The Ocean Habitat and How Animals Evolved to Fit in The largest habitat on Earth: makes up to 97 % of all livable space on Earth Also contains the most unique life forms on Earth

Land Influenced Zones Better known as: The Neritic Zone Shallow area of ocean water in which land has an impact Coastal zones of the ocean Usually with 3-50 miles of coastline of Continents

Land Un-Influenced Zones Better known as the: Pelagic zone Open ocean Land has no effect or little impact Majority of the oceans’ habitat

2 Ways of Moving in Ocean Nekton- Swim in and out of currents (Most Fish) Plankton- Drift in Ocean using Currents (jellyfish)

Pelagic or Open Water Zones defined by Light

Pelagic Zones Epipelagic Zone—0-200 meters in depth (all colors visible at first) Mesopelagic Zone— meters (twilight zone: light and dark; no color) Bathypelagic Zone— meters (no sunlight visible from this depth and below) Abyssopelagic Zone— meters Hadalpelagic Zone— meters

Epipelagic zone adaptations Counter shading Concealment: [dermersal (dwelling near the bottom) or vegetal (around plants) ] Disruptive-stripes or dots Advertisement Mimicry-can mimic other animals Transparent

Countershading dark on top, light on bottom ambush predators

Concealment--Camouflage Dermersal- rock-like Vegetal- plant-like

Disruptive—stripes or dots, breaks up outline, hard to see

Advertisement—brightly colored--POISONOUS

Mimicry—Brightly Colored—NOT POISONOUS (clown fish) or copying another life-form Mimic Octopus

Transparency- light goes through you, hard to see

Epipelagic Adaptations Body Form—Streamed-lined Musculature-Strong Swimmers Size-All sizes found here Eyes-Well developed/large

Mesopelagic Adaptations Coloration Black with or without silvery sides Counter Illumination (glowing organs) Body formed: Relatively long but sides squeezed in

Mesopelagic Adaptations Musculature: Moderately strong swimmers some weak Eyes: Very Large Sensitive eyes

2 Biggest Challenges for Deep Sea Life Scarcity or Lack of food; Must evolve way of obtaining food that rarely gets there Expandable stomachs or great smell Great Water pressure 33 ft of water equal same pressure as 36 miles of air

Deep Pelagic Adaptations (Bathypelagic-Hadalpelagic) Color: Black or red – Bioluminescence-attract prey at times (organs glow)

Deep Pelagic Adaptations (Bathypelagic-Hadalpelagic) Shape-Globular (round shape)—Large Head Musculature: Weak swimmers mainly Fins modified as sensory organs Size-Most small but some are large Eyes-Small or absent (eyes if using bioluminescence)

Deep Pelagic

Benthic Zone—Life in the sand Coloration: Black or Brown Shape Elongated or flattened Strong Muscles (to borrow in sand) Size: Relatively Large Eyes: Small