The real "shelter in place" pros
As a 24 year old, I have never experienced anything like COVID-19. Being quarantined, told to stay home, and especially not used to Amazon having slower shipping times than normal. It really makes me take a step back and be thankful for the experience I have had in life so far. All of the luxuries I normally take advantage of have hit a standstill and I've had to come to terms with life without 2-day shipping. Ridiculous, right?
Since we're in the midst of our “new normal” with COVID-19, and, for many of us, that means mandatory shelter-in-place orders from our cities or states. Even if it’s not required, hopefully, those who can stay at home are doing so, so this whole thing can be over quickly.
Anemones
Que your Finding Nemo pronunciation of this beautiful creature, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are a true "Shelter" pro. There are more than 1,000 species of anemone.
Anemones are primarily dormant and use a pedal disk to attach to rocks and other surfaces. Occasionally they might move by contracting the pedal disk, but mostly they are perfectly happy to let food come to them. (Almost like UberEats, ocean edition!).
Coral
Known as “rainforests of the sea,” coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean but are home to almost 25% of all known marine species! That's something to think about. Coral reefs are the largest structures on earth of biological origin.
Corals are in fact animals, not plants. What?? Yep, you read that right. Coral are living, breathing beings! Coral reefs are naturally colorful because of algae, which lives inside of the coral, providing them with food. Coral are actually related to the Jellyfish & Anemones.
Barnacles
Barnacles are crustaceans!
Although they were once thought to be related to snails, it turns out that barnacles are actually related to crabs. If you look at the animal inside the hard plates, it is possible to recognize their crab-like body plan.
Because barnacles are sessile animals, they have no need for the walking legs that many of their crustacean relatives possess. Making them true Shelter in Place Pros! Their legs have adapted over time to a different use. They utilize their "legs", to sweep tiny food particles from the water column and pass them to their mouth parts inside their protective plates.
Although it feels like we've been in quarantine forever, (how long HAS it been??) (what day is it?) it will soon come to an end, if we all contribute to respecting the "Shelter in Place" rules laid before us all. Trust me, I can't wait to get back to how life was before all of this!
See you next time,
Adventure Awaits
-Taylor
