Ferrets are curious and playful creatures that make excellent pets for the right person. However, like all animals, they may exhibit certain behaviors that signal potential health issues. One such behavior is pawing at their mouth, which can be a cause for concern among ferret owners. Pawing at the mouth can be indicative of various … Read more
On the surface, there seems to be few differences between sponges and corals. Both are immobile aquatic invertebrates. Both tend to have branching structures. But dive deeper, and it is clear that sponges and corals are incredibly different animals. Differences Between Sponges and Coral Granted, both sponges and corals are part of the Animal … Read more
Of course sponges can’t move. They’re sessile. Stuck to the seabed. Right? Wrong. Yes, it is true that sponges, in their adult form, remain mostly sedentary, the same cannot be said for sponge larvae. Movement in Larval Sponges First and foremost, sponge larvae are always ciliated. This is a big insight into the active world … Read more
Reproduction is key to life on earth. Reproduction ensures genes are passed on to the next generation. This prevents entire species become extinct. Sponges are no exception. They reproduce to ensure the continuity of the species. However, sponge reproduction is unlike typical animal reproduction. There are two ways in which sponges reproduce: sexual reproduction and … Read more
Put simply, yes, sponges are in fact living things. But, an animal is a living thing. A plant is also a living thing. So where do sponges fall on the spectrum of living things? You would be forgiven if you thought a sponge was a plant. In fact, early biologists even classified the humble sponge … Read more
When we think of species at risk of extinction, our mind may drift to charismatic mammals or large oceanic predators. But collectively, vertebrates, or animals with a backbone, make just 3% of animals found on Earth. That means a whopping 97% of all animal life on earth comprises of invertebrates, or animals without a backbone. … Read more