E-Learning from Nature 2016-17 Classe 1A Liceo Scientifico “N. Rodolico” Prof. G. Lambardi, M. Tusa Prof.ssa Elena Cosi

Aquarium of Talamone Tuscany, Italy Dott.ssa Chiara Caruso (Responsible of Tartanet) Dott.ssa Lucia Venturi (President of Regional Park of Maremma) Dott. Sergio Ventrella (Tuscany Observatory of Biodiversity)

The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named after the Tyrrhenian people, identified with the Etruscans of Italy.

The Tyrrhenian Sea is situated near where the African and Eurasian Plates meet; therefore mountain chains and active volcanoes are found in its seabed. The maximum depth of the sea is 3,785 metres.

The harbour of Talamone, near the aquarium, our next step after bird watching in the Orbetello lagoon.

A little light house with solar panel which absorbs the solar energy for generating electricity. Solar panel has specific advantages as an energy source: it generates no pollution and no greenhouse gas emissions, and it is made of silicon which is largely available in the Earth’s crust.

INVERTEBRATES in the Aquarium of Talamone

Sea anemone, Actiniaria, Anthozoa, Cnidaria Anemone di mare Most species of these water-dwelling, predatory animals inhabit tropical reefs, but there are species adapted to various environments. Sea anemones are benthic organisms, some pelagic species float upside down in the water. Their body is column-shaped and the oral disc is surrounded by tentacles armed with many cnidocytes, cells that are both defensive and offensive. Cnidocytes contain venom vesicle filled with a mix of toxins injected in the flesh of the aggressor or prey. Despite of their toxicity, many sea anemones form symbiotic relationships with phytoplankton or fish such as clownfish.

Sea anemone, Actiniaria, Anthozoa, Cnidaria Anemone di mare Both sexual and asexual reproduction can occur. In sexual reproduction, males and females release sperm and eggs in water where fertilization occurs. The fertilized egg develops into a planula, which settles and grows into a single polyp. Sea anemones can also reproduce asexually, by budding or in some cases by binary fission, when the polyp separates into two halves.

Sea anemone, Actiniaria, Anthozoa, Cnidaria Anemone di mare The global trade in marine ornamentals for aquariums is rapidly expanding, and threatens sea anemone populations because they grow and reproduce slowly. Obviously, it threatens also their symbiotic fish restricted to specific host sea anemones. Daly, Marymegan; Brugler, Mercer R.; Cartwright, Paulyn; Collins, Allen G.; Dawson, Michael N.; Fautin, Daphne G.; France, Scott C.; McFadden, Catherine S.; Opresko, Dennis M.; Rodriguez, Estefania; Romano, Sandra L.; Stake, Joel L. (2007). "The phylum Cnidaria: A review of phylogenetic patterns and diversity 300 years after Linnaeus" (PDF). Zootaxa. 1668: 127–182. ISSN 1175-5334.

Crab, Crustacea, Arthropoda Crabs are found in all of the world's oceans, in fresh water and on land, particularly in tropical regions. They vary in size, are covered with a thick exoskeleton and armed with a single pair of chelae (claws). Crabs have complex behaviour patterns. They can use their chelae to communicate by drumming or waving them for attracting a mate, to fight against other males and gain access to females, to dig burrows in sand or mud, to defend against intruders and, obviously, to catch a prey or feeding on algae, fungi and bacteria. They have parental care behaviour. The vast number of brachyuran crabs have internal fertilisation and mate belly-to-belly. Females can store the sperm and use it after long time to fertilise their eggs. The fertilized eggs are sticked to the female's abdomen and protected during embryonic development. The female releases, often timed with the tides, the newly hatched larvae into the water, where they become part of the zooplankton. The larval stages, the juvenile stage and the adult growth are separated by moults. The moult cycle is coordinated by hormones and moulting is a difficult process that takes many hours. Most species of terrestrial crabs must migrate down to the ocean to release their larvae. After living as larvae in the ocean, the juveniles must do this migration in reverse. In many tropical areas these migrations are very extensive and often result in considerable roadkill of migrating crabs. Sammy De Grave; N. Dean Pentcheff; Shane T. Ahyong; et al. (2009). "A classification of living and fossil genera of decapod crustaceans" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Suppl. 21: 1–109. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-06. von Sternberg R., N. Cumberlidge; G. Rodriguez (1999). "On the marine sister groups of the freshwater crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura)". Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 37: 19–38. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0469.1999.95092.x.

Starfish, Asteroidea, Echinodermata Stella Marina Habitats of starfish range from tropical coral reefs, rocky shores, tidal pools, mud, and sand to kelp forests and seagrass meadows and from the intertidal zone to 6,000 m in depth. Starfish can reproduce both sexually and asexually. The larvae have bilateral symmetry, but after metamorphosis they have radial symmetry, typically pentameric, i.e. a central disc and five arms. The body is covered with overlapping plates and is brightly coloured in various shades of red, orange, blue, grey or brown. Most can regenerate damaged parts or lost arms and they can shed arms as a means of defence. Several species have specialized feeding behaviours including eversion of their stomachs.

Starfish, Asteroidea, Echinodermata Stella Marina Starfish is a keystone species ecologically important in the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. Whithout starfish, which are top predators, mussels outcompete other organisms for space and resources, overwhelm the area and threaten biodiversity. Starfish sometimes have negative effects on ecosystems. Outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish have caused damage to tropical coral reefs. Starfish are vulnerable to high temperatures, and sensitive to marine pollution. Indeed, they are a bioindicator for marine ecosystems. They are unlikely affected by ocean acidification as severely as other marine animals with calcareous exoskeletons. Lawrence, John M. (ed.); McClintock, James B.; Amsler, Charles D.; Baker, Bill J. (2013). "8". Chemistry and Ecological Role of Starfish Secondary Metabolites in "Starfish: Biology and Ecology of the Asteroidea". JHU Press. ISBN 978-1-4214-1045-6.