Explore the Outdoors!
Here is an overview of all the articles on the blog.
All cells need a constant flow of energy to maintain their metabolism and to grow. While prokaryotic cells such as bacteria do not need separate organelles to satisfy their energy demands, all eukaryotic cells do (with very few exceptions – read on!). Eukaryotes like plants, animals, and protists need mitochondria for their survival. They all…
Yes, like most geckos, the gargoyle gecko has the ability to swim. But does it like it? Gargoyle geckos have been shown to swim in puddles and lakes, when necessary. However, when faced with large bodies of water such as rivers, they will usually try to find an alternate route around it Geckos will float…
Euglena is a group of microorganisms that are not quite animals nor plants, but protists. The difficult classification stems from their ability to obtain energy from the sun as well as organic matter. Euglena can be harmful to both humans and animals, depending on the species. Euglena species are involved in forming toxic algae blooms…
Crayfish are small crustaceans that only live in freshwater. They look like a large shrimp or a small lobsters and they do have their regenerative abilities in common! Like other crustaceans, crayfish do have the ability to regenerate lost limbs such as their legs, antennae, and portions of their tail. This regrowth process generally takes…
Unlike crabs, some of which have adapted fully to a life on land, lobsters are deemed to a life underwater and cannot survive on land for extended periods of time. Although lobsters rarely leave the water, their gills can absorb oxygen from air. While this absorption is inefficient, they can survive for a few…
Crayfish aren’t fish-they’re shellfish. Other types of crustaceans include crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. There are several species of both freshwater and saltwater crayfish. Freshwater ones are also referred to by the names crawfish, crawdad, and crawdaddy. Use of these terms varies by region. Crayfish mostly consume decomposing plant waste that enters their water supply, such…
A crab’s anatomy is very different from a human’s. A crab has a segmented body with an exoskeleton, which is a hard outer shell that protects the animal’s body and organs. Crabs have a pair of eyes, two antennae used to sense their surroundings, and five pairs of walking legs. The front set of walking…
Different crab species have different ways of breathing to suit their habitat. Some crabs live in water, others on land. Additionally, many crabs spend a large proportion of their time underground. The blue land crab (not to be confused with the blue crab, which is water-adapted) can move seamlessly between water and land. On the…
If you plan to keep this crayfish (aka crawfish) among other crayfish, big fish, or invertebrates in your aquarium, make sure they have plenty of hiding places. The aquarium should also be large enough for the fish to be able to remain a safe distance from the crayfish. Crayfish will be able to hide from…
There are over 4500 species of crabs, most of which are scavengers, meaning that they will eat anything in the wild environment, dead or alive. Crabs are omnivorous crustaceans that eat a varied diet that includes many of the animals living in the sea. The primary dietary items of crabs consist of mollusks, other crustaceans,…
