Original subtitles

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NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL, YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: OH, HA HA, I'M DYLAN DREYER HERE AT BROOKFIELD ZOO

AND YOU'RE WATCHING "EARTH ODYSSEY."

TODAY, WE'RE CRUISING THE OCEAN FLOOR FOR A LOOK AT SOME TRULY

CURIOUS CRUSTACEANS LIKE THIS COLORFUL CHARACTER THAT'S NOT AS

DELICATE AS IT SOUNDS.

AND A SUPER SMALL SPECIES WITH A BIG-TIME IMPACT.

PLUS, A CAMOUFLAGE CONNOISSEUR THAT'S ALWAYS IN FASHION.

BUT FIRST, WE START OUR JOURNEY WITH A LOOK IN AT AN UNDERWATER

DWELLER WITH ITS OWN 3D GLASSES.

ALL OF THIS AND MORE COMING UP ON "EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: IT OFTEN GOES OVERLOOKED JUST

HOW DIVERSE CRUSTACEANS ARE.

THERE ARE GIANTS, LIKE THE JAPANESE SPIDER CRAB MEASURING

12 FEET FROM CLAW TO LEG.

OTHERS CAN LIVE MILES BELOW THE OCEAN SURFACE,

COMBATING EXTREME PRESSURE.

THEN, THERE ARE A RARE FEW LIKE WOODLICE THAT SKIP AQUATIC LIFE

ALTOGETHER, MAKING THEIR HOME IN THE TREES.

EACH OF THESE CREATURES ALL HAVE FOUND THEIR OWN NICHE WITHIN THE

WILD, YET ARE TIED TOGETHER BY ONE UNIQUE ATTRIBUTE.

TAKE A LOOK.

OUT OF THE APPROXIMATELY 50,000 SPECIES OF CRUSTACEANS, THEY ALL

SHARE ONE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC THAT ALSO MAKES

THEM SO UNIQUE; THEIR EXTERNAL SKELETON; MORE COMMONLY REFERRED

TO AS A SHELL OR CARAPACE.

IN FACT, THEY GOT THEIR NAME FROM THIS CARAPACE BECAUSE THE

WORD "CRUSTACEAN" COMES FROM THE LATIN CRUSTA, WHICH MEANS CRUST,

OR, HARD SHELL.

THIS HARD EXTERIOR IS NOT MADE OF ONE SOLID PIECE, AS THIS

WOULD MEAN THEY COULDN'T MOVE.

MOVEMENT IS POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE ARTICULATION BETWEEN THE

DIFFERENT PARTS.

BUT IF THIS SHELL IS RIGID, HOW DO THEY GROW?

MOLTING.

MOLTING IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH THEY GROW AND WHAT MAY LOOK LIKE

JUST A DEAD CRUSTACEAN IS IN FACT AN EMPTY SHELL BEING

CARRIED ALONG BY THE WAVES.

[MUSIC AND UNDERWATER SOUNDS]

DYLAN: MOLTING INVOLVES THE SHEDDING OF THE OLD SHELL AND

REGENERATION OF THE NEW ONE.

CRUSTACEANS MOLT BECAUSE THEIR OLD SHELL HAS BECOME TOO SMALL.

SO, IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WHEN AN ANIMAL IS YOUNG, AND THEN

LESS SO AS IT GROWS OLDER.

IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO OBSERVE A CRUSTACEAN MOLTING

BECAUSE IT USUALLY OCCURS WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING--

AT NIGHTFALL.

THEY USE THE COVER OF DARKNESS TO HIDE SINCE THEY ARE

ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE.

BEING ABLE TO SEE THE MOLTING PROCESS IS EXCEPTIONALLY RARE.

SHOT IN AN ARTIFICIAL ENVIRONMENT, THIS RECORDING

CATCHES THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

FIRST, THE OLD SHELL BECOMES DETACHED.

THEN, THE ANIMAL BEGINS TO SHED IT.

SHEDDING OCCURS THANKS TO THE ANIMAL'S TYPICAL BEHAVIOR.

IT MOVES RHYTHMICALLY AND INFLATES ITS BODY AS MUCH AS

POSSIBLE, OFTEN BY SWALLOWING WATER.

THE OLD SHELL TEARS ALONG THE WEAKEST POINTS AND THE ANIMAL'S

MOVEMENTS ENABLE IT TO SHED THE OLD SHELL AND STRETCH THE NEW

SHELL FULLY.

AFTER MOLTING, THE ANIMAL IS SOFT, AND THEREFORE, IT'S EASY

PREY FOR PREDATORS.

IT TAKE SEVERAL DAYS FOR THE NEW SHELL TO HARDEN AND FORM A

PROTECTIVE LAYER.

MOLTING ENABLES CRUSTACEANS TO REGENERATE MISSING LIMBS.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR LEGS CAN GROW BACK.

ALL THAT THIS WOUNDED LITTLE CRUSTACEAN HAS TO DO IS WAIT FOR

THE NEXT MOLT TO REGAIN THE USE OF ALL ITS LIMBS.

MOST CRUSTACEANS HAVE EYES, AND SOME OF THEM

DESERVE SPECIAL ATTENTION.

[MUSIC AND UNDERWATER SOUNDS]

DYLAN: THEIR EYES HAVE MANY FACETS;

SOMETIMES SEVERAL HUNDRED.

THEY DON'T HAVE KEEN VISION, BUT THEIR EYES MOVE QUICKLY, WHICH

ENABLES THEM TO DETECT MOVING SHAPES.

SOME DEEP-SEA SPECIES WHICH LIVE IN TOTAL DARKNESS HAVE PRICKLES

INSTEAD OF EYES.

THE MANTIS SHRIMP HAS THE BEST EYESIGHT IN THE MARINE WORLD AND

MAYBE EVEN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

ITS EYES PIVOT INDEPENDENTLY AND WILL ALLOW IT TO SEE

IN EVERY DIRECTION.

EACH EYE IS DIVIDED INTO 3 SECTIONS; EACH

WITH ITS OWN PUPIL.

THIS EYE SEES THE SHAPE, DISTANCE AND DEPTH OF OBJECTS.

IT'S BASICALLY 3D VISION, AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE

ADAPTATIONS IN THE WILD.

COMING UP, A TROPICAL NATIVE WITH THE ULTIMATE

FOOD FILTERING SYSTEM.

LATER, DON'T BLINK OR YOU MIGHT MISS THIS CORAL-LOVING CROWD.

AND A CRUSTACEAN THAT PROVES YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.

THIS AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: MOVEMENT AMONG CRUSTACEANS IS CERTAINLY A

UNIQUE ENDEAVOR.

THEY MOVE MAINLY THANKS TO THEIR APPENDAGES, OR LEGS.

IT'S JERKY, SLIGHTLY UNBALANCED, AND NOT VERY ELEGANT.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]

DYLAN: BUT THESE LEGS AREN'T JUST MADE FOR WALKING.

THEY CAN ALSO BE USED FOR SWIMMING.

THAT'S THE CASE WITH SHRIMP.

THEY SWIM SO QUICKLY AND ELEGANTLY THAT IT LOOKS AS IF

THEY'RE FLYING.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE LEGS ALSO SERVE AS PINCERS.

AS WELL AS ITS HUGE CLAWS, THE PORCELAIN CRAB HAS MORE

SOPHISTICATED APPENDAGES.

LIKE NETS, IT UNFURLS ITS FEATHERY, FAN-LIKE MOUTH PARTS.

THIS INGENIOUS SYSTEM ENABLES IT TO FILTER THE PLANKTON

IT FEEDS ON.

THESE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS HAVE ONE PURPOSE; FEEDING.

MOST CRUSTACEANS ARE CARNIVOROUS, EVEN THOUGH ALGAE

SOMETIMES ENTERS THEIR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.

THEY ARE OFTEN OPPORTUNISTIC AND EAT DEAD AS WELL AS LIVE PREY.

THE SMALLEST FEED ON PLANKTON OR DECOMPOSING PARTICLES.

POWERFULLY-ARMED, THE LARGEST PREFER LIVE PREY LIKE

FISH, OR MOLLUSKS.

HOWEVER, CRUSTACEANS ARE CONSUMMATE SURVIVORS, EVEN WHEN

FOOD IS SCARCE.

SOME, SUCH AS LOBSTERS, ARE ABLE TO SURVIVE WITHOUT FOOD FOR

SEVERAL MONTHS.

ONE MORE REASON THIS FASCINATING CLASS OF ANIMALS HAS BEEN ABLE

TO ROAM THE EARTH FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS.

WHEN WE RETURN, THERE'S A FEEDING FRENZY

ALONG THIS CORAL REEF.

PLUS, WE'LL MEET A SHRIMP WHOSE PERSONAL STYLE MATCHES

ITS HOME DECOR.

BUT FIRST, IT'S TIME FOR WILDLIFE A-Z.

ALL OVER THE WORLD, TEAMS OF DEDICATED VETERINARY

PROFESSIONALS WORK AROUND THE CLOCK TO ENSURE THAT ANIMALS

LIVING IN CURATED ENVIRONMENTS ARE NOT JUST

WELL CARED FOR, BUT THRIVING.

THEIR HEALTHCARE IS A LOT LIKE OUR OWN; ANNUAL CHECKUPS,

PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE AND IF ANY PROBLEMS ARISE, SURGEONS AND

EMERGENCY PROFESSIONALS ARE THERE TO SAVE THEIR LIVES.

FROM PHYSICAL THERAPY TO ULTRASOUNDS, DAILY VITAMINS TO

ADVANCED MEDICINE, VETERINARY STAFF LIKE HERE AT BROOKFIELD

ZOO'S ANIMAL HOSPITAL ARE VITAL IN KEEPING THESE ANIMAL ICONS IN

TIP-TOP HEALTH.

STAY TUNED, THERE'S MORE "EARTH ODYSSEY" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK.

WE ARE HERE AT BROOKFIELD ZOO AND I'M JOINED BY DR. MIKE

ADKESSON AND OUR VERY LARGE, EXTRA SPECIAL GUEST,

KIINAQ THE GRAY SEAL.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE SO USED TO SEEING THESE ANIMALS FORTUNATELY

AT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE BROOKFIELD ZOO.

BUT THEY LIVE IN THE WILD TOO.

SO, HOW DO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS FOCUS ON CONSERVATION?

DR. MIKE: KIINAQ IS A WONDERFUL AMBASSADOR FOR HIS COUNTERPARTS

IN THE WILD.

HE WAS STRANDED AS A PUP AND WAS NON-RELEASABLE BACK

INTO THE WILD BECAUSE OF SOME DAMAGE TO HIS MOUTH.

SO, HE'S HERE AT THE ZOO TO TELL THE STORY OF PROTECTING THESE

ANIMALS IN THE WILD AND ALL THE INCREDIBLE CONSERVATION WORK

THAT WE DO.

DYLAN: DR. MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

DR. MIKE: YOU'RE WELCOME.

DYLAN: ALRIGHT, BACK TO OUR SHOW.

IT'S NOT JUST MAJESTIC MARINE MAMMALS THAT MAKE OUR OCEANS

TRULY SPECIAL.

THIS MAY SEEM LIKE JUST A TANGLE OF THREADS, BUT ACTUALLY, IT'S A

LIVING CLUSTER.

THEY BELONG TO A GROUP OF THE OCEAN'S MOST UNIQUE CREATURES;

CRUSTACEANS.

IF WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK, WE CAN SEE IT'S A SKELETON SHRIMP WITH

A WHOLE BROOD CLINGING TO IT.

THESE TINY BABIES ARE WRIGGLING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AFTER THE MALES FERTILIZE THE EGGS, THE FEMALES CARRY THESE

BABY SHRIMP THROUGH TO BIRTH.

AND AS THERE IS NO LARVAL STAGE IN SKELETON SHRIMPS, IT'S VERY

LIKELY THAT THESE MINI CREATURES HAVE JUST BEEN BORN.

LIKE MANY OTHER CRUSTACEANS, SKELETON SHRIMPS ARE MINISCULE,

BUT NO LESS CAPTIVATING.

IN THE LAND OF LILLIPUTIANS, THERE ARE REALLY TINY CREATURES

LIKE THIS MINI-CRAB, LOST AMONG THE GRAINS OF SAND, WHICH WE CAN

ONLY SEE BECAUSE IT'S MOVING ITS EYES.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]

DYLAN: BARELY BIGGER, THIS ONE EXTRICATES ITSELF EASILY AND

ELEGANTLY FROM ITS HIDING PLACE, WHICH IT HURRIES BACK INTO;

PROBABLY FRIGHTENED BY THE NOISE OF THE WORLD OUTSIDE.

THIS CRAB, HIDING IN THE CORAL, SEEMS VERY AT EASE IN THIS

NARROW SHELTER AND GOES ABOUT ITS BUSINESS WITHOUT FEAR.

NOT MUCH BIGGER THAN THE POLYPS OF ITS OCEAN PLAYPEN, THIS TINY

CRAB MOVES PEACEFULLY AROUND ITS HOME.

IN THIS OTHER SEA RESIDENCE, EXPOSED TO THE CURRENT IN A

PLANKTON-RICH ENVIRONMENT, THIS UPSIDE-DOWN LITTLE CRAB IN A

RATHER ACROBATIC POSE, GRABS ALL THE FOOD WITHIN ITS REACH.

JUST LIKE A JUGGLER; NOTHING DISTRACTS IT.

EACH CREATURE HAS ADAPTED TO ITS SIZE AND LIFE AS

A DWARF CRUSTACEAN.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC AND UNDERWATER SOUNDS]

DYLAN: CRUSTACEANS LIKE MANY OTHER ANIMAL SPECIES, ATTACH A

GOOD DEAL OF IMPORTANCE TO THEIR APPEARANCE.

THE ABDOMEN OF THIS PRETTY AMBER SHRIMP, ADORNED WITH WHITE

ARABESQUES, IS ALMOST VERTICAL IN RELATION

TO THE REST OF ITS BODY.

LIKE A SEDUCTION DANCE, IT SWINGS IT CONSTANTLY

TO ATTRACT A MATE.

ADULT FEMALES ARE ALMOST TWICE AS LARGE AS MALES.

THIS SPECIES USUALLY LIVES IN GROUPS, SOMETIMES OF 6 TO 8

INDIVIDUALS; ALL AMONG THE TENTACLES OF AN ANEMONE, SHOWING

THEIR BEAUTY, CONFIDENCE, AND CUNNING FOR ALL TO SEE.

UP NEXT, GET A LOOK AT THE EDIBLE ART OF BLENDING IN.

THIS AND MORE WHEN "EARTH ODYSSEY" RETURNS.

.

NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

[MUSIC]

DYLAN: PARASITES.

EACH PARASITE SPECIES HAS A VERY SPECIAL WAY OF FEEDING.

ATTACHED TO THE FISH'S BACK, THIS PARASITE LIVES OFF IT, BUT

THE FISH DOES NOT BENEFIT IN ANY WAY.

IN MOST CASES, THE PARASITE IS EVEN HARMFUL TO IT.

UNLIKE MORE TYPICAL PREDATORS, IT IS NOT TO THE PARASITE'S

ADVANTAGE TO KILL ITS HOST BECAUSE IT COULD DIE WITH IT.

EASY TO OBSERVE, EXTERNAL PARASITES SUCK FISHES BLOOD.

TO ATTACH THEMSELVES TO FISH, THEY HAVE APPENDAGES

ENDING IN HOOKS.

PARASITES ARE DEMANDING, NEEDING NEAR PERFECT CONDITIONS TO

SUCCESSFULLY LIVE ON THEIR HOSTS.

SCIENTISTS AGREE THAT ALL FORMS OF PARASITE EVOLVED FROM ANIMALS

THAT WERE INITIALLY INDEPENDENT, CAPABLE OF

SURVIVING ON THEIR OWN.

THESE DAYS, THEY CERTAINLY PREFER THE COMPANY OF OTHERS,

EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T INVITED.

THESE CLINGY CREATURES ARE SO WELL-ADAPTED TO THIS NEW WAY OF

LIFE, THEY'VE LET THEIR ORGANS REGRESS.

IF YOU AREN'T GONNA USE IT, LOSE IT.

WE ARE WHAT WE EAT.

THIS WELL-KNOWN SAYING CERTAINLY APPLIES TO SOME CRUSTACEANS.

SHRIMPS LIVING IN CRINOIDS CHANGE COLOR BY FEEDING

ON THEIR HOSTS MUCOUS.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE SHRIMP'S COLOR CHANGES ACCORDING TO

THE CRINOID'S COLOR.

THIS ABILITY TO CHANGE COLOR ENABLES THEM TO BLEND IN WITH

THIS LIVING DECOR AND GO UNNOTICED.

LIKE ALL MARINE ANIMALS, CRUSTACEANS ARE BOTH PREDATORS

AND PREY.

THEY ARE THE FAVORITE DISH OF MANY SPECIES.

THE PROBLEM IS ALWAYS THE SAME; EAT WITHOUT BEING EATEN.

SMALL AND LARGE CRUSTACEANS ALL HAVE PREDATORS.

INSTINCTIVELY, THEY ALL EXPERIENCE THE SAME FRIGHT.

AMONG THEIR PREDATORS, MANY MARINE ANIMALS SEARCH THE SAND

AND CATCH SMALL CRUSTACEANS, EVEN THOUGH

THEY ARE WELL-HIDDEN;

THE SMALLEST SPECIES OFTEN ENDING UP PAYING.

DANGER IS EVERYWHERE.

[ADVENTUROUS/DANGEROUS MUSIC]

DYLAN: HUNTING USUALLY TAKES PLACE AT NIGHT.

THIS CRUSTACEAN HAS NO CHANCE AGAINST THIS MORAY EEL THAT HAS

JUST SPOTTED IT.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

DYLAN: IT'S THE LAW OF THE WILD ON WHICH THE GOOD FUNCTIONING OF

THE FOOD CHAIN DEPENDS.

TO NOT BE EATEN, YOU HAVE TO AVOID BEING SEEN AT ALL COSTS.

WHILE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE PREDATOR, SOME SHRIMPS BURY

THEMSELVES IN THE SAND.

PISTOL SHRIMPS BUILD AND TEND VERY STRONG BURROWS.

THIS VERY BUSY SHRIMP IS CLEARING AN INCREDIBLE QUANTITY

OF SAND AT A FRENETIC PACE.

OTHERS HOUSE SHARE.

WHAT A MYSTERIOUS COUPLE; THE GOBY AND SHRIMP MAKE.

IN FACT, THEY HAVE A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP;

THEY SHARE THEIR HOME AND DO THINGS FOR EACH OTHER

ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITIES.

THIS SITUATION IS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL FOR THE BLIND SHRIMP

AND THE GOBY, WHICH IS INCAPABLE OF BUILDING A SHELTER.

TOGETHER, THEY FORM A FORMIDABLE DEFENSE AGAINST

AN OCEAN OF DANGER.

WHEN IT COMES TO SURVIVAL IN NATURE, IT'S ALL ABOUT DOING

WHATEVER IT TAKES.

AND CRUSTACEANS ARE A PRIME EXAMPLE.

WHETHER RELYING ON ANOTHER IN A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP OR

DEVELOPING PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES THAT HELP PROTECT, HUNT,

OR BLEND IN, LIFE FOR THESE SHELL-BOUND SURVIVORS IS

ABOUT GETTING A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND FINDING

THEIR OWN TAILORED METHOD OF THRIVING IN THE WILD.

WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US FOR ANOTHER ADVENTURE ON THE NEXT

EPISODE OF "EARTH ODYSSEY."

[MUSIC]