Download Marine Phyla and Adaptations

Marine Phyla and
Adaptations to Living
in the Ocean
Ecology
Q of day:

List five different types of marine organisms.

What are some of the obstacles that organisms
face when they live in the ocean?

What types of adaptations might marine animals
have to live in the ocean?
Marine Phyla
 Echinodermata
 Includes
starfish, sea urchins, sand
dollars, sea cucumbers
Marine Phyla (Continued)

Mollusks (include a cephalopod)
 Includes
clams & snails
 Octopus & squid are cephalopods
Marine Phyla (Continued)

Cnidaria
 Includes
jellyfish, sea
anemones,
& corals
Marine Phyla (Continued)

Arthropods
 Includes
crabs
lobsters, shrimp, barnacles, &
Marine Phyla (Continued)

Vertebrates
 Includes
fish, sea turtles, whales, porpoises,
sea lions, etc.
Adaptations of organisms to the
marine environment

Marine organisms have various adaptations for the
conditions of the marine environment.

Let’s focus on a few of the adaptations that marine
organisms possess for:





Flotation & Buoyancy
Salt Regulation
Temperature
Water Pressure
Oxygen
Adaptations to Stay Afloat

Some animals (ex:
Portuguese man-of-war)
secrete gases into a float
that enables them to stay at
the sea surface

Remember: Viscosity increases with
decreasing temperature. So, small organisms
float more easily in cold waters than warm
waters. In tropical waters, organisms have
appendages to keep them afloat.
Adaptations for Buoyancy

Many species of fish have internal swim bladders
filled with gas that keep them neutrally buoyant

When a fish changes depth, it adjusts the gas
pressure in its swim bladder to compensate for
pressure change (gets smaller when swim deeper)
Adaptations to Salt Regulation

Marine fish have adaptations to maintain
body water…
Adaptations for Temperature Regulation

Marine animals other than birds & mammals are
ectotherms so body temp is same as surroundings

Seabirds &
mammals are
endotherms & have
adaptations to
maintain body
temps in cold water.

Blubber (insulating
fat & connective
tissue) under their
skin
Adaptations for Pressure


Many organisms do not have gas-filled cavities
or lungs.
Deep-diving marine mammals may have:
Streamlined bodies (to reduce drag)
 high conc. of myoglobin (holds oxygen)
 collapsible lungs

Adaptations to Obtain Oxygen



Marine animals
need oxygen to
survive
Many marine
animals use gills to
extract dissolved
oxygen from
seawater
Marine mammals
must breathe air

Whales have blow holes
Can you think of any others?

We’ve highlighted only a sampling of the
adaptations that marine organisms have to
survive in the oceans. Can you think of any
others?