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Glossary algae – Plant-like organisms that live mostly in water. Can exist as single-celled free swimmers or as multicellular seaweed. aphotic zone – Area of the ocean to which sunlight never reaches; also called the dark zone. Arthropods – Invertebrates that have a hard exoskeleton and jointed legs. AUV – “Autonomous Underwater Vehicle.” bioluminescence – Production of light by a living organism. camouflage – Ability to blend into the surroundings by means of body coloration, patterns, and shape. carapace – Part of an exoskeleton that covers the head and thorax (chest) of some arthropods. Also, a sea turtle shell. cartilage – Tough, elastic connective and supportive tissue found in many animals. Some fish, like sharks, have an entire skeleton made of cartilage. cartilaginous – Made of cartilage. Cephalopods – Class of marine mollusks; including octopuses, squids, and nautiluses. chromatophores – Skin cells containing pigment. Allows some animals, like squid, to change color. Cnidarians – Soft invertebrates with tentacles that have stinging cells. compound eyes – Single eye structure containing several light-sensing units. continental shelf – Gradually sloping area of land that begins at the shore and continues under the ocean. continental slope – Steeply sloping area of land located beneath the ocean. Crustaceans – Mostly aquatic class of animals that includes shrimp, lobsters, crabs, barnacles, and others. colonial animal – Animal in which many small individuals grow together, making one large body. detritus – Small bits of matter, such as decaying plant and animal parts, and animal waste. Provides food for some animals living in the deep, lightless regions of the sea. dichotomous – Dividing or branching into two parts; in a dichotomous key, two questions are asked about an item in order to help classify it. dorsal – Refers to the back of an organism, such as the dorsal fin of a fish. Echinoderms – Invertebrates with spiny skin, often in a star shape. ecology - The branch of biology concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment. exoskeleton – Hard outer covering of some invertebrates. gas bladder – Small gas-filled floats that help a plant or animal float in the water. Gas bladders hold kelp blades toward the surface where they receive sunlight. They also help fish swim upright. habitat – the area in which a living organism makes its home. invertebrate – Animal that does not have a backbone. Mammals – Warm-blooded vertebrates that have hair and produce milk. marine biology – The study of life in the ocean. marine snow – Another name for detritus; used to describe matter drifting down from the surface. Mollusks – Invertebrates with soft bodies. Often protected by shells. natural history – Detailed description of a species and its lifestyle. operculum – Cover for the opening of the shells of gastropods (like snails), and a plate covering the gills of bony fish. overfishing – Taking too many fish and seriously depleting its numbers and potentially affecting the future existence of that species. overharvesting – Taking too many plants or animals for human use and potentially affecting the future existence of that species. photic zone – Area of the ocean through which sunlight penetrates. photosynthesis – Process which occurs in green plants where light energy is used to create food. phytoplankton – Microscopic plants that float near the ocean’s surface. Pinniped – Group of marine mammals that contains seals and sea lions. preopercle – Cover over the smaller gill opening of bony fish. radula – File-like structure in mollusks used to tear up food and bring it into the mouth of an animal. ROV – “Remotely Operated Vehicle.” runoff – Rainfall that is not absorbed by the ground and flows into the ocean; usually carries with it pollutants like oil, fertilizers and other materials. scavenger – Animal that feeds on dead plants or animals. sediment – Material that settles to the ocean bottom such as dirt, dead microorganisms and pollutants. siphonophore – Colonial animal related to the jellies; they can grow to be over 50 feet long. stipe – Stem-like part of seaweed. submersible – Any vehicle that can submerge underneath the surface of water. vertebrate – Animal that has a backbone. zooplankton – Microscopic animals that float in the ocean.