Clownfish: Cooperation

Clownfish belongs to a small, brightly colored Fish Family called Damselfish. Brilliantly colored Clownfish gets his name from his bright stripes, usually orange, black and white. Young Clownfish usually have more stripes than their Elders.

Clownfish is especially known for his relationship with Sea Anemone. Working with his host Anemone, Clownfish swims out in the coral reef to attract larger Fish nearby. After luring a Fish back to Anemone, Clownfish escapes by swimming inside Sea Anemone. Meanwhile, Anemone stings the preoccupied Fish with its tentacles. After Anemone consumes the Fish, Clownfish feeds on the remains.

Clownfish lives in a group inside Sea Anemone. The largest of the group is a breeding Female, the second largest is a breeding Male. Everyone else is male. Because their bodies are coated with mucus, Clownfish are immune to Sea Anemone’s poison.

As a Clownfish moves up the social ladder, He becomes larger and eventually changes sex. The younger Clownfish limit their growth to avoid the wrath of older Clownfish. Meanwhile, Father Clownfish cares for his Young until They are ready to leave the Anemone to join a new group at another Anemone.

Clownfish teach cooperation with those different from you. Clownfish and Sea Anemone live together for their mutual good. Clownfish receives food, shelter, and protection from Sea Anemone. In return, Clownfish protects Anemone by chasing away Butterfly Fish that like to bite off the ends of Anemone’s tentacles.

Clownfish’ Wisdom Includes:

Making Friends with Unlikely People

Being Flexible in Groups

How to be Distinctive and Well-Known

Being a Homebody

ANOMALOCARIS: Dynamic Balance

Copyright: Paleogirl at deviantart.com

The terror of the Cambrian Seas (500 million years ago), Anomalocaris cruised the warm coastal waters hunting for Trilobites.  Finding one, this super-predator grabbed her prey with her two appendages, and wiggled the exoskeleton of her victim up and down until it split open.  Then, She ate the exposed innards of the unfortunate Trilobite.  Sometimes, Anomalocaris would take a bite out of her prey with her sharp circular mouth parts.

            Growing to the size of a person, Anomalocaris resembled a shrimp with her segmented body.  To swim long distances, She moved the flaps of her body simultaneously up and down.  This action gave Her, the ability of a fish in swimming.  Because Anomalocaris could cruise and hover, She became the apex predator of her time.

            In searching the sea floor for tasty Trilobites, Anomalocaris used her two compound eyes on the top of stalks.  The most notable feature of Anomalocaris was her eyes, which were as complex as a modern Dragonfly.  As the first known apex predator, She proved that eyes developed before joined legs, since vision was more important in the early oceans.

            Anomalocaris personified the “arms race” known as the Predator-Prey dynamic, which keeps a dynamic balance.  With her advanced eyes, She could hunt her prey.  Meanwhile to avoid being eaten by Anomalocaris, Trilobites learned to roll up in a ball.

            The Predator-Prey dynamic became a path to balanced growth.  To avoid being eaten, the prey created new strategies for defense.  Then the predator devised new offensive strategies for hunting.  Balance was maintained as each changed themselves to outwit the other, shapeshifting and growing in the process.  When we need to grow but still keep our balance, we can look to Anomalocaris and Trilobites.  Each shows us what we need to do in their dance of dynamic balance as predator and prey.
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Trilobite Family: Diversity (2 of 2)

Copyright: Paleogirl on deviantArt

However, the most important role of Trilobites for scientists is in estimating the ages of other fossils.  Because They lived throughout in the entire Paleozoic Era, Trilobites are often found with other fossils of this Era.  Since Trilobites evolved into being an extremely diverse Class of animals, their fossils can be used to pin-point the particular time periods of the other fossils.

            Being diverse was the key to the longevity of Trilobites as a species.  During the Cambrian Period (600 mya), four Orders of Trilobites came into being.  During the Cambrian Mass Extinction Event (500 mya), one Order did go extinct.  However during the Ordovician Period (450 mya), two new Orders emerged, who colonized the new coral reefs.  Only one Order of Trilobites survived the Devonian Extinction Event (350 mya).  This meant that the Class of Trilobita (Trilobites) was bottlenecked into the Proetida Order who lived in both deep and shallow waters.  These small Trilobites had unusually large eyes and spines on either side of their heads.  When life was pushed to the brink of extinction during the Permian Great Dying (about 250 mya), this final group of Trilobites died out.

            This great diversity enabled Trilobites to exist for over 300 million years, longer than many other species.  Paleontologists could find these animals in every marine environment in every shape and size.  But as Trilobites lost their ability to adapt and to become more diverse, They declined in numbers and eventually went extinct.

            From Trilobites, we learn that the key to survival is to be adaptable and diverse.  Moreover, the most important aspect to staying strong is embracing diversity.  When Trilobites ceased to adapt, They died out.  When we refuse accept diversity, we should remember the final fate of Trilobites.  Let Trilobites show you how to adapt successfully.
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To purchase Paleogirl's plush trilobite toys and other prehistoric animals: Paleogirl at .deviantart.com or at her Esty-store:  Plush Extinct Invertebrates and More

Trilobites: Diversity (1 of 2)

Besides Dinosaurs, Trilobites are also a famous and well-studied species from prehistory.  Unlike Dinosaurs, who are two distinct groupings of animals artificially placed in one Superorder, Trilobites occur naturally as Class of Marine Arthropods.  This Class of ancient sea animals consists of 10 Orders, 150 families, 5000 genera, and 20,000 (and counting) discovered species.  Found worldwide, They differed according to the particular water depth, temperature and geography of the world’s oceans where They lived.

            All Trilobites have the same basic body plan, which consists of a head (cephalon), a body (thorax), and a tail (pygidium).  These marine animals received their name which means “three lobed” from their three side to side lobes – left (pleural), central (axial), and right.  Beyond this standard body, many Trilobites developed unique features such as sharp spines or horseshoe-shaped heads.

            This diversity in adaptation enabled Trilobites to be one of the longest surviving species in the world.  Believed to have emerged about 700 million years ago (mya) during the Pre-Cambrian Eon, Trilobites came into their own about 500 mya during the Cambrian Life Explosion.  Living through the entire Paleozoic Era (about 300 million years in duration), They became extinct during the Great Dying of the Permian Period (about 250 mya).

            Besides being noted for their longevity, Trilobites were also one of the first animals on earth to possess eyes.  Their eyes were made of calcite crystals laid out in rows of 100 to 15,000 lenses.  Using their eyes, Trilobites could sense movement, which helped Them to hunt as well as to hide from Predators.  Once early animals developed eyes, the predator-prey dynamic took hold.

            Since They were so common and widespread in the Paleozoic Era, Trilobites are studied in great detail by paleontologists to understand the processes of early evolution.  In fact, They were the first extinct animals to be studied by early scientists.  Since the fossils of Trilobites were readily found in Burgess-Shale type deposits, paleontologists could trace the beginning of complex life systems by examining the developments of Trilobites.

Cuttlefish: Cunning

Cuttlefish, like their cousin Octopus, will hide during the day and feed at night. However, Cuttlefish differ from Octopus by having a shell inside their mantle, like the Squid, their other cousin. This is the cuttlebone, which helps the Cuttlefish regulate their buoyancy.

The cunning Cuttlefish will hide in sand or seaweed with its tentacles forward, wiggling like fat worms. When an unsuspecting fish investigates the "worms", Cuttlefish will jet forward and grab the fish. Sometimes, Cuttlefish will sneak up behind Crab and nab Him with Her tentacles. Just be careful that you do not just rely only on your wiles. Cuttlefish have other means of protecting Herself such as the ability to change color and to squirt ink to hide.

Cuttlefish' Teachings Include: "Cuttlefish ultimately heralds a legacy; something you're planning on leaving your children, or something being kept in store for you." Copyright: "Australian Animal Dreaming", Scott Alexander King

Cuttlefish' Wisdom Includes:
Protection
Having Relations
Escape
 Intelligence

Octopus: Facing Difficult Situations

Cuttlefish, Octopus, and Squid are Cephalopoda (which means head-footed). Their tentacles (feet) project from their head region. Like all Cephalopods, Octopus defends Herself by releasing a cloud of black ink. The difference between an Octopus and a Squid is that the Octopus has eight tentacles and no shell, whereas the Squid has more tentacles and a shell.

This intelligent Cephalopod is an escape artist. Without a hard shell, the Octopus can squeeze into and out of very small openings. In pursuit of food, the Octopus can go anywhere with little trouble.

However, Octopus is anti-social, preferring to live in caves. Some will block the entrances to their den with rocks to keep intruders out. Remember, that although Octopus has much to teach, She has problems with groups.

Octopus' Teachings Include:
“Octopus is telling you to take a step away and hide behind the smokescreen, see what is happening fully before acting - when you do, it will be more effective." Copyright: Unknown

“The octopus has a built-in defense system to guard against negative attack. She teaches us to guard against those negative persons and situations that might otherwise harm us.” Copyright: Unknown
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