Tuesday, 26 June 2012
The Unusual & Different Colors of Lobsters
Blue Lobster
image credit: n-sb.org
image credit: sneakermestupid.comOne in 2-5 million lobsters are blue. A genetic defect causes a blue lobster to produce an excessive amount of protein. The protein and a red carotenoid molecule known as astaxanthin, combine to form a blue complex known as crustacyanin, giving the lobster its blue color.
Half and Half or "Two Tone" Lobster
image credit: bukisa.com
image credit: moblog.whmsoft.netOne in 50 million lobsters are half and half colored!
Albino Lobster
image credit: niketalk.yuku.comOnly about one in 100 million lobsters are albino - lacking in colored pigments. These are also referred to as "white" or "crystal" lobsters due to their metallic appearance.
Yellow Lobster
image credit: seacoastonline.com
image credit: news.gather.comOne in 30 million are yellow - caused by a rare genetic mutation.
Calico Lobster
image credit: akfiles.comAgain, the odds of finding one of these mottled yellow and black lobsters are one in 30 million.
"Phantom of the Opera" Lobster
image credit: captjoe06, via FlickrThis is actually an example of another half and half lobster, however the albino part of the lobster formed so that it resembles the Phantom of the Opera with the white mask on one side of his face!
Pretty amazing stuff. My favorite is by far the phantom of the opera lobster, what's yours??
Stone Fish
The stonefish, on the other hand, is amazingly ugly. They are usually found in steamy waters in both the Pacific and 
The venom is rumored to cause so much pain that those who have been bitten by this nasty fish have begged to have their limbs removed. unhappily, most who are bitten by this fish, found above the tropic of Capricorn, usually knowledge shock, paralysis, and a number of other gruesome symptoms as well. If the victim obtains immediate medical attention he may be saved.
Poison Dart frog
Poison dart frog (also dart-poison frog, poison frog or formerly poison arrow frog) is the common name of a group of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae which are native to Central and South America. Unlike most frogs, these species are active during the day and often have brightly-colored bodies. Although all wild dendrobatids are at least somewhat toxic, levels of toxicity vary considerably from one species to the next and from one population to another. Many species are critically endangered. These amphibians are often called "dart frogs" due to the Amerindians' indigenous use of their toxic secretions to poison the tips of blowdarts. However, of over 175 species, only three have been documented as being used for this purpose (curare plants are more commonly used), and none come from the Dendrobates genus, which is characterized by the brilliant color and complex patterns of its members.
Poison dart frogs, members of the Dendrobatidae family, wear some of the most brilliant and beautiful colors on Earth. Depending on individual habitats, which extend from the tropical forests of Costa Rica to Brazil, their coloring can be yellow, gold, copper, red, green, blue, or black. Their elaborate designs and hues are deliberately ostentatious to ward off potential predators, a tactic called aposematic coloration.
Some species display unusual parenting habits, including carrying both eggs and tadpoles on their backs. Although this "backpacking" is not unique among amphibians, male poison arrow frogs are exceptional in their care, attending to the clutch, sometimes exclusively, and performing vital transportation duties.
Dendrobatids include some of the most toxic animals on Earth. The two-inch-long (five-centimeter-long) golden poison dart frog has enough venom to kill 10 grown men. Indigenous Emberá people of Colombia have used its powerful venom for centuries to tip their blowgun darts when hunting, hence the genus' common name.
Scientists are unsure of the source of poison dart frogs' toxicity, but it is possible they assimilate plant poisons which are carried by their prey, including ants, termites and beetles. Poison dart frogs raised in captivity and isolated from insects in their native habitat never develop venom.
The medical research community has been exploring possible medicinal uses for some poison dart frog venom. They have already developed a synthetic version of one compound that shows promise as a painkiller.
Fast Facts about Poison dart frog:
Type: Amphibian
Diet: Carnivore
Average life span in the wild: 3 to 15 years
Size: 1 in (2.5 cm)
Group name: Army
Protection status: Threatened
Did you know? The only natural predator of most of the poison dart frog family is a snake called Leimadophis epinephelus, which has developed a resistance to the frogs' poison.
Poison dart frog Pictures
