PHYT

OPLA

NKTO

N

phyto = plant-likeplankton = free floating

Phytoplankton use photosynthesis to make food using energy from the sun!

photo = light

… more PHYTOPLANKTON

… and even more PHYTOPLANKTON!

ZOOPLANKTON

ZOO = animal

PLANKTON = free floating

These tiny animals CANNOT make their own food using sunlight! They are CONSUMERS!!!

What do you think they eat?

SEA URCHINS

…sometimes called the“hedgehog of the sea.”

…belong to the phylum Echinodermata, along with starfish, sea cucumbers, and crinoids.

The mouth of a sea urchin is surrounded by spines and a set of sharp teeth.

Sea urchins have the longest spines of any echinoderm, and these spines are often poisonous!

Sea Otter snacking on a sea urchin!

Otters anchor themselves in sea kelp. These images show what a kelp forest looks like.

Clown TriggerfishTriggerfish are sometimes affectionately referred to

as“saltwater piranhas!”

Pica

sso

Trig

gerfi

shQueen

Triggerfish

Triggerfish use a “puff” or jet of water to uncover their prey (buried sea urchins, sand dollars, etc.). Their eyes are set back from their mouth to avoid injury when dining on urchins and other spiny feasts!

When alarmed, triggerfish dart into coral or rock crevices and cock their spines to wedge

themselves into place. The first spine, the longer of the two, can be locked into

an erect position when the secondspine moves forward. The

second spine acts as a trigger; it must be released

before the large spine can be depressed.

Blue Triggerfish

Lemon Shark