Preshitoric Marine Life, Research Paper Example

Introduction

The term “prehistoric” is more so often being related to the term “extinct”. The fact that the situations as well as the other elements existing along with them specifically existed in the past, it is most often than not realized that condition of such situation is accounted for as something that needs to be given attention to especially by experts who are expected to take note on how the balance of nature is supported in order to make sure that life’s system of support in the environment remains stable through the years of passing generations.

In marine biology, the existence of extensive developments in relation to discovery and advancing studies with regards newly discovered species continue to thrive. Marine experts find it rather exciting for such conditions to be supported accordingly especially that they impose a more determined sense of defining what history has to do with what is happening in the marine life today. Some accounts such historical findings to the conditions of life-development that is based on the creation of what is considered as effective improvement of how the world does face the different adversities that are most often than not related to the balance of nature’s capacity to support life. In the discussion that follows, a particular consideration on prehistoric marine life shall be fully accounted for (Ward, 1994). This research hopes to correlatively connect the past with the present and assume greater possibilities that could be accounted for in the future. What makes this discussion rather reflective is the fact that the findings on the discovery of prehistoric marine life does say so much about what prehistoric characteristics remained intact in the species to be examined and what these characteristics have to do with the survival that they have incurred through time. Another area of concern would be dedicated to how they are being protected today to ensure their existence in the future: how important this process is shall also be given particular focus in this research.

Studying the Prehistoric Creatures of the Olden Times

What makes up the basic pattern of understanding how a particular creature could be accounted for as prehistoric? Most prehistoric animals have particular characteristics as well as physical functions that are required to survive the natural situations that occurred in the past. In marine biology, experts find it rather important to study such species especially that they tell so much about history and how recently discovered species of marine life to still belong to the prehistoric era define more of the life- support that reconditions that manner by which these species are protected from extinction (Ward, 1994). In studying them and their life-pattern, it is obvious how the condition of development of research accounts for what is noted as rather common among these species that their kind was able to survive for a long time.

Among the most common characteristics that made it possible for prehistoric marine life to survive time is their actual natural life-span. Most of these species have long life-spans. They are accustomed to living in deep ocean floors allowing them to sustain a system of living that is undisturbed by the world that is easily accessed by humans (Gage, et al, 1991). Able to keep their environment at a much better balance than that of the other species existing in higher grounds of the ocean floor, these marine species were able to keep a life-culture at bay, especially when it comes to undergoing the course of predatory existence. Accustomed to a life that is identified by the serenity of being undisturbed by the outside elements from water bodies they live in [such as direct human intervention], these species were able to make a nook-like habitat that protected them well from being disturbed and from being affected by the changes occurring in the environment existing above their ‘comfort zones’.

When it comes to spawning though, there is also danger in relation to how the supposed growing population of these species is supported through natural cause. Noticeably, it could be understood that because there is an innate understanding among these species about their lifespan, they do not develop a natural desire to immediately or regularly spawn unlike their less prehistoric counterparts. As of now, one of the reasons keeping them away from being completely extinct is the fact that their locations in the ocean floor cannot be immediately seen or discovered both by predators and human interventions (Maienschein, 1999). Remaining undisturbed is however not enough to keep protecting their species. The condition of existence they are dependent upon right now is not suffice to keep them existing towards the near future.

What makes these issues rather complex and extensive? Marine biologists of course want to keep the species existing as they play a great role in keeping the ocean ecology in balance. Doing so would require experts to become more concerned as to how they develop a much better sense of what is meant by well-defined growth and implication of a trained culture with regards the behavior of these species. Studying them, their nature and their behavior plays a great role in responding to this particular issue. Presented herein are some of the most likely well-identified prehistoric marine life that exists today:

• Frilled Shark

Noted to be one of the sea serpents, the frilled shark is relatively noted for its lizard-like shape. It is understood to have six collar-like gills and other features that are close enough to being categorized to belong to the shark-family. Nevertheless, its behavior suggests otherwise. The deep-sea habitat of the frilled shark is noted to have provided it with the poor foundation of its skeleton. Nonetheless, the survival of this specie depends so much on the manner by which it is able to maneuver its elongated body in particularly narrow areas not only to find food, but also to protect itself from predators; a reason why a distinct number of its population still exists at present and is noted to have come directly from the deep sea territories of Japan.

• Lampreys

Characterized by a long eel-like body, this blood sucking fish is noted to have been considered as one of the most controversial problems among fisheries to which they cling to. Their emergence in both the American and Canadian major fisheries have caused them to be noted as somewhat in need of being controlled to avoid instances by which they are to cause pestilence in the livelihood of those who own such agricultural arrangements.

• Saw Fish

Also noted for long life and slow growth life cycle patter, the short-teeth saw fish is one of the most extinct members of the species noted to be prehistoric in nature. Currently, the highest number of sawfish present in the community could be found in Florida. Endangered as they are, these species ought to be protected especially for the sake of preserving their kind and keeping water-ecology balanced around areas where they can be found.

• Sturgeon

The nature of living of the Sturgeon [hopping from one habitat to another] makes it less easier to track. This is why the record about this fish is rather limited. With long life in its natural codex, spawning is also not regular in nature. Most often than not, the transfer between one place to another affects the spawning attitude of these fish-species causing them to become rather extinct as many of these species die during the habitat transfer activities.

Conclusion

Remarkably, as seen and observed from the presentations made in this research, prehistoric fishes ought to be protected well. The common points of characteristics and behaviors that make up their nature basically calls for the desire of intervening the situation and their culture of living in order to implicate a more definite system of protection that could be used to assure the existence of their kind in the future. What makes such condition of improvement necessary is the fact that these prehistoric marine life need to be kept intact as their existence in their habitat is expected to create a more definitive aspect of natural balance within the ecological pattern they are embracing.

The correlation between the then and now of these species and how they are able to survive a range years and decades of existence amidst disturbances in the outer world apart from theirs insists that the less disturbed the environment of these species are, the less likely that they are going to be completely extinct. Their natural spawning attitudes or culture basically identifies well with the fact that even when particular species do not reproduce as regular or as fast as other species, their rate of protection from extinction could still be considered especially with the attention given to the lesser point of intervention that humans have towards their living condition. These species would have a much better sense of survival especially if they are to be given the proper chance to exist with lesser disturbances from humans or from the outside environments that might compromise the integrity of their habitat.

References

Biology of Sharks and Rays: The Frilled Shark. http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/ecology/deepsea-frilled_shark.htm. (Retrieved on April 10, 2015).

Introduction to the Petromyzontiformes: Lampreys. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/basalfish/petro.html. (Retrieved on April 10, 2015).

Ichthyology. Sawfish. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/sawfish/sawfishconservation.html. (Retrieved on April 10, 2015).

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Sturgeon. https://www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Resources/Sturgeon/. (Retrieved on April 10, 2015).

Ward, Ritchie R. Into the ocean world; the biology of the sea. 1st ed. New York: Knopf; [distributed by Random House], 1994: 161

Gage, John D., and Paul A. Tyler. Deep-sea biology: a natural history of organisms at the deep-sea floor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991: 1

Maienschein, Jane. 100 years exploring life, 1888-1988: the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 1999: 189-192