Glass squid. Transparent animals

Ecology

Transparent animals with translucent skin live all over the world.

These amazing, sometimes invisible organisms resemble ghosts of the real world.

Lack of pigmentation helps these creatures hide so that they cannot be found by predators. Transparency also allows them to save valuable resources.

Here is a list of 10 beautiful and stunning transparent animals.

1. Transparent Amazonian fish

Transparent fish species Cyanogaster noctivaga were only recently discovered in the Amazon, thanks to the almost undetectable appearance and nocturnal lifestyle.

The fish, just 17 mm long, lives in the dark waters of a tributary of the Rio Negro, which explains its elusiveness. Transparent fish is different big eyes, blue belly and unusual muzzle.

2. Golden turtle beetle

Golden turtle beetle or Charidotella sexpunctata- it's possible the smallest and most deceptive transparent creature in nature. With a length of only 5-8 mm, it resembles a metal ladybug and chameleon, changing color from golden to reddish-bronze throughout the year.

This leaf-eating beetle accomplishes its transformations by reflecting light through a liquid it stores under a transparent outer shell.

3. Glass frogs

Glass frogs species Hyalinobatrachium pellucidum live in humid tropical forests and rivers of Ecuador.

Pale green skin so translucent that most vital organs can be easily seen. Unfortunately, the number of representatives of this species is steadily declining due to the destruction of their habitat.

4. Sea angels

Sea angels are mollusks that live in the Northern Arctic Ocean, whose scientific name is Gymnosomata translated from Greek as “naked body.” sea ​​angels they were named because they seem to flutter in the water using tiny transparent wings.

Angelfish are hermaphrodites and feed on other species of winged molluscs known as "sea butterflies."

5. Fish with a transparent head

These deep sea fish kind Macropinna microstoma live at depths of more than 1000 meters.

At Smallmouth Macropina completely transparent head containing eyes, which also rotate so that the fish can see in different directions. The eyes themselves are green structures inside the head, and what appear to be eyes are actually nostrils.

6. Transparent salps

Salps are almost completely transparent animals, the body of which contains only intestines. These are lonely creatures who sometimes combine to create beautiful clusters.

These primitive life forms perform a very important role on Earth. Scientists estimate that one third of all carbon dioxide, created by man, is processed by salps, which constantly feed on phytoplankton and release fecal lumps rich in coal to the ocean floor.

7. Transparent sea cucumber

Unusual sea ​​cucumber kind Enypniastes was discovered in the Gulf of Mexico. Sea cucumbers are slow-moving ancient sea creatures who lived hundreds of millions of years ago.

Pink sea cucumbers live in the depths of the ocean, where they cannot penetrate sunlight. When they were discovered, these creatures moved their tentacles at a speed of 2 cm per minute, eating plant and animal remains along the way.

8. Glass squid

Squid kind Cranchiidae has about 60 species and is known as the glass squid. Outwardly it resembles glass bottle with the only colored part being the cigar-shaped liver.

In most cases they are not visible, but During mating season, squids activate their glowing organs, called photophores, acquiring a bioluminescent appearance.

9. Transparent butterfly

Transparent butterfly species Greta oto or glass bats live in Mexico and Panama and are distinguished by unusual behavior.

For example, they are able to migrate over long distances, covering about 20 km per day. In their transparent wings, the span of which is about 5-6 cm, no colored scales which give color to other butterflies.

10. Jellyfish

Jellyfish are perhaps the most famous transparent animals in nature. Jellyfish body is 95 percent water.

It is still a mystery how they detect obstacles, since they are known to have no brain, heart, bones or eyes. They respond to food and danger through nerve impulses, without having a brain to process these impulses.

Due to their transparency, many are fatally dangerous jellyfish remain undetected in the water.

This skilled scavenger is also known as the glass shrimp. The transparent crustacean lives in fresh water.

Opisthoproct fish

Transparent sea cucumber

Source: ocean.si.edu
This is weird sea ​​creature crawls along the ocean floor and sucks in rich nutrients sedimentary deposits. Sea cucumbers move quite slowly, at about 2 centimeters per minute.

Glass squid

Source: wikipedia.org
There are about 60 various types glass squids that make up the Cranchiidae family. They spend most of their lives in partially sunlit shallow waters, where their transparency provides camouflage.

Jellyfish

Source: nationalgeographic.com
There are many different types of transparent or translucent jellyfish. Besides being beautiful and elegant, these animals are dangerous. Because they are transparent, swimmers may not notice their stinging tentacles.

Great California stingray

Source: grindtv.com
The Great California Ray or Raja binoculata is often found in shallow waters. Representatives of the species grow to large sizes. Through their very pale skin one can distinguish internal organs, when viewed from a fairly close distance.

Transparent crustacean Phronima

Source: ocean.si.edu
This shrimp is most often tiny in size, usually not exceeding 2.5 cm in length. But it is a real fierce beast. Transparent body allows the phronima to blend into its surroundings aquatic environment, so the prey does not notice its waiting claws.

Cyanogaster

Source: nationalgeographic.com
This resident of a tributary of the Amazon River was discovered just a few years ago. The night wanderer with a blue belly and one conical tooth in its mouth reaches only a few millimeters in length.

Angelfish

Source: rebloggy.com
These ethereal creatures are actually a type of sea slug. They served as the inspiration for two Pokémon: Manaphy and Fiona.

Salamander from Barton Springs

Source: nationalgeographic.com
This lungless salamander lives in Barton Springs, a group natural sources in Austin, Texas. It is not found anywhere else in the world, as it requires unpolluted fresh water to survive. The Barton Springs salamander is endangered.

Costa Rican tadpoles

If you have squids with heads and tentacles, then first you need to get rid of all the inedible parts.

Toshiyuki IMAI/Flickr.com

Take the squid carcass in one hand, and with the other grab the head near the eyes. Gently pull - along with the head and tentacles, you will remove part of the insides. The rest can be removed when you skin it.

The tentacles are usually discarded with the head, but they can be used. To do this, you need to cut them off near the eyes. Be sure to remove the squid's mouth when doing this - it is hard and hides among the tentacles.

But usually you don’t have to bother with all this. In stores, as a rule, they sell frozen squid in a semi-cut form: without heads and tentacles.

The carcasses (biologists would say the mantle) are covered with a red and white film, which is laborious and time-consuming to clean with a knife.

To quickly clean squids, you need to pour boiling water over them, hold them in hot water about a minute and rinse under running water. Some housewives treat carcasses like they treat pasta: pour boiling water in a colander and immediately turn on cold water.

Under influence high temperature the skin will come off the carcass easily and quickly. You only have to remove its residue when washing. Next, the squid can be cut lengthwise to remove the chitinous plate and entrails.

But you don’t have to disturb the cylindrical shape of the mantle: the insides and chitinous plate can be easily removed with your fingers. Whole squid can be stuffed or cut into rings.

Method 1. “Cold start”

Place the cleaned squids in a saucepan with cold water. Place the pan on the stove and turn on medium heat. When the water warms up, add a little salt, and when it boils, turn it off immediately and catch the carcasses.

Like many other seafood, squid does not tolerate heat treatment. If you cook the shellfish for a long time, the meat will be tough, like a rubber sole.

The main secret to cooking squid is not to overcook it.

It is important not to delay the moment of boiling. You literally have to stay close to the pan.

Method 2. Boiling in hot water

Bring lightly salted water to a boil. When the first bubbles appear, launch the squid. The boiling will stop for a while, and as soon as it resumes, you need to turn it off immediately.

Here, too, it is very important not to overcook the meat in boiling water.

Method 3. Filling with boiling water

Many consider this method the most correct and claim that squid prepared in this way is the most tender and tasty.

You need to fill it three times. The first time is when you pour boiling water over the squid to remove the skin.

The second time you need to leave the peeled shellfish in boiling water for one minute. After this, rinse the carcasses with water and boil the kettle again. After the third pouring (holding time is also 60 seconds) and washing, the squids are ready to eat. You can add salt to the bowl each time you pour it.

Some housewives immediately cut or stuff them. Others remove the still transparent film from the carcasses.

Method 4. Combined

The highlight of this method is that the squid is cooked immediately. The skinning stage is combined with the boiling process.

Salt boiling water: approximately 1 tablespoon per 3 liters of water. Place defrosted squid in it. You will see how the mantles of the mollusks become voluminous and the red and white film comes off from them.

Wait for the interrupted boil to resume and time for 1.5–2.5 minutes. Cook the squid at a vigorous boil, uncovered. After the specified time has passed, the pan must be removed from the heat and covered with a lid.

Let the squid cool for 10-15 minutes. After this, rinse them under running water, remove the remaining skin, entrails and chord plate.

Alternatively, you can immediately place the carcasses in a bowl of cold water, thereby stopping the heat treatment.

Boiled squid can be used in salads, fried in rings in batter, stuffed with various fillings.

Kevin/Flickr.com

The described methods for preparing squid are very simple and take a minimum of time. Try all four to see which one produces the most tender squid for your taste.

Do you know other secrets of cooking squid? Share in the comments.

Today we want to talk about ghosts. But not about those that exist only in people’s imaginations or in horror films, but about ghosts that exist in reality.

We mean representatives of the animal world that have a transparent shell through which light can pass. These stunning animals, which are almost invisible like ghosts, are found in many places on Earth, both in closed and open ecosystems.

We want to tell you about eleven representatives of the Earth's fauna that have a transparent shell.

Ghost Shrimp

The translucent shell of these small crustaceans makes them almost transparent in the glass aquariums in which they are usually kept. IN wildlife they can be found in rivers and lakes around the world, including in the central United States.

This shrimp is so transparent that it only gains color after it eats something. And since it feeds on plant foods, this color is usually green.

Glass frog

These amphibians of the family Centrolenidae are called “ glass frogs”, mainly because of their transparent belly, through which you can view their insides as if you were viewing them through an MRI machine.

You can study the frog's heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract in detail. They live in Central and South America and live mainly in trees.

Butterfly with glass wings

This butterfly with transparent wings is called “espejitos” in Spanish, which means “little mirrors”.

If it were not for the opaque contours around, the butterfly would be almost impossible to see on a flower or in the foliage of trees.
Adults of these butterflies are capable of migrating long distances, and the males of this species gather in large groups in order to attract females.

Barrel eye (Opisthoproctidae)

This fish is perhaps one of the most strange creatures living in the depths of the ocean. Her head is completely transparent. It is also called the “scary fish”, which is not surprising given its very unusual appearance.

The transparent head helps the barrel eye follow its prey while moving, since its eyes are able to rotate in different directions.

Look at this amazing fish on video:

Glass octopus

This is an amazing octopus, so ghostly that it is the only representative of the family Vitreledonellidae. These animals are little studied, but they are often found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world.

Thanks to its transparent shell, scientists know that the optic nerve of this octopus is extremely long for an octopus, which is why they have a rare sense of smell. This is exactly the kind of instinct you will need to track him in the natural environment.

Crocodile Icefish

These ghostly predators of Antarctica are extremely unusual, as their transparent appearance is largely due to their completely transparent blood.

They are the only known vertebrates that lack hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen, in their blood. They survive without hemoglobin thanks to the sub-zero temperature of ocean water, in which oxygen dissolves much better.

Armored turtle beetle

This remarkable beetle, although not completely transparent, has a completely transparent shell. This is intended to deceive potential predators, but at the same time, in order not to tempt fate, these beetles additionally have protective coloring.

These beetles come in different sizes and types, with a huge variety of colors and patterns on their backs.

Salpa

Salpa are transparent, free-swimming tunicates, not to be confused with jellyfish. Their gelatinous bodies move by suction and ejection sea ​​water through internal water filters. Everything that settles in these filters is food for the salpa.

They can be found everywhere, but they are more common in the Southern Ocean, where they form entire agglomerations.

Transparent sea cucumber

Recently discovered by scientists working as part of a research program deep sea life This sea cucumber is so transparent that it is possible to see its digestive tract.

Found at a depth of 2,750 meters, this is the most unusual animal discovered in the depths of the sea.

Glass squid

There are about 60 species of glass squid, so named because of their transparency. This property helps them hide from predators, as they spend most of their lives in partially sunlit shallow water.

Many species are luminescent and their internal organs can often be observed. Because of this, the squid is constantly in an upright position to reduce its visibility.

Jellyfish

Perhaps the most common of transparent creatures are jellyfish. Many of the members of the phylum Cnidaria family are transparent. This is a trait that makes them especially dangerous when dealing with poisonous jellyfish.

Their translucent body and organs, luminescence and different color patterns make them one of the most beautiful sea creatures.

translation and adaptation (c)Ptah

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