Sea Cucumbers
What type of symmetry do sea cucumbers have?
They have radial symmetry, and some have bilateral symmetry.
How many sides do a sea urchins and sand dollars have and what are they?
2: the top and bottom
What does it mean when fish are called "cold-blooded"?
It means that fish are ectotherms, so their body temperature changes depending on the temperature of the water around them.
How many sides does a starfish have?
It has a top side and a bottom side.
Where do sponges live?
Sponges live on the ocean floor, usually attached to reefs or rocks.
What do sea cucumbers use their tube feet for?
For movement and feeding.
Sea urchins and sand dollars have how many rays that are covered in spines?
5 or multiples of five.
What is the function of fish gills?
Fish gills are used to take oxygen from the water and send it to different parts of the fish's body so it can breathe.
How many arms, or rays, can a starfish have?
They usually have 5, but some have more as long as it’s a multiple of 5.
What does it mean that sponges are sessile?
It means they are immobile and attached to surfaces like reefs, so they don’t move around.
How do sea cucumbers contribute to the ocean ecosystem?
Their waste is cleaner than the food they eat, recycling nutrients into the ocean ecosystem.
What are their bodies made up of?
calcium carbonate
What is the difference between bony fish and cartilaginous fish?
Bony fish have skeletons made of bone, while cartilaginous fish, like sharks, have skeletons made of cartilage. Also, bony fish have smooth, slimy scales, while cartilaginous fish have rough scales.
What do starfish mostly eat?
They mainly eat mollusks like clams, oysters, and mussels, but they can also eat snails and hurt fish.
How do sponges get their food?
Sponges are heterotrophs and filter feed by pulling plankton and bacteria out of the water they filter.
Name two defense mechanisms sea cucumbers use against predators.
They can expel their organs or release a toxic, foul-smelling chemical.
What are the most common characteristics of the spines of a sand dollar and sea urchin.(describe how they look:short,long,spiky,thin...)
long, thin and sharp (Sea Urchins)
short, flat and dull (Sand Dollars)
What does the swim bladder do for a fish?
The swim bladder is a gas-filled organ that helps fish stay afloat in the water without using energy to swim.
How does a starfish eat a clam or other mollusk?
It uses its tube feet to open the shell, then pushes its stomach into the shell, digests the mollusk, and pulls its stomach back in.
How do sponges reproduce, and what is the process of it?
Sponges reproduce by budding, where a part of the sponge splits off and grows into a new sponge.
What do sea cucumbers use their tentacles for, and where are they?
Their tentacles are around their mouths, and they use them to grab food and put it in their mouths.
What happens when they die?
Their spines fall off and dried white skeleton remains.
How does the lateral line help fish?
The lateral line is a system of sensory organs that detects movement and vibrations in the water, which helps fish sense prey and swim away from predators.
Why is it hard to kill a starfish?
Because it can grow back parts of its body if they get hurt or cut off.
What is the function of the choanocytes (collar cells) in a sponge?
Choanocytes have a moving tail (flagella) that creates a current to help trap food particles for feeding.