Brittle Stars and Basket Stars

Brittle Stars and Basket Stars Theres no question as to how these creatures got their common names brittle stars and basket stars. Brittle stars have very fragile-looking, worm-like arms and basket stars have a series of branching arms resembling a basket. Both are echinoderms that belong to the Class Ophiuroidea, which contains thousands of species. Due to this classification, these animals are sometimes referred to as ophiuroids. The mouthful of a name Ophiuroidea comes from the Greek words ophis for snake and oura, meaning  tail - words that presumably refer to the animals snake-like arms. There are thought to be over 2,000 species of Ophiuroids.   A brittle star was the first deep-sea animal to be discovered. This occurred in 1818  when Sir John Ross dredged up a brittle star from Baffin Bay off Greenland.   Description These marine invertebrates are not true sea stars, but have a similar body plan, with 5 or more arms arranged around a central disc. The central disk of brittle stars and basket stars is very obvious, since the arms attach to the disc, rather than joining to each other at the base like they do in true sea stars. Brittle stars usually have 5, but may have up to 10 arms.   Basket stars have 5 arms that branch into many slender, highly mobile arms. The arms are covered with calcite plates or thick skin. The central disk of brittle stars and basket stars is usually relatively small, under one inch, and the whole organism itself may be under an inch in size. The arms of some species can be quite long, though, with some basket stars measuring over 3 feet across when their arms are extended. These very flexible animals can curl themselves into a tight ball when they are threatened or disturbed. The mouth is located on the animals underside (oral side).   These animals have a relatively simple digestive system that is made up of a short esophagus and a sac-like stomach.   Ophiuroids do not have an anus, so waste is eliminated through their mouth. Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Echinodermata Class: Ophiuroidea Feeding Depending on the species, basket stars and brittle stars may be predators, actively feeding on small organisms, or may filter-feed by filtering organisms from the ocean water. They may feed on detritus and small oceanic organisms such as plankton and small mollusks. To move around, ophiuroids wriggle using their arms, rather than using the controlled movement of tube feet like true sea stars. Although ophiuroids have tube feet, the feet dont have suction cups. They are used more for smelling or sticking to small prey, than for locomotion.   Reproduction In most ophiuroid species, animals are separate sexes, although some species are hermaphroditic.   Brittle stars and basket stars reproduce sexually, by releasing eggs and sperm into the water, or asexually, through division and regeneration. A brittle star may purposely release an arm if it is being threatened by a predator - as long as a portion of the brittle stars central disc remains, it can regenerate a new arm fairly quickly. The stars gonads are located in the central disk in most species, but in some, they are located near the base of the arms.   Habitat and Distribution Ophiuroids occupy a wide range of habitats, from shallow  tide pools  to the  deep sea.  Many ophiuroids live on the ocean bottom or buried in mud. They may also live in crevices and holes or on host species such as corals, sea urchins, crinoids, sponges or even jellyfish. They are even found at hydrothermal vents.   Wherever they are, there are usually a lot of them, as they can live in dense concentrations.   They can be found in most oceans, even in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.   However, in terms of numbers of species, the Indo-Pacific region has the highest, with over 800 species. The Western Atlantic was second-highest, with over 300 species.   References and Further Information: Dubinsky, Z. and N. Stambler. 2010. Coral Reefs: An Ecosystem in Transition. Springer Science Business Media. 552pp.Mah, C. 2009.   The Basics: How to Tell Sea Stars (Asteroids) from Brittle Stars (Ophiuroids).   The Echinoblog. Accessed April 28, 2016.Paterson, G.L.J. 1985. The deep-sea Ophiuroidea of the North Atlantic Ocean. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology 49(1): 1-162.Stà ¶hr, S., O’Hara, T. Thuy, B. (Eds) 2016.  World Ophiuroidea Database. Accessed April 26, 2016.Stà ¶hr, S, OHara T.D.,, Thuy, B. 2012. Global Diversity of Brittle Stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea). PLoS ONE 7(3): e31940. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031940University of California Museum of Paleontology.   Introduction to the Ophiuroidea. Accessed April 28, 2016.

University of New Haven Admissions and SAT Scores

University of New Haven Admissions and SAT Scores If youre interested in applying to the University of New Haven, the good news is that they admit the majority of applicants. Learn more about their admission requirements. About the University of New Haven The University of New Haven is a private university located on an 82-acre campus in West Haven, Connecticut. New Haven and Long Island Sound beaches are just minutes away. Undergraduates at the university can choose from nearly 100 degree programs, and the school has notable strengths in criminal justice, fire science, and forensics. The university emphasizes hands-on experiential learning. Academics are supported by a 16 to 1 student/faculty ratio. Student life is active with over 100 student clubs and organizations and 70 percent of undergraduates living on campus or in university housing. In athletics, the UNH Chargers compete in the NCAA Division II Northeast-10 Conference. The university fields eight mens and nine womens intercollegiate sports. Will you get in? Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) University of New Haven Acceptance Rate: 81Â  percentGPA, SAT and ACT Graph for UNH AdmissionsTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 470 / 570SAT Math: 460 / 570SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanCompare SAT scores for Connecticut collegesACT Composite: 20Â  / 26ACT English: 19 / 25ACT Math: 18Â  / 26What these ACT numbers meanCompare ACT scores for Connecticut colleges Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 6,835Â  (4,936 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 50 percent Male / 50 percent Female92 percent Full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $37,060Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $15,130Other Expenses: $1,660Total Cost: $54,850 University of New Haven Financial Aid (2015-16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 96Â  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 96 percentLoans: 78 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $20,569Loans: $11,245 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Biology, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Forensic Science, MusicWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students) 80Â  percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 45 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 56Â  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Soccer, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Cross Country, Track and FieldWomens Sports: Lacrosse, Tennis, Volleyball, Softball, Basketball, Track and Field, Soccer, Cross Country If You Like the University of New Haven, You May Also Like These Schools University of Bridgeport: ProfileYale University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAlbertus Magnus College: ProfileSouthern Connecticut State University: ProfileQuinnipiac University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBrown University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBoston College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Rhode Island: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphHofstra University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Hartford: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDrexel University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSacred Heart University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph University of New Haven Mission Statement mission statement from https://www.newhaven.edu/about/ The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a global society by providing the highest-quality education through experiential, collaborative and discovery-based learning. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics