Marine Organisms

Three Categories: Plankton – Usually very small floating organism, either plants or animals, which are at the mercy of the tides winds and currents. Nekton – Strong swimming animals that live in the open ocean, not affected by tides or currents. Benthos – Organisms that live on or in the ocean floor, could be plants or animal

Plankton Phytoplankton: “Plant” plankton that photosynthesize. Often called algae. Zooplankton: “Animal” plankton. Eat phytoplankton

Nekton All animals that are capable of swimming powerfully against an ocean current Although many of these animals adapted to swimming great distances they usually remain close to one area because they have not adapted to environmental changes through the ocean.

Nektons

Whales Marine mammals that breathe air, are warm- blooded and feed milk to their young. Two main groups of whales: – Those with teeth – Those with baleen Made of Keratin like your finger nails

Toothed Whales These include dolphins, porpoises, killer whales, belugas, and sperm whales Sperm whales are the largest toothed whale. They can dive to great depths (1000m) and stay under for an hour. They feed mostly on squid

Baleen Whales Include all the largest species of whales - blue, fin, humpback, They have plates of baleen that hang from each side of the upper jaw instead of teeth, which they use to take krill out of the water An average humpback will eat tons of krill per day

Adaptations of Whales Streamlined bodies Powerful tail flukes Thick blubber layer to keep warm Twice as many red blood cells as other land mammals During dives - heart rate slows to conserve O 2 Water-tight seals on blowholes

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Fish Fish are cold-blooded animals and possess gills for breathing and fins for swimming There are two main groups of fish: – Cartilage fish (sharks,and rays) – Bony fish (tuna, cod, halibut,)

Cartilage Fish Cartilage fish lack bones and have a skeleton made out of cartilage (the stuff that is in your nose) Cartilage fish are negatively buoyant – will sink if they stop swimming

Bony Fish Bony fish display the greatest diversity of all the vertebrates Possess air-filled swim bladders to aid in buoyancy

Benthos Creatures that live on, near, or in the bottom of the ocean floor. Some of these organisms are sponges, coral, crabs, muscles, and sea weed.

Benthos Creatures that attach to the bottom are barnacles, mussels, periwinkles Creatures that live near the bottom are crabs, lobsters, sea stars, sea urchins, and several species of fish including skates and flounder. Creatures that burrow in the bottom are clams and worms

CLAMS WORMS Periwinkle CORAL