Marine Biology-Final Exam Review Guide
- The questions found in this packet will help you prepare for the final exam. However it
is not a substitute for studying the notes we have taken and activities we have
completed. The final will cover the following units
-Deep Sea
Students will know:
Students will be able to:
A.) The 3 adaptations for fish in open
ocean: bioluminescence, countershading,
counterillumination.
B.) Explain the many reasons why
organisms are bioluminescent and how
this is achieved.
C.) Identify the characteristics of
hydrothermal vents
D.) Compare the process of
photosynthesis and chemosynthesis in
terms of raw materials, end products, and
energy sources.
E.) Why bacteria are important to
hydrothermal vent communities.
F.) Define the following terms:
 abyssopelagic
 Alvin submersible
 aphotic
 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
 bathypelagic
 bioluminescence
 chemosynthesis
 counter-illumination
 countershading
 epipelagic
 hadalpelagic
 hydrothermal vent
 mesopelagic
 photic
 photophores
 ROV
 submersible
 symbiotic bacteria
1.) Construct a diagram that shows the
relationship between ocean zones:
benthic, pelagic, photic, aphotic,
epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic,
abyssopelagic, and hadalpelagic.
2.) Investigate the reasons for deep sea
exploration
2.) Outline the advantages and
disadvantages of the following
exploration tools: submersibles, ROVs,
and AUVs.
3.) Create an artifact that illustrates the
formation of hydrothermal vents
4.) Identify the physical adaptations of
the following and their symbiotic
relationship:
 symbiotic bacteria
 Tubeworm (Riftia)
Fish
Students will know:
Students will be able to:
A.) The differences between Bony and
Cartilaginous fish.
B.) The sensory apparatuses sharks use
in the location of a potential source of
1.) Identify and classify common fish in
the New England area:
 American Eel
 Atlantic Salmon
prey.
C.) The reproductive techniques used by
bony and cartilaginous fishes. Include
types of fertilization (external vs.
internal), care of young, and type of
development (external vs. internal).
D.) How fish are commercially caught
and explain the impact these techniques
have on the marine environment: gill
nets (drift nets), long lining, trawling,
dredging, lobster traps, and purse
seining.
E.) The characteristics that make up rich
fishing grounds.
F.) The loopholes and inadequacies of
current fishing regulations in the United
States. Include bycatch, habitat loss,
shark finning, and overfishing,
G.) The advantages of anadromous and
catadromous fish.
I.) Explain the importance of a fishway to
migrating fish species.
J.) The definition of the following terms:
 Ampullae of Lorenzini
 anadromous
 benthic
 bioaccumulation
 bony fish
 bycatch
 catadromous
 caudal fin
 cartilaginous fish
 claspers
 continental shelf
 dorsal fins
 dredging
 fishing grounds
 fishing regulations
 fishway
 gill nets (drift nets)
 gill slits
 habitat loss
 lateral line
 liver
 lobster traps
 long lining
 operculum
 overfishing
 Bluefish
 Dogfish
 Striped Bass
 Summer Flounder
 Winter Flounder
2.) By dissection compare, identify and
state the functions of the external and
internal parts of a dogfish and perch:
 Ampullae of Lorenzini
 caudal fin
 claspers
 dorsal fins
 gill slits
 lateral line
 liver
 operculum
 pectoral fins
 scales
 skeletal composition
 swim bladder
3.) Explain how body shape, position of
the mouth, jaws & teeth, and fin shape
relate to feeding techniques and
swimming ability, and the habitat where
it lives.
4.) Evaluate, using the Safe Seafood
Guide, the sustainability of locally
available seafood.
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pectoral fins
pelagic
purse seining
scales
shark finning
skeletal composition
sustainability
swim bladder
trawling
upwelling
-Marine Mammals
Students will know:
Students will be able to:
A.) How to classify marine mammals by
order. (Cetacea, Pinnepedia)
B.) The differences between baleen and
toothed whales.
C.) How marine mammals are adapted
for living in the aquatic environment.
Include buoyancy, swimming, breathing,
diving, feeding, reproductive, skeletal
and sense adaptations.
D.) Echolocation and its importance to
toothed whales.
F.) The importance of sound and
communication in marine mammals.
G.) The difference between seals and sea
lions.
H.) The federal protection marine
mammals have.
I.) The process and impacts of
bioaccumulation (Mercury, PCBs, DDT)
J.) The definition of the following terms:
 baleen
 blowhole
 blubber
 breaching
 bubble feeding
 Cetacea
 DDT
 echolocation
 entanglement
 flipper
 flipper slapping
 fluke
 International Whaling
Commission (IWC)
 logging
1.) Identify by common name the
following marine mammals:
 Blue Whale
 Bottlenose Dolphin
 Harbor Porpoise
 Humpback Whale
 Killer Whale
 North Atlantic Right Whale
 Sperm Whale
 Harbor Seal
 Gray Seal
 Steller Sea Lion
 Walrus
2.) Describe these adaptive behavioral
patterns and their significance:
breaching, logging, flipper slapping, and
bubble feeding.
3.) Explain the purpose of migration in
marine mammals.
4.) Conclude why marine mammals
strand.
5.) Discuss solutions to help protect
marine mammals from human impacts
(whaling, ship strikes, entanglement,
and pollution).
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Marine Mammal Protection Act
melon
mercury
migration
myoglobin
PCBs
Pinnipedia
pod
ship strikes
stranding
toothed
Coral Reefs
Students will know:
Students will be able to:
A.) The environmental conditions
necessary for coral reef formation.
B.) Why coral reefs are an oasis in the
ocean.
C.) The symbiotic relationship between
zooxanthellae and coral polyps in a coral
reef community.
D.) Characteristics of a sea turtle.
E.) The definitions of the following
terms:
 acidification
 beak
 carapace
 coral bleaching
 SCUBA
 sea surface temperature
 spicules
 symbiosis
 undersea habitat
 zoozanthellae
1.) Evaluate current data on coral
bleaching.
2.) Investigate how researchers study
coral reefs using SCUBA and undersea
habitats.
3.) Explain the human impacts on coral
reefs (sea surface temperature, sea level
rise, and acidification)
4.) Identify the following sea turtles by
common name, distinguishing
characteristics, and discuss where they
migrate to reproduce:
 Green
 Hawksbill
 Kemp Ridley’s
 Leatherback
 Loggerhead
5.) Create a solution to an issue
threatening sea turtles (habitat loss,
entanglement in fishing gear, and
marine debris (plastics).
DEEP SEA:
Using the diagram, label the following zones of the deep sea: epipelagic, mesopelagic,
bathypelagic, abyssopelagic and hadalpelagic. List the physical characteristics of each. Explain
how light, and temperature change through these zones.
1. Using the diagram above, identify the zone where photosynthesis occurs
2. Using the diagram above, identify the “Twilight Zone” Why is it called this?
3. Which of these zones would be good to explore with SCUBA? Which zone would be
good to explore with an ROV?
4. What geological process is responsible for the creation of underwater valleys and
mountains?
5. What are the three ways in which tectonic plates can interact? What types of
geological features results from each of these movements?
6. What are the three strongest factors that humans would experience as they descended
through the ocean zones? What type of undersea vehicle would be best suited to deal
with these stresses?
7. What are some characteristics of deep sea fish? What characteristic would you NOT
see in these fish?
8. Explain the various uses of bioluminescent light in deep sea organisms
9. How do organisms in the deep sea receive food?
10. At what type of plate boundary are hydrothermal vents likely to occur? What are two
physical characteristics/stresses of these areas?
11. Why are hydrothermal vent communities so unique? What is the process that allows
these communities to exist? What organisms undergo this process?
12. What are some characteristics of twilight zone fish? What are some characteristics of
midnight zone fish?
13. Examine the hydrothermal vent community above. Which of these organisms would
NOT be considered PRODUCERS?
14. Tube worms, and Clams have symbiotic bacteria living inside them. What does this
mean?
15. What are three reasons bioluminescence is used? What is a photophore?
16. How does countershading allow organisms to avoid being seen?
FISH AND FISHERIES:
17. What is a catadromous fish? An anadromous fish? Why do they need fish ladders?
18. All fish belong to what phylum?
19. Identify class osteicythes, and Chrondricthyes below. Compare and contrast the two
types of fish, in terms of adaptations. Use these terms: Lateral Line, operculum,
scales, dermal denticles, internal fertilization, external fertilization (broadcast
spawners), movable pectoral fins, fixed pectoral fins, gill slits, ampullae of lorenzini,
claspers
20. Which of the animals on belongs to class chrondricythes and which belongs to class
osteicythes?
21. How do sharks stay afloat?
22. What are the senses sharks use to locate food?.
23. Identify the common name of the following fish:
24. Compare the reproductive strategies of fish and sharks. How are they alike? How are
they different?
25. Name three ways fish are commercially caught. Why are these methods NOT
considered sustainable?
26. Where are most fisheries located? Why is upwelling important here?
27. Identify three types of fishing nets. How are they used?
28. What is the EEZ? How far does it extend off the coast?
29. What is by-catch? Why is so detrimental to fisheries?
30. What is the concern with mercury and consuming large quantities of seafood?
MARINE MAMMALS
31. What is the main characteristic of Mysteicetes? Of Odontocetes? What are they
adapted to eat?
32. How are whales and seals and sea lions able to deal with the extreme cold?
33. How does echolocation work? Be sure to include the terms spermaceti organ, melon
and jawbone in your response.
34. The marine mammal Protection act prohibits the taking of whales. What practice are
does this act make illegal?
35. Why do whales migrate?
36. What is a stranding? Why do marine mammals strand?
37. What characteristics makes seals sea lions and whales mammals?
38. What class to whales belong to?
39. What’s a breach? Why do whales do it?
40. Identify the name of the following whales. Are they mysteicetes or ondontocetes?
41. Identify the order seals, sea lions and walruses belong to.
42. Explain how seals (family phocidae) can be distinguished from sea lions (family
ottariidae)
43. Why do Humpback Whales bubble net feed?
44. You see the following pinniped on the beach. What family does it belong to? How
do you know?
45. What are manatees? How does their diet put them in danger?
46. Identify what walruses feed on. How do locate their prey?
HORSHOE CRABS
47. How do you tell a male horshoe crab from a female?
48. Why do we tag horseshoe crabs during the mating season?