NAME_________________________
“Finding Nemo”
PERIOD_______________________
1.
Based on the number of eggs Coral produced, what can you conclude
about the parental involvement in raising the offspring? Why did she produce so many eggs?
2. Nemo lives in a sea anemone. As you may recall, these organisms can deliver a painful sting.
However, Nemo and his father are not harmed by the anemone. What type of symbiotic relationship
exists between these two species? Why?
3.
Fin development in the clownfish is based on a single gene. The sequence of the normal allele is….
ATT CCG TAG CCC TAT AAA TGC
Upon DNA analysis, it was determined that the sequence of Nemo’s allele for fin development is….
ATT CCG TAG GCC TAT AAA TGC
What name is given to this change in the nucleotide sequence of the normal DNA.
4. Nemo describes his small fin as being his “lucky fin.” Would Darwin agree with Nemo? How would
Darwin’s theory of natural selection explain this lucky fin?
5.
It has been determined that the frequency of this recessive fin allele is .01. Assuming that the
clownfish population is at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, what is the frequency of the dominant allele in
the clownfish gene pool?
What percent of the population is homozygous dominant?
6.
In order to maintain this Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for future generations, criteria must be met.
Please discuss what must occur in order for this population to maintain this equilibrium.
7.
Dory and Marlin almost meet their demise when they encounter the herbivore
shark meeting. Although it would have been a morbid alternative ending if the
sharks actually consumed Dory and Marlin, sharks play a vital role in the
marine environment. Please discuss how the human impact of overfishing
these top predators would affect this ecosystem.
8.
What is the highest level of biological organization that exists in the aquarium? List how many biotic
and abiotic factors can you recognize in the tank?
9. How has the deep-sea anglerfish evolved to be a top predator in the aphotic (no sunlight) zone of the
ocean?
10. Explain in terms of Darwin’s survival of the fittest why it would be advantageous to swim in a school of
fish instead of singly.
11. When Marlin and Dory entered the school of jellyfish, the jellyfish tried to consume Dory. Explain the
process of digestion in Cnidarians and how this evolutionary more advanced than digestion in the
Porifera.
12. As global climate change becomes as growing concern, scientists are worried about the already
endangered sea turtle population. Sea turtles lay their eggs deep in the sand and then bury them to
incubate. Studies indicate that the temperature of the eggs during incubation influences the sex of baby
sea turtles. Lower temperatures tend to produce males, while higher temperatures tend to produce
females. Experts are most certain about the effects of warming on the beaches. Why would scientists
be concerned over the increasing temperatures of sand on the beaches? What would happen to the
sea turtle population over time?
13. As the news of Marlin’s quest to find Nemo makes it way to Nemo in the dentist office, what class of
arthropod is shown talking about the adventures?
14. Food chains are present throughout the ocean from the smallest photosynthetic algae to the largest
great white shark eating a smaller fish. Describe the food chain of the humpback whale present in the
movie. Remember where all food chains start!
15. When the algae continue to grow inside the tank the only fish that enjoys it is the algae eater shrimp,
Jacques. If there is 10 grams of algae in the tank, how much energy is Jacques getting from consuming
all of the algae in the tank? Why does this occur?
16. What 3 biological relationships are shown by the “mine, mine, mine” scene?
17. When Nemo is laying on the medical instruments, it shows him unable to get air. Why?
18. Nemo and Dory both have characteristics uncommon to their species (lucky fin and short term memory
loss). Discuss what could happen to make them more common.