Seahorses (Draft #2)

This topic submitted by Meghan Paternite ( paternma@muohio.edu) at 11:06 PM on 3/31/05.

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Tropical Field Courses -Interdisciplinary Studies-Miami University

My discussion topic is over Seahorses. I plan on teaching the class about all aspects of Seahorses with added emphasis on their reproductive behavior. Seahorses are monogamous animals, which is quite out of the ordinary. Seahorses also display another interesting reproductive characteristic, which is male pregnancy. In most animals, maternal care is usually the focus of the reproduction of that animal. For Seahorses however, the male plays a role much larger than just fertilization. I think it is important to learn for myself, and to educate the class about Seahorses, because these animals are being exploited for many purposes and are on the "red list" for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. There is tremendous lack of knowledge about Seahorses in the scientific community. The more people know about Seahorses, the more that can be done to protect them.

Outline:

I. Physical Characteristics

II. Habitat

III. Diet and feeding Behavior

IV. Reproduction

A. Male pregnancy
B. Evolutionary advantages to a monogamous lifestyle

V. The future of Seahorses

A. Chinese Medicine
B. Haabitat Loss
C. Exploitation

Sources So Far:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/seahorse

http://www.starfish.ch/reef/seahorse.html

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