類別

水下與海洋

參賽者

張智翔

作品名稱

海花 Sea Flowers

科學圖說 Scientific introduction

海中的花，其實是珊瑚蟲。圖1是花環肉質軟珊瑚群體上的珊瑚蟲，伸出長長的柱部，期望能捕捉到更多的食物。圖2是表孔珊瑚群體上的珊瑚蟲，綠色的共肉部分配上紅色的珊瑚蟲觸手，像極了開在草原上的紅花。圖3是擬珊瑚海葵個體上的突起，圓盤上的突起能改變水流的速度與方向，讓食物更容易被攔截。當食物顆粒碰到突起時，擬珊瑚海葵會立刻把口盤捲起來，然後分泌黏液把食物黏住，慢慢往口部運送。

These sea flowers are actually coral polyps. Image 1: The soft coral Sarcophyton trocheliophorum extends long polyps to capture food. Image 2: Polyps of the coral Montipora: the red polyp tentacles extend against the green coenochyme, appearing like red flowers in a meadow. Image 3: Bumps on oral disk of the coral-like anemone (Order Corallimorpharia): The bumpy surface causes variations in water flow speed and direction, making it easier to intercept food. When food particles come in contact with the surface, the anemone curls up, and secretes mucus to trap food, which it slowly conveys towards its mouth.