Technical terms that
appear in articles in this issue lexicon |
ambulacrum: any of five radial bands on the
oral surface (underside) of an echinoderm,
such as a starfish or sea urchin, on which the
tube feet are situated.
catch collagen: a compound in the skin of
echinoderms that allows them to change
their skin from a liquid to a solid at will.
chloroplasts: organelles found in plant cells
and other eukaryotic organisms that conduct
photosynthesis.
gastrodermis: the epithelial lining of the
gastrovascular (digestive) cavity of cnidarians
and ctenophores (comb jellies).
madreporite: a circular ossicle on the arbo-
ral surface of an echinoderm that serves as
the inlet to the water vascular system.
mesoglea: a layer of jelly-like material
between the external and internal cellular
layers of the body of a sponge or cnidarian;
consists largely of collagen-like fibers and
mucopolysaccharides.
ossicles: calcium carbonate structures em-
bedded beneath the epidermis of echino-
derms and used for skeletal support.
pedicellariae: pincer-like structures used
to kill small organisms that settle on an
echinoderm’s body surfaces; they keep the
epidermis free of parasites and algae.
pinnule: a side branch structure on the
tentacle of a soft coral that gives it a feathery
appearance.
phytoplankton: microscopic green plant
component of the plankton; responsible for
most photosynthetic activity in the ocean.
propodium: the anterior portion of the foot
of a mollusk.
radula: a scraping organ for mastication in
snails and other mollusks. In many gastro-
pods the radula consists of a variable number
of chitinous teeth located in the anterior por-
tion of the pharynx. In the cone shell family it
has been reduced to a sharp, grooved tooth,
fit to harpoon and inject prey with venom.
Vodka method (vodka dosing): the addi-
tion of vodka to an aquarium to decrease
nitrate and phosphate molecules; may also
increase coral coloration and clarify aquarium
water.
Zoanthid: an anemone of the family Zoanthi-
dae, usually found in intertidal areas and coral
reefs. In some species the polyps separate
from each other almost completely after bud-
ding, while in other species, the polyps are all
interconnected by a common mat of tissue.
REEF LIFE page 96
Unidentified spider crab, Family Majidae, on a
large gorgonian, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
These small crabs, self-decorated and festooned
with stinging hydroids, are almost invisible on
gorgonians when their polyps are extended. This
one was scuttling across the coral’s branches when
I noticed its movement during a night dive.
—Image by Denise Nielsen Tackett
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ZoPlan® Advanced Zooplankton Diet is a blend of dried crustaceans and
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feeders. Also a food for fishes that feed on zooplankton.
• Source of vitamins, pigments, amino acids, and essential fatty acids.
• Particles sizes from less than 10 microns to more than 250 microns.
• For filter-feeding invertebrates.
• For zooplankton-eating fishes.
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Zooxanthellate corals that feed on zooplankton can calcify more than 50%
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