Cuttlefish and Squid Jets of the Ocean essays

Cuttlefish and Squid Jets of the Ocean essays When most people think of marine life, they imagine fish-like creatures, swimming through the deep waters with a swish of the fin. However, there is another class of animal that uses a very different form of locomotion. Instead of the more common "finned" animals, these creatures use a kind of jet propulsion to movea method of locomotion that is surprisingly effective. Two of these animals are the squid and the The squid is one of the fastest animals that use jet propulsion.[1]Indeed, the squid is so fast that it can reach speeds of up to 30km/h.[2] The actual mechanism by which the squid moves in this way is by expanding their muscular mantle and filling it with water. The animal then contracts this mantle, expelling the water forcefully through an opening known as a siphon. Interestingly, the squid controls its direction by changing the direction of the siphon. The cuttlefish uses jet propulsion as well in its locomotion by drawing water through its mantle opening and contracting the muscles in that mantle (like the squid), while making a tight seal around the head, allowing the water to be forced through the funnel in a jet. Further, like the squid, the cuttlefish can move its valve opening through which the jet flows in any direction, allowing it to control its direction. However, the Jet propulsion is a very interesting form of locomotion for marine life. Indeed, many consider it to be the inspiration for the modern marine jet engine (as well as the air jet engine). Although many forget that not all of the "swimming" marine animals use fins to swim, the squid and the cuttlefish are excellent examples of the diversity of the sea. [1] http://wings.avkids.com/Curriculums/Marine/dissecting_summary.html [2] oceanworld.com.au/factfile.asp'ID=9 ...