Fish of the Ocean
These are the three main classes of fish.
What are Agnatha (Jawless Fish), Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish), and Osteichthyes (Bony Fish)?
This group includes whales and dolphins and has no external ear structures.
What are cetaceans?
This group includes animals like seals, sea lions, and walruses.
What are pinnipeds?
This is the only lizard species adapted to a marine environment.
What are marine iguanas?
Agnatha fish play this role in nutrient cycling.
What are scavengers?
This type of fish relies on a liver filled with oil for buoyancy instead of a swim bladder.
What are cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes)?
These animals have a unique layer of fat, helping with thermoregulation in cold waters.
What is blubber?
Sea otters use this instead of blubber for insulation.
What is dense fur?
These reptiles have a hard shell for protection and migrate long distances between feeding and breeding grounds.
What are sea turtles?
This type of marine mammal is considered a keystone species in kelp forests.
What are sea otters?
These fish are known for having a skeleton made of cartilage instead of bone.
What are cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes)?
This type of whale has baleen plates and can reach up to 98 feet in length.
What are baleen whales?
Polar bears rely on this to hunt seals in the Arctic.
What is sea ice?
These reptiles are venomous and have paddle-shaped tails for swimming.
What are sea snakes?
Sea turtles contribute to marine ecosystems by maintaining these.
What are healthy seagrass beds?
Agnatha fish lack this structure, which is common among other fish types.
What are jaws?
Toothed whales use this to navigate and find prey.
What is echolocation?
These pinnipeds have ear flaps and can rotate their hind flippers forward.
What are sea lions?
Known as the largest living reptile species, this predator can live in both freshwater and saltwater.
What is the saltwater crocodile?
These reptiles help control algae growth on rocky shores.
What are marine iguanas?
This class of fish is the most evolutionarily ancient and provides insight into early vertebrate evolution.
What is Agnatha (Jawless Fish)?
Toothed whales are known to live in these social structures, which help them coordinate and protect each other.
What are pods?
Known for using tools to access food, this marine mammal plays a critical role in maintaining the balance of its ecosystem.
What is the sea otter?
Marine reptiles have specialized glands for this purpose, which helps them survive in a saltwater environment.
What is excreting excess salt?
These marine mammals are apex predators that help maintain balanced fish populations in the ocean.
What are cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), like sharks?