards.
More info:
http://www.sheddaquarium.org/sea/fact_sheets.cfm?id=97#
PHOTO:
I wish I hadn't needed to crop off his red antennae - but they are extremely LONG! In fact, he seemed as curious about me as I was about him - he extended one up out of the water, touched me, and quickly retreated. Taken at Ocean Journey in Denver, Colorado. Cropped, levels, USM, resized. |
ellis49, Lourens, Callie, milloup, Luc has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes. |
|
|
| Discussions |
| None | | You must be logged in to start a discussion. |
|
Very colourful Jennifer.
Never seen someting like this.
Great colours, very good details and note.
Very well done.
Happy New Year.
Great image, Jennifer. Very interesting colours. Excellent work. Great note too.
- Callie
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1243 W: 106 N: 2606]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(7501) - [2004-12-30 14:38]
-
Hi Jennifer
A real Mardi Gras outfit this guy is wearing, and such a nice BG too. I enjoyed reading the note as well. Next time, zoom out, and get the whole lobster, and then the details, Always shoot as many angles and views as you can, then you can use some as WS too!
What an extraordinarily colourful chap you've captured here ;-) Great sharpness and good light but maybe a bit closely cropped top and bottom.
Composition: ****
Sharpness: ***
Color: ****
DOF: ***
POV: ****
Note:***
Great shot stunning colors.
TFS.
Happy new year
-
- Luc
(14719)
- [2005-01-15 1:04]
-
Very colorfull picture, Jennifer.
I like it very much.
You did a great job of painting here! ;-)
Good composition and PoV.
Thanks for sharing.
![Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 19 W: 0 N: 114]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-g.gif){kind=small}
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 191 W: 0 N: 316]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(1130)![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 538 W: 48 N: 628]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(1704)![Gold Star Critiquer [C: 1752 W: 0 N: 0]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-n.gif)
(0)