QUESTION:
Do krill have bones? Do penguins swallow them whole?
Do they produce a pellet of indigestible material like an owl would?
How do krill taste? How can they be made fit for human consumption?

        Fourth Graders in Ms. Heisler's Class
        Meeker Elementary School
        Greeley, CO, USA


ANSWERS from Karen Haberman, Antarctic Research Team
            Palmer Station, Antarctica
            Wed, 26 Feb 1997 03:40:53 -0500


Dear Students,

QUESTION: Do krill have bones?
ANSWER: Krill do not have bones.  They belong to a group of animals known as
"invertebrates", which are all animals without bony skeletons. 
However, krill do have a hard outer covering, called on exoskeleton,
which is similar to the outer covering of a crab or a lobster.  This
exoskeleton gives their body support, which is one of the functions
of bones.

QUESTION: Do penguins swallow them whole?
ANSWER:  Yes, the penguin grabs the krill by pinching it with its beak, and 
then swallows it.  Whole, not chewed up, krill are found in the 
penguins regurgitate (barf). 

QUESTION: Do they produce a pellet of indigestible material like an owl would?
ANSWER:  Sometimes in my feeding experiments, I see krill carrying around 
blobs of phytoplankton, which they then expel.  But it is different 
from an owl pellet in that it has not gone into their mouth, but it 
is apparently only material that they have gathered in their feeding 
basket and then rejected.  I have not seen this very often.

QUESTION: How do krill taste?
ANSWER: Personally, I like the taste of krill.  They are salty, of course, 
and with a sharp taste that is similar to a shrimp, but stronger.  
Most people don't think krill taste very good, but I guess I've 
acquired a taste for them.

  
QUESTION: How can they be made fit for human consumption?
ANSWER: Some countries already process krill for human consumption.  For 
example, the Norwegians have a krill paste which they serve with 
crackers.  The exoskeleton (hard outer covering) must be removed when 
krill are going to be eaten in large quantities. This is because 
their exoskeleton contains fluorine, which is toxic in high 
concentrations.  Another important factor is that they must be frozen 
immediately aboard the fishing vessel.  Otherwise, they will become 
unfit for consumption very quickly. 


Thanks for your questions!
Karen