Marine Biomes
Exploring the world of marine biomes on a barrier reef
Coral
Where are they found?
*Most is found in warm, shallow oceans
Coral
What do they eat?
* Tiny animals called zooplankton
* Some catch larger food such as fish
* They also get energy from special algae that
live inside their body
Coral
Who are their predators?
*Sea stars, especially the crown-of-thorns sea star,
*Parrotfish
Coral
What are some special adaptations?
* The stinging tentacles around a
coral polyp's mouth are used to catch food and
stay protected from predators.
Anemone
Where are they found?
* Animals found in warm ocean waters around
the world.
Anemone
What do they look like?
* Come in many colors, including red, purple
and pink
* They have long tentacles surrounding their
mouth.
* Anemones do not have eyes.
Anemone
What do they eat?
Mussels
Worms
Fish
Tiny animals called zooplankton.
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Anemone
Who are their predators?
Only a few animals, including sea slugs
and some fish, can eat anemones.
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Anemone
What are some special adaptations?
Stinging cells that keep them protected from
predators
These tentacles with stinging cells also help
anemones catch food
As food swims by, the cells covering the tentacles
sting and trap the food.
The tentacles move the food to the anemone’s
mouth.
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Anemone and Clownfish:
Symbiotic Relationship
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Anemones have formed a relationship
with clownfish.
Clownfish clean the anemone
The anemone protects the clownfish
Clownfish
● Where are they found?
o Live in anemones in the Red Sea,
Indian and Pacific Oceans
Clownfish
● How big are they?
o Really small in size
o About 2 to 4 inches in length!
Baby clownfish are actually smaller
than a pencil eraser!
Clownfish
● What do they eat?
o Zooplankton
o Detritus
● Who are their predators?
o Damselfish
o Wrasses
o Brittle sea stars
 These are predators because they will eat
the clownfish eggs!
Regal Blue Tang
● Where are they found?
o Near coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean
Regal Blue Tang
● How big are they?
o Can be about 25-30 centimeters long
o Males are larger than females
Regal Blue Tang
● What do they eat?
o Plankton and algae off coral
o Help keep coral reefs happy because too much
algae is not good!
Regal Blue Tang
● Who are their predators?
o Bigger fish such as:
 Tuna
 Jacks
 Groupers
Regal Blue Tang
● How do they adapt?
o Live in large schools for protection
o When scared, they hide behind rocks
or coral
o Will "play dead"
o Warn others of danger by changing
their color to a dark blue
o Uses the sharp tail spine to defend
itself
Moorish Idol
● Where are they found?
o Pacific Ocean near Australia
o Live in coral reefs, harbors and lagoons
Moorish Idol
● How big are they?
o 5-9 inches in length
Moorish Idol
● What do they eat?
o Algae, invertebrates and sponges from corals
and rocks to help keep coral reefs clean and
healthy
● Who are their predators?
o Larger fish
Moorish Idol
● How do they adapt?
o Long pointed noses for picking food
from cracks and between corals and
rocks
o The bright colors and stripes break up
the shape of the body so that predators
have a hard time seeing where their
mouth is or which direction they are
swimming!
Brown Pelican
Brown Pelican
● Where are they found?
o Sleep on land at night, but dive into the ocean to catch fish during the
day
● How big are they?
o About 1 meter long
o Weigh about 8 pounds
● What do they eat?
o Fish!
o Dive from the air into the water to catch the fish
o Can eat as much as 4 pounds of fish a day!
● Who are their predators?
o Very few predators because they are so large in size
● How do they adapt?
o Hollow bones allow them to fly and float
o Use their large skin pound to catch fish and drain the water out
Green Sea Turtle
Green Sea Turtle
● Where are they found?
o Live in warm, tropical waters
o Often found near seagrass beds and coral reefs
● How big are they?
o Adults have shells that are 3-4 meters long
o Can weigh between 200-400 pounds
● What do they eat?
o Younger turtles eat: plants, jellyfish, worms, crabs, sponges
and snails
o Adults only eat seagrass
● Who are their predators?
o Eggs and Hatchlings: ghost crabs, ants, snakes, birds, and rats
o Younger turtles: Sharks, dolphins, fish
o Older turtles: Few larger sharks
Green Sea Turtle
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How do they adapt?
o Tough shell and larger size protect them
from predators
o Great eyesight and sense of smell to find
food
o Jaws have sharp edges to rip off seagrass
pieces to eat
Great White Shark
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Where are they found?
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Oceans all over the world!
How long can they live?
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Can live to be 30-40 years old.
How big are they?
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Can be up to 22 feet long
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Can weigh up to 6,000 pounds
Great White Shark
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What do they eat?
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Top predators in the ocean!
They eat fish, squid, stingrays, seals, sea lions,
dolphins and sometimes even whales.
Who are their predators?
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Their only predators are even larger sharks!
Great White Shark
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What are some special adaptations?
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Rows of sharp teeth to catch their prey
They swim fast and can even jump out the water
when chasing prey
They can smell food, they can see food and they
can feel food nearby.
Great white sharks keep
other animal populations
balanced in the ocean.
Anglerfish
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Where are they found?
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Most anglerfish are found in very deep water in oceans
worldwide.
How big are they?
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Female anglerfish are much bigger than the tiny males.
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A female anglerfish is about 7 inches long
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A male anglerfish is about 1 inch long.
Anglerfish
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What do they eat?
Shrimp and fish.
Who are their predators?
Larger fish
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Anglerfish
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What are some special adaptations?
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Can stretch their stomach like elastic, so they can
eat food that is much bigger than them.
The light at the front of an anglerfish’s face is
made by millions of bacteria.
The light works like a fishing lure, attracting
shrimp and fish closer to the anglerfish’s mouth.
The anglerfish then uses its sharp teeth to catch
the food.