Not all animals have brains, and they are all aquatic creatures. Do you believe it? There are creatures on this planet that can function without the use of a brain. Incredible! You’re undoubtedly wondering how they exist without a brain. So, let us find out more about them. From the man-of-war to the sea cucumber, here are 10 animals without brains and a look at how they live!
Animals Without Brains
1. Sea Urchins
Sea urchins are pointed, prickly creatures that any beachgoer in bare feet may discover in the worst way. Fortunately, sea urchins are not harmful outside of South Florida. The species has an unknown number of legs and feeds through its water vascular system. That mechanism alters the amount of pressure and water in its body, allowing it to move more quickly. The starfish works in a similar way. The mouth of the beast is beneath it. They urinate from the top of their bodies. The sea urchin sits on the rocks, scraping and eating algae. This effort helps to maintain the ocean clean in numerous ways.
Image source: Wikipedia
2. Jellyfish
This family of translucent organisms, known as “jellies,” is unique. This type of Jellyfish without brains is usually sedentary, spending its entire life in one place. Jellyfish follow the currents of the water. They can also move forward by squirting water. In oceans all around the world, jellyfish employ this ability to drive themselves toward prey such as plankton. Their ability to move also helps them avoid predators such as fish, turtles, and seabirds. A network of sensory nerves allows the jellyfish to function. Tentacles sting in response to alien items. The sting produces a chemical that can neutralize or kill the intruder.
3. Sea Cucumbers
The wormlike sea cucumber is one of the Mariana trench animals that feeds on plankton, and the leathery-skinned critters can be found all over the place. Sea cucumbers are incredibly hazardous, yet because they lack a brain, they are not always a purposeful threat. They are capable of emitting a deadly chemical known as holothurin, which can permanently blind people. It is also one of the most popular land and water animals in the world.
One of the amazing aquatic animals has over a thousand different kinds of sea cucumbers. Many of the species are found in deep water. They can swim up to 3,300 feet and then float back to the ocean floor. Sea cucumbers feed naturally, catching and swallowing food with their tubular feet. Aquatic invertebrates, algae, and trash make up their food. Surprisingly, despite their inability to recognize it, these aquatic critters display both asexual and sexual reproduction.
4. Corals
The Cnidarians family includes coral and jellyfish. Their bodies are asymmetric, and both sting their opponents. Coral, which is classified as a plant, is actually a live animal without a brain. The main difference between plants and animals is that animals seek nourishment, whereas plants make their own. This type of coral joins the animal in its search for food. They are little groups of tiny organisms. These coral polyps eat zooplankton that lingers in the ocean. Coral feeds by catching plankton with its retractable tentacles.
5. Clams
Clams are bivalves, which are mollusks with compressed bodies enclosed by hinged shells. Oysters, mussels, clams, and scallops are other members of the family. Clams have the ability to open and close their shells. The clam’s nervous system allows it to function. Clams are famous in the fishing world since they are easy to catch and may be found all over the world. Clams have kidneys, stomachs, mouths, a nervous system, and a heart that beats.
Image Source: Wikimedia
6. Starfish
The starfish is related to the sea urchin. But — hold your breath! – it’s not a fish. The truth is that this species is incapable of swimming. Starfish spend their entire lives at the ocean’s bottom. Though they can be found floating or washed up on the beach, this is never by choice! More than 2,000 different kinds of starfish exist in a variety of sizes, colors, and forms. But they all have one thing in common: there isn’t a brain in sight! The critters have microscopic eyes at the end of each arm that they use to discern between dark and light. A brain is useless to the starfish. It uses rudimentary sensors to detect attackers and food.
7. Man-O-War
The Portuguese man-o-war, another wobbly-like critter with a deadly sting, is high on the list of the world’s oddest animals. While we use the singular for the beast, we should properly say “man-o-wars.” The animal is actually a colony of polyps, commonly known as zooids. The colony cannot exist on its own because it is linked by tissue. The species has a lethal sting, but it is ineffectual against its most dangerous foe, the Sea Turtle. The stinger of the man-of-war cannot pierce the turtle’s tough skin. A sting on the tongue will not dissuade a marine turtle. The fish also joins the birds on the mat. When birds approach, the man-of-war dives deep and shoots gas from its bladder.
8. Oysters
In comparison to the clam, the oyster is notorious for encasing valuable pearls in its shell. But it’s a treasure hunt because the chances of discovering a perfect pearl are one in a million. To consume, oysters filter water and eliminate organic particles such as plankton. They can filter up to 50 gallons of water every day, which is plenty to keep them going for a long. It is also listed as one of the animals without brains.
9. Sea Lillies
Sea lilies have fluffy limbs that mimic plants. They spend their entire lives immobilized at the bottom of the ocean. There is also evidence that the sea lily can float to a different location when it is unable to locate sustenance. They can travel at speeds of up to 140 miles per hour if necessary. Sea lilies are related to starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. The animal has a small mouth in the center of its body and feeds primarily on the animal waste that sinks to the ocean floor. As a result, the sea lily, like several other creatures on this list, is intuitively helping to keep the water clean.
Image Source: Wikimedia
10. Sea Squirts
Prepare for the strangest creature on this list. To begin, the sea squirt has both male and female forms. It is a hermaphrodite, which means it has both sexual reproductive organs and does not require a mate to bear progeny. Their tadpole larvae are the result of a single animal’s sperm and eggs. Here’s where things get strange: the sea squirt has a brain in its larval stage; it’s microscopic, but it’s there. However, because the organism cannot find or eat in its larva phase, it quickly settles in a location and remains there for the rest of its life. When the sea squirt has discovered its “home,” it starts eating its brain. After leaving, the creature spends the rest of its lifespan without a brain!
Image Source: Wikimedia
These are the top 10 animals without brains. Kindly share and do post your comments.
