Marine Organism Research Project
(155 points – PowerPoint)
(100 points – Model organism)
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to become familiar with a specific type of marine
organism. This project will basically be an in-depth report on a specific species of your
choosing. You must be unique in the species you choose (nobody in the class must be
doing it already), and you will need to do preliminary research to decide if there is
enough information on your species to successfully complete the many aspects of the
project. You must work in pairs (only one group of 3 allowed) on this project. It’s a lot
of work, so don’t procrastinate! REMEMBER: your discussion is strictly marine
organisms!
Requirements
1) Do preliminary research on a few species you might be interested in. If you do
not already have a favorite species in mind (how could you not?), begin by
searching by phylum at photos of organisms you might want to learn more about.
There are many things you will need to know about the species once you find one
you definitely like. Skip to #3 to see if there is enough information out there on
the web for you to be successful with this project
2) Sign up for one species that nobody else has signed up for. Beware, the more
complex and evolved the organism, it is possible to have too much information to
sift through. There is a limit to the number of species students can study for any
given Phylum
3) There are many things you will need to know about your species. You will
demonstrate this information in a PowerPoint slide presentation (maximum 15
slides, 10 minute min. presentation). The following are merely guiding questions.
If you are sure there is not information pertinent to a particular topic, you may
omit it (But be sure! If there is info and you don’t have it, that’s bad!)
4) You will also be building a scaled model of your organism. Don’t choose an
organism that is too large or too small to show realistically. There will be more
specifics on how to construct the model organism later during the project work
days.
General information
 Species name
 Common name
 Where species is commonly found in the world
 What ecosystems is it found in
 Numerous photos of species
 Video clip of species(If I can find one, you are expected to have one)
Place in Ecosystem
 What ecosystem are they most characteristically found in
 autotrophic, heterotrophic, photosynthetic?
 Where does it live in the water column? benthic, pelagic, planktonic,
parasitic?
 Does it live in symbiosis with other organisms? If so, what kind of
symbiosis?
 Predator and/or prey
 What depths is it normally found in?
 What does its main diet consist of?
 Place in food chain (know “organism links” in chain specific to your
species)
 Place in food web
 How much of its main food does it eat daily
Anatomy/Physiology
 General body plan
 Distinguishing features of
phylum and species
 Symmetry
 segmentation
 Skeleton composition
 Digestion
 respiration






Nervous system
circulation
Other systems unique to
this phylum
movement
Reproduction
Life History
Evolution
 The full classification order (kingdom through species)
 What other phyla are those in your phylum thought to have evolved from
Human Effects
 How is your species important to humans
 How are humans specifically affecting your species (good or bad)
 What, if anything, is being done to help this species
Current Research
 Extra Credit: You must find research involving your species which has
occurred in the past 10 years. This component will likely be from a scientific
journal. Scientists are always studying different species to find out more
about their diets, effect of global warming, effect of over fishing, species on
the brink of extinction, mating, etc. The topics are endless, but you must
include an important recent study scientists have recently conducted on your
species.
Signups will be open during class today, first randomly drawn stick of fate, first served!
(YOU MUST KNOW YOUR FULL SPECIES NAME TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT!)
Marine Biology Species Sign-up List
***THERE IS A LIMIT OF ONE PROJECT FOR EACH GROUP UNLESS INDICATED IN
PARENTHESES, SO HAVE ALTERNATES READY!!!***
1. PHYLUM CHLOROPHYTA
2. PHYLUM HETEROKONTOPHYTA
3. PHYLUM RHODOPHYTA
4. PHYLUM PORIFERA
5. PHYLUM CNIDARIA (2)
6. PHYLUM CTENOPHORA
7. PHYLUM PLATYHELMINTHES
8. PHYLUM NEMERTEA
9. PHYLUM NEMATODA
10. PHYLUM ANNELIDA
11. CLASS GASTROPODA
12. CLASS BIVALVIA
13. CLASS CEPHALOPODA (2)
14. CLASS POLYPLACOPHORA
15. PHYLUM ARTHROPODA (2)
16. CLASS ASTEROIDEA (2)
17. CLASS OPHIUROIDEA
18. CLASS ECHINOIDEA (2)
19. CLASS HOLOTHUROIDEA
20. CLASS CRINOIDEA
21. SHARKS (2)
22. RAYS AND SKATES (2)
23. RATFISH
24. OSTEICHTHYES (BONY FISH) (2)
25. MARINE REPTILES
26. MARINE BIRDS
27. SEALS
28. SEA LIONS
29. WALRUSES
30. SEA OTTERS
31. WHALES (3)
32. DOLPHINS, PORPOISES(2)
Signup List for Marine Biology Organism Project
***THERE IS A LIMIT OF ONE PROJECT FOR EACH GROUP UNLESS INDICATED IN
PARENTHESES, SO HAVE ALTERNATES READY!!!***
YOU MUST KNOW YOUR FULL SPECIES NAME TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT!
1. PHYLUM CHLOROPHYTA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
2. PHYLUM HETEROKONTOPHYTA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
3. PHYLUM RHODOPHYTA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
4. PHYLUM PORIFERA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
5. PHYLUM CNIDARIA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
6. PHYLUM CTENOPHORA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
7. PHYLUM PLATYHELMINTHES
Name
Full Species Latin Name
8. PHYLUM NEMERTEA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
9. PHYLUM NEMATODA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
10. PHYLUM ANNELIDA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
11. CLASS GASTROPODA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
12. CLASS BIVALVIA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
13. CLASS CEPHALOPODA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
14. CLASS POLYPLACOPHORA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
15. PHYLUM ARTHROPODA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
16. CLASS ASTEROIDEA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
17. CLASS OPHIUROIDEA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
18. CLASS ECHINOIDEA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
19. CLASS HOLOTHUROIDEA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
20. CLASS CRINOIDEA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
21. SHARKS (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
22. RAYS AND SKATES (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
23. RATFISH
Name
Full Species Latin Name
24. OSTEICHTHYES (BONY FISH) (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
25. MARINE REPTILES
Name
Full Species Latin Name
26. MARINE BIRDS
Name
Full Species Latin Name
27. SEALS
Name
Full Species Latin Name
28. SEA LIONS
Name
Full Species Latin Name
29. WALRUSES
Name
Full Species Latin Name
30. SEA OTTERS
Name
Full Species Latin Name
31. WHALES (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name(Must be distinctly
different from the above species)
Name
Full Species Latin Name(Must be distinctly
different from the above species)
32. DOLPHINS, PORPOISES
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name(Must be distinctly
different from the above species)
Signup List for Marine Biology Final Project
***THERE IS A LIMIT OF ONE PROJECT FOR EACH GROUP UNLESS INDICATED IN
PARENTHESES, SO HAVE ALTERNATES READY!!!***
1. PHYLUM CHLOROPHYTA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
2. PHYLUM HETEROKONTOPHYTA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
3. PHYLUM RHODOPHYTA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
4. PHYLUM PORIFERA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
5. PHYLUM CNIDARIA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
6. PHYLUM CTENOPHORA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
7. PHYLUM PLATYHELMINTHES
Name
Full Species Latin Name
8. PHYLUM NEMERTEA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
9. PHYLUM NEMATODA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
10. PHYLUM ANNELIDA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
11. CLASS GASTROPODA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
12. CLASS BIVALVIA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
13. CLASS CEPHALOPODA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
14. CLASS POLYPLACOPHORA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
15. PHYLUM ARTHROPODA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
16. CLASS ASTEROIDEA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
17. CLASS OPHIUROIDEA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
18. CLASS ECHINOIDEA (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
19. CLASS HOLOTHUROIDEA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
20. CLASS CRINOIDEA
Name
Full Species Latin Name
21. SHARKS (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
22. RAYS AND SKATES (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
23. RATFISH
Name
Full Species Latin Name
24. OSTEICHTHYES (BONY FISH) (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name
25. MARINE REPTILES
Name
Full Species Latin Name
26. MARINE BIRDS
Name
Full Species Latin Name
27. SEALS
Name
Full Species Latin Name
28. SEA LIONS
Name
Full Species Latin Name
29. WALRUSES
Name
Full Species Latin Name
30. SEA OTTERS
Name
Full Species Latin Name
31. WHALES (2)
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name(Must be distinctly
different from the above species)
Name
Full Species Latin Name(Must be distinctly
different from the above species)
32. DOLPHINS, PORPOISES
Name
Full Species Latin Name
Name
Full Species Latin Name(Must be distinctly
different from the above species)
Marine Biology Final Research Project Rubric
Name:
General information
 Species name
 Common name
 Where species is commonly found in the world
 What ecosystems is it found in
 Numerous photos of species
 Video clip of species in nature
/25 pts
Place in Ecosystem
 What ecosystem are they most characteristically found in
 Autotrophic, heterotrophic, photosynthetic?
 Where does it live in the water column? benthic, pelagic, planktonic, parasitic?
 Does it live in symbiosis with other organisms? If so, what kind of symbiosis?
 Predator and/or prey
 What depths is it normally found in?
 Place in food chain (know “organism links” in chain specific to your species)
 Place in food web
 How much of its main food does it eat daily
/20 pts
Anatomy/Physiology
 General body plan
 Distinguishing features of phylum and species
 Symmetry
 segmentation
 Skeleton composition
 Digestion
 respiration
 Nervous system
 circulation
 Other systems unique to this phylum
 movement
 Reproduction
 Life History
Evolution
 The full classification order (kingdom through species)
 What other phyla are those in your phylum thought to have evolved from
/30 pts
/10 pts
Human Effects
 How is your species important to humans
 How are humans specifically affecting your species (good or bad)
 What, if anything, is being done to help this species
Current Research (Extra Credit!)
/ 40 pts
/ 20 pts
PPT Visual(Video)/ Overall Presentation/ Works Cited page (MUST BE MLA FORMAT)
TOTAL=
/ 30 pts
/ 175 pts