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| Quiz #414 Results |
| Answer to Quiz #414 - October 6, 2013 |
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| Congratulations to Our Winners Marcelle Comeau Nancy Nalle-Mackenzie Donna Jolley Gus Marsh Sharon M. Levy Arthur Hartwell Mike Dalton Kelly Fetherlin Jane Himmel Janice M. Sellers Jim Kiser Cynthia Costigan Collier Smith Sawan Patel Joe Ruffner Margaret Paxton Nelsen Spickard Grace Hertz and Mary Turner Team Fletcher Robert Edward and Donald McKenna Quiz Poets Laureate |
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| NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON'T An Octopus under water is seen, hiding itself in a bush. To the Octopus It is not a feat. However, no Houdini could thus perform, Nor slight of hand could equal. It is out of our world! Or at least to our given ability . "The fault is not in our Stars, But in our selves, that we are underlings". (Julius Ceasar) Therefore, The Animal wins again! Robert Edward and Donald McKenna Quiz Poets Laureate ***** Twinkle twinkle little squid How I wonder where you've hid. You look like kelp, your arms turn green Keeping you from being seen. Twinkle twinkle little squid How I wonder where you've hid. Colleen Fitzpatrick PhD Understudy to Quiz Poets Laureate Robert Edward and Donald McKenna |
| The Mimic Octopus - A Different Approach to Camouflage |
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| Underwater Astonishments |
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| How Do They Do It? |
| You may also see this video on Science Friday at: s3.amazonaws.com/scifri-videos/camouflage-080511.mp4 |
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| Click on thumbnail of report to read Roger Hanlon and Raymond Hixon's analysis of how cephlopods camouflage themselves. |
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| Excerpts from Roger Hanlon's paper on cephlopod camouflage. |
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| The Cephlopod Chromatophore en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatophore |
The color patterns of cephalopods are
largely controlled by chromatophore
organs. A chromatophore organ is
composed of a single chromatophore cell
and numerous muscle, nerve, glial and
sheath cells. Pigment granules lie within
the chromatophore cell in an intracellular
sac, the cytoelastic sacculus, that has
elastic walls. Four to twenty four radially
arranged muscle cells, with their
largely controlled by chromatophore
organs. A chromatophore organ is
composed of a single chromatophore cell
and numerous muscle, nerve, glial and
sheath cells. Pigment granules lie within
the chromatophore cell in an intracellular
sac, the cytoelastic sacculus, that has
elastic walls. Four to twenty four radially
arranged muscle cells, with their
associated nerve and glial cells, attach to the cell membrane where the latter is anchored
to the cytoelastic sacculus around its equator. The contraction of the muscle cells
stretches the lenticular sacculus into a thin, flat disc with serrated edges. The diameter
of the sacculus expands up to about 7 times its retracted state which is equivalent to an
increase in area of about 50 times. Retraction of the chromatophore apparently results
from the elastic nature of the sacculus walls. Primary infoldings and pouches of the
chromatophore appear in its upper and lower surfaces during chromatophore retraction
and disappear during chromatophore expansion. These foldings are anchored to the
sacculus at various points on its surface. The rather structureless sheath cells (not
shown in drawing) presumably enable the slippage of the chromatophore organs within
the dermis of the skin.
to the cytoelastic sacculus around its equator. The contraction of the muscle cells
stretches the lenticular sacculus into a thin, flat disc with serrated edges. The diameter
of the sacculus expands up to about 7 times its retracted state which is equivalent to an
increase in area of about 50 times. Retraction of the chromatophore apparently results
from the elastic nature of the sacculus walls. Primary infoldings and pouches of the
chromatophore appear in its upper and lower surfaces during chromatophore retraction
and disappear during chromatophore expansion. These foldings are anchored to the
sacculus at various points on its surface. The rather structureless sheath cells (not
shown in drawing) presumably enable the slippage of the chromatophore organs within
the dermis of the skin.
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Coleoid cephalopods have complex
multicellular organs which they use to
change colour rapidly. This is most
notable in brightly coloured squid,
cuttlefish and octopuses. Each
chromatophore unit is composed of a
single chromatophore cell and numerous
muscle, nerve, glial and sheath cells.
Inside the chromatophore cell, pigment
granules are enclosed in an elastic sac,
called the cytoelastic sacculus. To change
colour the animal distorts the sacculus
form or size by muscular contraction,
changing its translucency, reflectivity or
opacity. This differs from the mechanism
multicellular organs which they use to
change colour rapidly. This is most
notable in brightly coloured squid,
cuttlefish and octopuses. Each
chromatophore unit is composed of a
single chromatophore cell and numerous
muscle, nerve, glial and sheath cells.
Inside the chromatophore cell, pigment
granules are enclosed in an elastic sac,
called the cytoelastic sacculus. To change
colour the animal distorts the sacculus
form or size by muscular contraction,
changing its translucency, reflectivity or
opacity. This differs from the mechanism
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| An infant cuttlefish, using background adaptation to mimic the local environment |
used in fish, amphibians and reptiles, in that the shape of the sacculus is being changed
rather than a translocation of pigment vesicles within the cell. However a similar effect
is achieved.
Octopuses can operate chromatophores in complex, wavelike chromatic displays,
resulting in a variety of rapidly changing colour schemes. The nerves that operate the
chromatophores are thought to be positioned in the brain in a pattern similar to that of
the chromatophores they each control. This means the pattern of colour change
matches the pattern of neuronal activation. This may explain why, as the neurons are
activated one after another, the colour change occurs in waves. Like chameleons,
cephalopods use physiological colour change for social interaction. They are also
among the most skilled at background adaptation, having the ability to match both the
colour and the texture of their local environment with remarkable accuracy.
rather than a translocation of pigment vesicles within the cell. However a similar effect
is achieved.
Octopuses can operate chromatophores in complex, wavelike chromatic displays,
resulting in a variety of rapidly changing colour schemes. The nerves that operate the
chromatophores are thought to be positioned in the brain in a pattern similar to that of
the chromatophores they each control. This means the pattern of colour change
matches the pattern of neuronal activation. This may explain why, as the neurons are
activated one after another, the colour change occurs in waves. Like chameleons,
cephalopods use physiological colour change for social interaction. They are also
among the most skilled at background adaptation, having the ability to match both the
colour and the texture of their local environment with remarkable accuracy.
| More Details on Cephlopod Chromatophores tolweb.org/accessory/Cephalopod_Chromatophore?acc_id=2038 |
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