New Species of Plants and Animals Discovered

Scintillating Sea Creatures and their Uniqueness

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Scintillating Sea Creatures mentioned in the newscard

Mains level: NA

 

Why in the News?

“Scintillating” means sparkling or shining brightly, often used metaphorically to describe something lively, exciting, or brilliantly clever.

Species Description Notable Features IUCN Status
Seahorses

Small, dragon-like creatures inhabiting tropical seas.
  • Vibrant colors and intricate camouflage
  • Unique parenting style with male nurturing eggs
Status: Near Threatened
Mantis Shrimp

 

Colorful crustaceans found in tropical waters, known for hunting prowess.
  • Impressive stabbing or punching abilities
  • Display familial bonds
Status: Least Concerned
Octopus

Highly intelligent marine creatures with a wise demeanor.
  • They have three functioning hearts.
  • Venomous beaks and powerful suckers.
  • Solitary nature, adept at camouflage
Status: Least Concerned

Recently, marine scientists have discovered a new Octopus nursery off the coast of Costa Rica.

Starfish

Also known as sea stars, possess remarkable regenerative abilities.

Starfish have two stomachs – the pyloric and the cardiac stomach.

  • Each arm contains vital organs.
  • Starfish belongs to the phylum Echinodermata group. Echinodermata are so named owing to their spiny skin
  • They have a unique feeding method involving stomach extrusion.
Status: The Sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) is Critically Endangered.
Hermit Crabs

Resourceful creatures use discarded shells for shelter.
  • They use empty snail shells or other hollow objects as a shelter for partial containment and protection of the body.
  • Hermit crabs occur in sandy- or muddy-bottomed marine waters and occasionally on land and in trees.
  • Status: Least Concerned
  • The majority of terrestrial hermit crab species worldwide have used trash as shells, according to a recent study by experts.

 

PYQ:

[2013] Consider the following animals

  1. Sea cow
  2. Sea horse
  3. Sea lion

Which of the above is/are mammal/mammals?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

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