Giraffe’s neck consists of seven vertebrae like any other mammals. Only difference is that, all individual vertebrae are elongated, usually more than ten inches in length. Moreover, a normal giraffes neck is almost 6-foot long and weighs around 270 kg. [1] Anyone with basic knowledge in zoology wonders how an animal like giraffe can hold such a heavy neck, always high above the ground! The secret lies in its anatomy. A giraffe’s neck contains huge amounts of muscle. Obviously it needs that. But that is not holding its neck so high. It is a band of elastic tissue, a ligament that runs from top of the neck to start of tail vertebrae. Actually the ligament band is normally holding its neck high by just pulling its neck against the weight of head and neck. The weight of its head is acting downward and the ligament is holding it upward. So the natural position for giraffe’s head is almost 55˚ from horizontal level. It is using its muscles to lower its head ...
This article was originally posted at Amazing Zoology . View original article at http://amzoo.in/60j2a Image Credit: Andrea Marshall Occassionally, brittle stars are seen in the body of jelly fishes. They are usually present under the bell or on the oral arms. But they are not seen on jelly fishes in cold to temperate waters. Interesting fact is the food sources of brittle stars seems to be mesozooplanktons and they were never observed with arms out in water. Then, where do they get their food from? They take food directly from the mouth or the oral arms of the jelly fish. It means, they are stealing food from the jellyfish which are pelagic predators. There are several reports of other brittle stars moving down into the feeding arms or near the mouth and stealing food directly from the host. So these are called as KLEPTOPARASITES. Suggested Reading 1. Ingram BA, Pitt KA, Barnes P. Stable isotopes reveal a potential kleptoparasitic relationship between an ophiuroid (Ophiocnemis marmora...
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