Extreme Living Conditions
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Limpets can adapt to a wide range of zones.. Such as the high, middle, and low tidal zones.
Starfish (specifically the ochre star) prefers wetter conditions like within the middle and low tidal zones.
Photo by TeryKats
During the high tides and the (high) spring tide, the limpet will move (if submerged) to feed.
During the low tides and the (low) spring tide, the limpet will either cluster together or would tightly close its shell to avoid desiccation and tolerate high temperatures.
The starfish is generally submerged.. only being exposed for a short period during the turn of the low tide and the lowest spring tide.
How often are the organisms affected by the tidal cycle?
The tidal cycle affects every organism within the intertidal zone.. and this applies to limpets and starfish. For high and low tides, it occurs twice a day and for spring and neap tides, it occurs twice a month.
Photo by Ken-ichi
Starfish must be able to survive prolonged periods of exposure, tolerate a range of different salinity levels, and to stay in the middle and low tidal zones.
Limpets have a very strong muscle called a foot. When the limpet is disturbed, a fold in the foot creates a vacuum that makes it very hard to pry the limpet off. Behavioral adaptations include only moving during high tide to eat. They will not move during low tide because the movement may alert predators. The have a cone-like shell so the rough waves can't dislodge them. They're also able to tolerate different salinity levels.
Photo by Rubén Díaz Caviedes
