Marine Biology Lecture #4

T/F: Jellies are considered planktonic.

• True

• False

Which of the following is a neritic organism?

• dinoflagellates

• jellies

• sea turtles

• whale sharks

T/F: Organisms that ingest phytoplankton (even if they maintain their chloroplasts) are considered zooplankton?

• True

• False

Answer explanation

These organisms are considered mixotrophs and the chloroplasts are still active in photosynthesis for their new host.

T/F: Zooplankton are animals.

• True

• False

Which of the following terms is descriptive of organisms that spend their entire lives in the planktonic phase?

• Holoplankton

• Meroplankton

Which of the following terms is descriptive of organisms that spend only a portion of their lives, like the larval stages, as planktonic?

• Holoplankton

• Meroplankton

Which of the following groups would Sargassum be part of?

• Neuston

• Pleuston

Answer explanation

Neuston organisms are associated with the surface of the water (i.e. upper part of the water column) and although TECHNICALLY some of the organism can be seen in the air above, the majority of the organism is in the water.

Which of the following groups would a Portuguese Man-of-War be part of?

• Neuston

• Pleuston

Answer explanation

Pleuston organisms live at the surface of the water but a sizable portion of the animal protrudes into the air as well.

Which of the following is characteristic of diatoms?

• they are covered with silica skeleton

• may produce domoic acid

• may cause red tides

• they are armored with cellulose

Which of the following is true of dinoflagellates?

• may cause red tide

• may produce domoic acid

• they are made of silica skeleton

• they are armored with cellulose