1. Inherited Traits that Help Organisms Survive and Reproduce
Adaptations
Inherited Traits that Help Organisms Survive and Reproduce

2. Adaptations
Notice the spelling and pronunciation! “a-dap-tay-shuns” is correct (many people say “a-dap-shuns” – wrong!)
Adaptations = any inherited trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce (they’re nouns, not verbs!).
Adaptations can be
Physical (internal or external body parts)
Chemical (proteins, etc.) or
Behavioral (reflexes, instincts, or learning).
Here are names and descriptions of the types of adaptations, but wait for the next slide to fill in examples on your chart!

3. Examples of Adaptations
The fur of a polar bear
Insulin controlling blood sugar levels
An angler fish waiting for prey
A squirrel hibernating through the winter
Adrenaline signaling the body to speed up
The bright colors of a male peacock
The 4 chambers of mammal’s hearts
The ability to learn language
Structural
Chemical
Now tell if each of these is a structural, chemical, or behavioral adaptation!!
Behavioral
Behavioral
Chemical
Structural
Structural
Behavioral

4. Adaptations cannot change in a single lifetime!
Since adaptations are inherited, they can not change during a single organism’s lifetime! Individuals can not adapt!! But species can adapt over many generations.
This seems confusing to us, since our major adaptation is our adaptability – but if an organism does not inherit a trait, it won’t suddenly develop it as needed. For example, a whale born without the gene to make blubber won’t be able to adapt – it will just die!

5. Fish Feeding Adaptations
Answer the questions in the chart!
Notice the placement of its mouth – it must get food from the seafloor.
Sawfish – related to sharks and rays.
From which part of its habitat does it get its food?
Describe its major structural adaptation.
Describe its major behavioral adaptation.
Its long snout, with teethlike projections.
Swinging its snout through the sand to distrurb shellfish, worms, etc., then it gobbles them up!

6. Fish Feeding Adaptations
Now you get to answer the questions yourself!
Angler fish – lives in the dark benthic zone.
From which part of its habitat does it get its food?
Describe its major structural adaptation.
Describe its major behavioral adaptation.
Male!!

7. Fish Feeding Adaptations
Moorish Idol – lives on coral reefs.
From which part of its habitat does it get its food?
Describe its major structural adaptation.
Describe its major behavioral adaptation.

8. Fish Feeding Adaptations
Barracuda – lives in open water.
From which part of its habitat does it get its food?
Describe its major structural adaptation.
Describe its major behavioral adaptation.

9. Fish Feeding Adaptations
Stonefish– lives on the sea floor
From which part of its habitat does it get its food?
Describe its major structural adaptation.
Describe its major behavioral adaptation.
Also has poisonous spines on its fins for defense!

10. Fish Feeding Adaptations
GWS!!
From which part of its habitat does it get its food?
Describe its major structural adaptation.
Describe its major behavioral adaptation.