Download Marine Biology and Classification (part 3 of 3)

Cnidaria (Phylum)
• Jellyfish, coral reefs, anemones
• Important predators and provide habitats for other organisms
• Tentacles and stingers
• Jelly like body, some have hard body with calcium like corals
• Many bioluminescent
Symbiotic relationships
Box Jellyfish most toxic
organism known to man!
Crustaceans (Phylum)
• Crabs, lobsters, shrimp, barnacles
• Hard outer shell
• Some have jointed legs, others are attached to rocks
• Some have claws, others have specialised filters
Pistol shrimp
shoots out
bubble over
4,000°C
Echinoderms (Phylum)
• Starfish, sea cucumbers, sea urchins
• Body plan arranged into 5 parts (Like a star)
• Hydraulic pressure used for movement
• Have tube feet for movement
Crown of thorns
starfish destroys
corals
Molluscs (Phylum)
• Octopus, cuttlefish, squid, mussels, sea slugs, sea snails
• Arms and tentacles with suckers
• Shells or beaks for protection or feeding
• Some can camouflage, or release ink as an alarm response
Blue Dragon Sea Slug
eats Jellyfish stings
and uses them for
Humboldt
protection !
Squid has
toothed
suckers!
Vertebrates
• Have a backbone
• Counter Shading for camouflage
• More complex animals
•
•
•
•
•
Circulatory System
Respiratory System
Digestive System
Skeletal System
Nervous System
• Why is it important to study them?
• Often at top of food chains, control populations of prey
• Act as prey for larger organisms, important food items for humans
Adaptation: Countershading
Dark Topside camouflages
against dark depths from
animals looking down from
above
Sneak up
on prey
and don’t
get eaten!
White underside breaks up
figure against light
flickering down
Can you think of any others with this colouration?
Chondrichthys (Class)
• Cartilaginous Fish
• Skates, Rays, Sharks
• Scales called Denticles
• Protection
• Less hydrodynamic resistance
• Either have fins or rays
• Important top predators
Osteichthyes (Class)
• Bony Fish
• Seahorses, soles, swordfish, tuna, and many more…
• Bony skeletons
• Scales cover body
The sailfish is the fastest fish in the sea!
• Fin Rays
• Steering
• Stability
• Flying!
Enlarged fin rays
make wings so
flying fish can
fly away from
predators
Mammals (Orders)
The Blue Whale is
the largest animal
to ever live!
• Whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, walruses, dugongs, polar bears, sea
otters
• Warm blooded (endothermic)
• Thick layer of blubber
• Protection
• Insulation
• Energy Storage
• Melon on head for echolocation, produce clicks like bats
• Lungs and blowholes, need to breathe air!
Activity
Classification Game Worksheet
• Using the key, classify the 8 organisms through the different levels
based on their characteristics
Answers:
• Animal
• Cubozoa
• Chirodropida
• Chirodropidae
• Chironex
• Fleckeri
• Box Jellyfish
Answers:
• Animal
• Echinoderm
• Asteroidea
• Valvatida
• Acanthasteridae
• Acanthaster
• Planci
• Crown of thorns starfish
Answers:
• Animal
• Crustacean
• Malacostraca
• Decapoda
• Portunidae
• Carcinus
• Maenas
• Shore Crab
Answers:
• Animal
• Mollusc
• Cephalopoda
• Octopoda
• Octopodidae
• Hapalochlaena
• Lunulata
• Greater Blue Ringed Octopus
Answers:
• Animal
• Echinoderm
• Echinoidea
• Echinoida
• Echinidae
• Echinus
• Esculentus
• Edible Sea Urchin
Answers:
• Animal
• Mollusc
• Cephalopoda
• Teuthida
• Loliginidae
• Loligo
• Vulgaris
• Common Squid
Answers:
• Animal
• Scyphozoa
• Semaeostomeae
• Pelagiidae
• Chrysaora
• Colorata
• Purple Striped Jellyfish
Answers:
• Animal
• Crustacean
• Malacostraca
• Decapoda
• Nephropidae
• Homarus
• Gammarus
• Common Lobster
Where to go from here?
• This is just an introduction, many other marine species and groups
• Smaller organisms like plankton also very important
• Different lifecycle stages and behaviours
• Plants and seaweeds also important
• Deep Sea, burrowing organisms and polar seas
• Marine Technology
• So much to discover!
Plenary Slides
1. What characteristics can we use to identify organisms?
2. What two classification levels do we use in scientific names?
3. Give 2 reasons why classification is important
4. Why are invertebrates important in the marine environment?
5. Which cnidarians are often used as habitats?
6. Which organisms have a body plan arranged into 5 parts?
7. How do many marine organisms use colour as camouflage?
8. What functions do shark denticles have?
9. What organ do marine mammals use for echolocation?
10. What is the fastest fish in the sea?
Answers:
1. Morphology (Shape), Colour, Behaviour, Genetics
2. Genus and Species
3. Distinguish organisms, identify factors affecting species, show relationships
between species, make sure you are talking about the same species with others
4. Used for food, responsible for ecosystem structure
5. Anemones and Corals
6. Echinoderms
7. Countershading and bioluminescence
8. Reduce hydrodynamic drag and protection
9. Melon
10. Sailfish