Quest for Merfolk Enchantment Day 6

September 12, 2008	
==Description==
Welcome to the VFK Merfolk Enchantment Epic Quest, Day 6!<BR><BR>
This is the sixth day of your epic quest for merfolk enchantment!
Whether deep water or shallow, the seas are home to a myriad of fascinating creatures. From the tiniest plankton and fish to the largest whales and giant squid, the sea is filled with interesting animals. For our quest today, we will explore some of the more interesting creatures that share the seas and oceans with our merfolk.<BR><BR>
 
Your reward for completing this sixth stage of this Epic Quest will be 1,000 credits and your sixth Merfolk Pin, the Seahorse Pin!<BR><BR><BR>
===Prizes===
===Questions===
1. Seahorses are not horses at all, but fish that have heads that resemble horses. They have many other characteristics which are very unique. First, they do not have scales, but rather have skin covered bony plates which are layered in rings through the seahorses' body. Instead of swimming horizontally like most fish, they swim vertically propelling themselves rather poorly with their dorsal fin and steering with the pectoral fins behind their eyes. They curl their prehensile tails around sea grasses or coral when resting. To eat, they suck tiny fish, shrimp and plankton up through their long noses. Their eyes move independently just like a chameleon. What unique feature, like a fingerprint enables one seahorse to be distinguished from another?
* The length of their tail
* The coronet on their head
* Their coloring
* The shape of their dorsal fin
* The pattern of ridges on the inside "grip" of their tail<BR><BR> 
2. If you go looking for seahorses, you will discover there are over 32 species. Each species has a specific number of rings in their bodies. Most seahorses are found in shallow warm water all over the world. They inhabit protected parts of the sea such as sea grass beds, mangroves and coral reefs and can be found from Canada to South America. They range in size from dwarf seahorses about an inch long, to large seahorses about a foot long. Males are territorial and defend about a square yard of space of ocean while females roam an area approximately 100 times that great. They can also change colors. Go to the inside of the Sheriff's office in the Western age, and say "Seahorses are interesting!"<BR><BR>
3. Over 1800 species of starfish are known in all the oceans of the earth. The widest number and variety of species is found in the Indo-Pacific tropical seas, the tropical regions around Australia, and the East Pacific. Their habitats include coral reefs, kelp forests and even deep sea environments. Their star shape is formed by five or more arms around a central body. Starfish move by means of a hydraulic water vascular system and many tube-like feet on the underside of the starfish's arms. One unusual feature is a starfish's ability to regenerate itself from a single arm as long as it is attached to a portion of the body. Where are the eyes of a starfish located?
* At the end of each arm.
* In the center of the body.
* On the underside at either side of its mouth.
* On spiny stalks on its back.<BR><BR>
4. Starfish are predators and even though they are not very fast, their prey is even slower. They hunt for shelled animals like clams and have two stomachs. They come in many different patterns, which depending on the species of starfish work as camouflage or as a warning to predators to stay away. Some types of starfish are toxic. They stay "hitchhiker free" because their backs are covered in a large number of small white objects called "pedicellariae" which keep colonizing organisms from encrusting them. Go to the outside of Merlin's shop and say "Star light, star bright."<BR><BR>
5. The sea creature called the octopus derives its name from it eight arms. Octopi live in many types of environments in the oceans, and are especially fond of coral reefs. There are approximately 300 species of octopus. Their eight arms have suction cups on the underside and for most species of octopi, their bodies are almost entirely without any shell or bone. The only hard part of their body is their parrot-like beak. Because of their soft bodies, they can fit into very narrow crevices between rocks to escape predators such as moray eels. The octopus has three hearts. Two of them pump blood through their gills and the third pumps blood through the body. What color is an octopus's blood?
* Green
* Red
* Blue
* Iridescent orange<BR><BR>
6. The octopus has been found to be very intelligent for an invertebrate. Their intelligence has been a subject of debate among biologists who have tested their learning capability through maze and problem solving techniques. They have been found to have both long term and short term memory. Their basic defense mechanisms include ejecting a thick inky substance from an ink sac, and changing color to blend into their environment, even taking on bright warning colors. Go to the crossroads , just outside your garden gate, and say "You look very colorful today!"<BR><BR>
7. There are approximately 200 species of eels in the ocean, and one of the scariest creatures of the ocean is the Moray eel. The moray is typically around 5 feet long and the largest Moray eel, the Slender Giant Moray, can reach lengths of over 12 feet. These sea creatures are portrayed as evil vicious predators, however, in reality they are not poisonous and are very shy. They will attack in self-defense if provoked, however, they would much rather retreat to a dark crevice and hide than fight. If small fish wander past them during the day they will grab them, but they are primarily a nocturnal animal. They live in shallow warm seas. Moray eels do not have a very keen sense of hearing or sight, but make up for it with their sense of smell. The Moray eels have living toothbrushes. What are these small creatures that clean the Moray's teeth called?
* Dentifrices
* Floss Fish
* Cleaners
* Polishers<BR><BR>
8. Moray eels, despite their scaleless, snakelike bodies, menacing looks, and heads which are less than attractive, display some of the most beautiful skin patterns in the undersea world. Their bodies come in a rainbow of vivid colors that rival some of the most lovely fabrics. They are spotted, speckled, have stripes and are in general quite beautiful to look at. Go to the waterfall room in the Australian Outback and say "I can see a rainbow!"<BR><BR>
9. Some of the smallest creatures in the ocean are also the most amazing. Plankton are tiny floating organisms that drift with the currents in the water. There are three main groups of plankton which are divided according to whether they are producers, consumers or recyclers. The "producers" that live near the water surface are called "phytoplankton", meaning plant, and engage in photosynthesis. The second group feed on other plankton and include the eggs and larvae of fish, crustaceans, and other creatures. Their plankton stage is usually a growth stage and they will get to be larger animals. The recycler group includes bacteria. Plankton are also grouped according to size. They range in size from Megaplankton (20 mm and larger), down to Femtoplankton. When were the smallest types of plankton, the Nanoplankton, Picoplankton and Femtoplankton discovered?
* In the 1930's
* In the 1950's
* In the 1980's
* In the year 2000<BR><BR>
10. One tiny organism which was first discovered in 1755 is Brine shrimp. These organisms are aquatic crustaceans known as Artemia. Brine shrimp inhabit inland seas and salt water lakes, however, they are not found in the ocean. The most well known species is sold under the name of "Sea-monkeys". Because of their ability to "come to life" in the proper conditions, Sea-monkeys are a very popular novelty pet. Go to the Victorian park and say "Did anyone see my monkey run through here?"<BR><BR>
===Answers===
1. The coronet on their head
2. Go to the inside of the U.S. Marshalls in the Western age, and say "Seahorses are interesting!"
3. At the end of each arm.
4. Go to Merlin's Square and say "Star light, star bright."
5. Blue
6. Go to the Crossroads, just outside your garden gate, and say "You look very colorful today!"
7. Cleaners
8. Go to the Australian Waterfall and say "I can see a rainbow!"
9. In the 1980's
10. Go to the Victorian Summer Park and say "Did anyone see my monkey run through here?"
Category:Quests Category:Epic Quests