Sunday, December 29, 2019

Blue Crab Facts

The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) is known for its color and delicious flavor. The crabs scientific name means savory beautiful swimmer. While blue crabs do have sapphire blue claws, their bodies are usually duller in color. Fast Facts: Blue Crab Scientific Name: Callinectes sapidusCommon Names: Blue crab, Atlantic blue crab, Chesapeake blue crabBasic Animal Group: InvertebrateSize: 4 inches long, 9 inches wideWeight: 1-2 poundsLifespan: 1-4 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: Atlantic coast, but introduced elsewherePopulation: DecreasingConservation Status: Not Evaluated Description Like other decapods, blue crabs have 10 legs. However, their hind legs are paddle-shaped, making blue crabs excellent swimmers. Blue crabs have blue legs and claws and olive to grayish blue bodies. The color comes mainly from the blue pigment alpha-crustacyanin and the red pigment astaxanthin. When blue crabs are cooked, heat deactivates the blue pigment and turns the crab red. Mature crabs are about 9 inches wide, 4 inches long, and weigh one to two pounds. Blue crabs are sexually dimorphic. Males are slightly larger than females and have bright blue claws. Females have red-tipped claws. If the crab is flipped over, the shape of the folded surface of the belly (the apron) reveals the animals approximate age and sex. Male aprons are t-shaped or resemble the Washington Monument. Mature female aprons are rounded and resemble the United States Capitol building. Immature female aprons are triangular in shape. The male blue crab apron resembles the Washington Monument. drbimages / Getty Images Habitat and Range Blue crabs are native to the western Atlantic coast, ranging from Nova Scotia to Argentina. During their larval stages, they live offshore in high-salinity water and move into marshes, seagrass beds, and estuaries as they mature. Crabs traveling in ship ballast water have led to the species introduction to the Black, North, Mediterranean, and Baltic Seas. It is now relatively common along European and Japanese coasts. Diet and Behavior Blue crabs are omnivores. They feed on plants, algae, clams, mussels, snails, live or dead fish, other crabs (including smaller members of their own species), and detritus. Reproduction and Offspring Mating and spawning occur separately. Mating occurs in brackish water during warm months between May and October. Mature males molt and mate with multiple females over their lifespan, while each female undergoes a single molt into her mature form and only mates once. As she nears the molt, a male defends her against threats and other males. Insemination occurs after the female molts, providing her with spermatophores for a year of spawning. The male continues to guard her until her shell hardens. While mature males remain in brackish water, females migrate to high salinity water to spawn. Spawning occurs twice a year in some areas and year-round in others. The female holds her eggs in a spongy mass on her swimmerets and travels to the mouth of an estuary to release hatching larvae, which are carried away by the current and tides. Initially, the egg mass is orange, but it darkens to black as hatching nears. Each brood may contain 2 million eggs. The larvae or zoea grow and molt over 25 times before maturing and returning to estuaries and salt marshes to breed. In warm water, crabs reach maturity in 12 months. In cooler water, maturity takes up to 18 months. The blue crab lifespan ranges between 1 and 4 years. Female blue crabs carry eggs on their swimmerets. Â  chonsatta / Getty Images Conservation Status The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has not evaluated the blue crab for a conservation status. Once abundant, fisheries report a severe decline in population numbers. However, state management plans are in place over much of the crabs native range. In 2012, Louisiana became the first sustainable blue crab fishery. Threats Blue crab populations naturally fluctuate, mainly in response to temperature and weather conditions. The continuing decline may be due to a combination of threats, which include disease, overharvesting, climate change, pollution, and habitat degradation. Blue Crabs and Humans Blue crabs are commercially important along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Overfishing of blue crabs significantly affects populations of fish that depend on their larvae for food and has other negative effects on the aquatic ecosystem. Sources Brockerhoff, A. and C. McLay. Human-mediated spread of alien crabs. In Galil, Bella S.; Clark, Paul F.; Carlton, James T. (eds.). In the Wrong Place – Alien Marine Crustaceans: Distribution, Biology and Impacts. Invading Nature. 6. Springer. 2011. ISBN 978-94-007-0590-6.Kennedy, Victor S.; Cronin, L. Eugene. The Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus. College Park, Md.: Maryland Sea Grant College. 2007. ISBN 978-0943676678.Perry, H.M. The blue crab fishery in Mississippi. Gulf Research Reports. 5 (1): 39–57, 1975.Williams, A. B. The Swimming Crabs of the Genus Callinectes (Decapoda: Portunidae). Fishery Bulletin. 72 (3): 685–692, 1974.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon Symbolism Essays - 847 Words

Anglo Saxon’s history is well known for their loyalty, courage and bravery. Beowulf our protagonist is symbolized as a hero, who represents the Anglo Saxons at the time. Beowulf earns his fame and respect through battling creatures nobody else would want to face. These creatures symbolize the evil that lurks beyond the dark. Beowulf’s intense battle with these creatures’ symbolizes the epic battle of good versus evil. In the end good triumphs over evil but one cannot avoid death. Beowulf’s death can be symbolized as the death of the Anglo Saxons. Beowulf’s battle through the poem reflects the kind of culture that the Anglo Saxons had. The youth of a warrior to his maturity then the last fight which results in death. Beowulf wanted to be†¦show more content†¦47). The intense battle between Beowulf and Gredel also symbolizes good versus evil. Gredel was described as â€Å"†¦this grim demon haunting the marches, marauding round the healt h and the desolate fens;† With the defeat of Grendel, shows that good will always conquer evil. After defeating Grendel Beowulf enjoys the celebration and rewards that Hrothgar has treated him to. Beowulf earns the respect of the whole kingdom of Heorot. A few nights later Grendel’s mother learns that her son was killed by a human. She comes angrily back to the mead hall where she will take vengeance for her son. â€Å"But now his mother had sallied forth on a savage journey, grief-racked and ravenous, desperate for revenge† (pg. 89). Grendel’s mother is another stage in Beowulf’s step toward an older warrior. Before the great battle with Grendel’s mother, Beowulf was a little bit more mature and was not as confident. â€Å"Beowulf got ready, donned his war-gear, indifferent to death; his mighty, hand-forged, fine-webbed mail would soon meet with the menace underwater.† (pg. 101) He needed armor because he feels that it wasn’t the kind of battle he would face without his necessity to survive. After a long fight Beowulf finds the strength in him to grab the weapon that would kill Grendel’s mother. Once again good has defeated evil. Beowulf comes through as a hero one more time before his departure from Heorot. Years after the battles with Grendel and his mother Beowulf has aged. He is now the king of theShow MoreRelatedChristian Allegory in Beowulf1027 Words   |  4 PagesThe Anglo-Saxon poem â€Å"Beowulf† takes the reader back into a time long past; one of family, fate, and fealty. Beowulf offers a glimpse of a society struggling between two different paths, one path being the assimilation into the new Christian traditions and the other is the fast fading past of glorified warriors and family ties. In the poem, the reader can see the attempts of the poet to convey the values and stories of Judeo-Christianity in a society of Anglo-Saxon paganism. The poet illustratesRead More Reflection s of a Culture Past Essay654 Words   |  3 PagesReflections of a Culture Past The poem, Beowulf was supposedly written in the tenth century, but it was most likely told before then, orally, for centuries. There is little information about the author, on when Beowulf was first created or about the original version of the story before it was written. However the poem does, however, give us great insight into the cultural views and ideals of the Anglo-Saxon people who would have composed and told this tale. This includes their political, socialRead MoreThe Anglo Saxon Era Of Rich History And Reflected Literature1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe Anglo Saxon Era of Rich History and Reflected Literature The Anglo Saxon Period began in 449 and ended in 1066 AD. This was a time of Viking conquering other nations, patriotism, and Pagan to Christian religious conversion. There are only few recorded authors of this era as a result of literary works such as Beowulf, Wife’s Lament, and The Seafarer being passed down orally through generations of time. The literature serves as a reflection of this ancient time rather than having an impact on thisRead MoreBeowulf And The Anglo Saxon Period1740 Words   |  7 PagesBeowulf The original poem, Beowulf, goes back to the Anglo-Saxon period in c. 650 and c.1100. Authors translated Beowulf many times in the Anglo-Saxon period to present day. It displays how a hero should be in the real world. He helps the people in the village and slays monsters. Everyone in the village looks up to him as he acts as if he were a role model. Beowulf, the protagonist in the translated Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, is a hero of his village, stands for bravery, strong will, and noblenessRead MoreAmbiguity In Beewulf : A Comparison Of Beowulf1024 Words   |  5 PagesThe 2007 film adaption of Anglo-Saxon text Beowulf naturally takes its liberties to make changes to the plot, but unlike most other Hollywood adaptations, this one brought more depth and plot to the otherwise simple epic. As a consequence, the underlying theme of the film shifts from the blind glory seeking of the text, towards a theme of lust for wealth and power. The events that showcase this contrast are heavily r ooted within the three iconic fights of the epic. One trait of the original textRead MoreThe Merging of Cultures in Beowulf 1410 Words   |  6 PagesThe story of Beowulf represents the merging of two cultural belief systems: paganism and Christianity. Historically, the Anglo-Saxon culture was based upon pagan practices- idolatry, worship of many Gods and a specific warrior’s code of conduct. Beowulf was born of this culture as a legend passed down through centuries by oral tradition until shortly after their conversion to Christianity. It was finally preserved in written form by an obviously Christian author in an attempt to unify the two beliefRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in Beowulf742 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism is the practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or ideas. Symbolism is one of the most common practices of writing, and has been used for centuries. Symbols can often tell a story better than a human can because of there deep er meaning. When epic poems became popular during the Anglo-Saxon period they were filled with harrowing tales of bravery, and courage. Epic poems are long narrative poems that oftenRead MoreGrendel and Obj1412 Words   |  6 PagesBeowulf Multiple Choice Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. Comprehension The questions below refer to the selections â€Å"from Beowulf, Part One,† â€Å"from Grendel,† â€Å"Life in 999: A Grim Struggle,† and â€Å"from Beowulf, Part Two.† ____ 1. Beowulf slays Grendel in order to  Ã¢â‚¬â€ |a. |save Hrothgar and the Danes from the monster | |b. |prevent Grendel from invading theRead MoreWhat Would Beowulf Do? How Beowulf Is a Christ-Like Figure Essay1642 Words   |  7 Pagesan unwritten rule or sense of morality by which a properly functioning civilization may live. However, what method did early Anglo-Saxons use to remind themselves of what would be the proper thing to do in a situation? Even though they were a violent and warmongering culture as a whole, geared toward waging and winning war, they did have a moral code to honor. Anglo-Saxons prized the values, which they would have been learned by rote since childhood, including: courage and selflessness, honor, disciplineRead MoreTheme Of Christianism In Beowulf843 Words   |  4 Pages700, Beowulf is considered the mother poem of England. The tale is based in Sweden, as well as the small Danish island of Zealand. The poem follows the title character, Beowulf, in his battles with various monsters. Beowulf comes to the aid of Hrothgar to defeat the monster Grendel that had been terrorizing Herot Hall for twelve years. Beowulf also defeats Grendel’s mother at the bottom of the lake, in what is referred to as the ‘battle hall’. Fifty years after his initial triumphs, Beowulf suffers

Friday, December 13, 2019

Advantage Of Computer Free Essays

Advantages: 1. They allow people across the globe to communicate with each other, no matter at what time, via the use of email. 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Advantage Of Computer or any similar topic only for you Order Now They allow people to look up information directly, instead of the use of searching through books. 3. Back-up copies of work can be made easily, without having to re-write everything. 4. People can work from home, and spend more time with their families because of this. 5. People with disabilities whom can’t write, can get software that allows them to speak and it types it on the screen. Disadvantages: 1. People somtimes spend all their time secluded in theirs rooms on the computer. 2. Peadophiles on chat rooms 3. Easier to copy peoples homework as you can sometimes find the sources online. 4. Illegal downloading can ruin businesses 5. Details such as bank records, can be hacked into, and thus your personal information is no longer as safe as it used to be. Advantages of Computers 1. It can store large amount of facts, instructions, and information. 2. It can process data with accuracy at a very high speed (reaching up to 50 million operations per second). 3. IT can repeat operations in exactly the same way over long period of time. 4. It can check the accuracy of its work. 5. It is capable of executing instructions on its own after the data and program have been fed into its memory. 6. It can perform logical operations. 7. It can communicate with the operator. Disadvantages of Computers 1. A computer can only perform operations programmed or instructed by a person. 2. It cannot correct wrong instructions by itself. 3. Its capability to perform logical operations depends on the choice How to cite Advantage Of Computer, Papers