Intestinal - one of the oldest living things on Earth. They appeared at a time when life was just emerging on the planet. Now they have acquired a variety of forms.
For people, intestinal cavities are of great importance - from the dead calcareous parts of corals they extract materials for construction. Some types of corals are used for jewelry. Coral reefs serve as a refuge for fish and often become a real work of art, which divers go down to watch.
The most beautiful and unusual representatives of radial animals are jellyfish. They impress not only with their appearance, but also with their size. The article presents the 10 most interesting facts about intestinal.
10. Two modern types are distinguished: bowing and combing
Multicellular animals are divided into two modern types: gnawing and ctenophore. Only maritime inhabitants are classified as strikers. Their feature is the presence of stinging cells, which is why the name came about. They are also called cnidaria. To date, about 11,000 species have been found.
Sea dwellers also belong to ctenophores, but their peculiarity is the presence of cilia or a special crest. These two types of animals are very similar to each other.
9. Some of the oldest living things on Earth
Everyone who studies the history of life on Earth probably knows that intestinal ones are one of the oldest animals on our planet. Evolution on Earth began with the appearance of the first living creature, it happened almost 4 billion years ago and continues to this day.
Scientists were able to prove that the intestinal cavity lived in Precambrian. Little is known about the cryptozoic period, but it was then that the first signs of life appeared and this period means a lot to evolution as a whole.
8. Radial symmetry of creatures
The location of the systems of organs and body parts in all living organisms is different. In cavernous radial system. It has a certain geometric order. The main elements are the center, line and plane. This is characteristic of marine inhabitants, because the reaction of the body is the same everywhere due to the same habitat.
The symmetry of the intestinal can vary depending on the angle of the animal. Thus, it is possible to determine 4-, 6-, 8-beam symmetry.
7. There are no specialized respiratory, circulatory, excretory organs
The body of intestinal animals resembles a bag, which consists of an inner and outer layer. Between them is connective tissue. The endoderm forms the intestinal cavity, which connects to one hole. This is all that can be said about the structure of this animal.
In the intestinal cavity there are no specialized organs, and a single hole performs both oral and anal functions. Also, they have no blood circulation and secretions.
6. Asexual and sexual reproduction mechanism
In the intestinal cavity, the asexual reproduction mechanism is mainly. But they can also reproduce sexually, it happens most often in the fall. Intestinal animals can alternate the mechanism of reproduction: one generation uses budding, the other - sexual reproduction.
Polyps give rise not only to the next generation of polyps, but also to jellyfish, which in turn leave offspring through the sexual mechanism.
5. The tentacles of furrowed anemia have a diameter of 1.5 m
One type of intestinal was able to break the record for the diameter of tentacles. Curving like a snake tentacles of furrowed anemony reaches a diameter of 1.5 meters. By the way, this species coexists perfectly in aquariums. For these purposes, they can safely be delivered even from the most remote seas.
You can see it in the Mediterranean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean. This marine animal is eaten in southwestern Spain and is referred to as “small sea nettle»Due to disgusting properties during cooking.
4. Hydras are considered immortal
Hydra is an amazing little creature that has gained popularity due to its unusual property. If you cut the hydra into several parts, then as a result, these parts turn into new living creatures. Therefore she is called immortal. The whole organism can be restored from individual small pieces of the body (less than 1/100 of the volume), from pieces of tentacles, as well as from a suspension of cells. Such a phenomenon in science is called biological immortality.
In simple words, such animals do not die of old age, but can die only from an external factor. Due to the fact that the creature can still be killed, it cannot be said that the hydra has immortality.
3. Coral is vital for sunlight
Everyone who dived or just watched programs about the unique underwater world, probably noticed unusual corals. They make a true fairy tale from the depths of the sea. Coral reefs are best developed at depths of up to 50 meters, as they need sunlight, so the water must be clear. Despite the fact that the sunbeam can penetrate to a depth of 180 meters, corals grow there poorly.
This is the most diverse ecosystem on the planet, which occupies only 0.1% of the surface of the oceans. The most important physiological and biochemical processes are associated with photosynthesis, which is why they are so developed in shallow water.
2. Zoantaria Palythoa - the most dangerous coral
Coral has palitoxin, one of the most toxic substances found in wildlife. Palitoxin is produced due to the symbiosis of zoanatrium with dinoflagellate microalgae. Many living creatures that feed on this species of gastrointestinal or are in symbiosis with them, can also accumulate this dangerous substance.
Aborigines from the island of Tahiti since ancient times used corals to prepare poisonous and deadly weapons. Palitoxin was first discovered only in 1971, despite the fact that corals have existed for several thousand years. This substance is also the most complex chemical compound in nature. It is toxic to all warm-blooded animals, especially rats, monkeys, rabbits, and humans. The strongest poison of non-protein nature.
1. Cyanide capillary - the largest representative of the group
This jellyfish has many names: Arctic cyanide, capillary cyanide, hairy or lion's mane, but they all mean the largest representative of the group of intestinal. The tentacles reach a length of almost 40 meters, the diameter of the dome grows to 2.5 meters. These parameters make Arctic cyanide the longest animal on the planet..
There are several types of cyanide capillate, but the exact amount is still not known and scientists are actively debating. Its size can be compared with a blue whale, which is considered to be the longest creature on the planet. Its length can reach 30 meters, so it is very true that it is the cyanide of capillary that claims to be the longest animal.
She lives in cold waters and you can meet her on the shores of Australia, but their maximum number lives in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It reaches its maximum length in the Arctic; in warm waters, its growth does not exceed average.