Marine Biology - Extra Curricular Stuffs

Question 1

What’s an animal’s sensory world known as? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 1

Its umwelt.

Question 2

A fish can see on land as well as in water - true or false? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 2

True! :3

Question 3

What do seahorses, blennies, flounders and gobies all have in common? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 3

They can rotate each eye independently from the other.

Question 4

What is ocular migration? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 4

Where a fish’s eye moves from one half of the body to the other, usually seen in flounders as they grow older.

Question 5

How do some fishes overcome the effect of cold temperatures on their sensory organs?

Answer 5

By transferring the heat generated by their muscles to them.

Question 6

Why do shark (and cat) eyes glow? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 6

Because they have a tapetum-lucidum next to their retina. Light which hits this layer is reflected back onto the retina so that light essentially strikes it twice.

Question 7

How can fish utilize the underside of the water’s surface? + Note that they can still… [J. Balcombe]

Answer 7

They can use it as a mirror to see predators and prey behind obstructions. Note that they can still see what’s above the water. (Both of these only work in still water).

Question 8

Fishes have ____ different types of cone cell in their eyes, making them ______________. [J. Balcombe]

Answer 8

They have 4 different types of cone cell, making them tetrachromatic (they can see colour better than we do).

Question 9

Give a reason as to why 2 different species of fish may appear to be visually identical [J. Balcombe]

Answer 9

Their visual differences may only be visible under UV light (which humans cannot see normally).

Question 10

How can fishes brighten or darken their skin? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 10

By contracting (darken) or expanding (brighten) their melanophores, which are clusters of cells containing black granules.

Question 11

__% of creatures found in the twilight zone have photophores [J. Balcombe]

Answer 11

90% of them have photophores.

Question 12

Sound travels _____ times faster in water [J. Balcombe]

Answer 12

Five times faster.

Question 13

Identify five different ways in which fishes can make sound [J. Balcombe]

Answer 13

By:

• Vibrating their swim bladder
• Grating teeth in their jaws and throats
• Rubbing bones together
• Rubbing gill covers together
• Expelling bubbles from their anuses

Question 14

What is feeding efficiency? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 14

Growth per unit of food.

Question 15

How can certain shoal fish know when a member of their group is under attack? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 15

By smelling their “Schrekstoff” pheromones which they release when threatened.

Question 16

How many different types of fish teeth are there? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 16

8.

Question 17

What are barbels? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 17

Whisker-like appendages that serve as taste sensors.

Question 18

How do fish sense the Earth’s magnetic field? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 18

They utilize cells which contain magnetite crystals which act as compass needles. Their movement creates a sensory response that causes the fish to move in the direction of the Earth’s magnetic current.

Question 19

Some fish can sense natural electrical stimuli. What is this ability called? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 19

Electrorecpetion.

Question 20

How do sharks utilize electroreception? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 20

They can sense the electric nerve impulses of their prey (which propagate easily through water).

Question 21

Which fish has he largest brain? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 21

The manta ray.

Question 22

Which part of the brain is believed to be the fish equivalent of the neocortex? (The center of all consciousness in mammals) [J. Balcombe]

Answer 22

The pallium.

Question 23

The neuroendocrine system is nearly identical in fish, reptiles and birds - true or false? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 23

Probably not, though it IS nearly identical in fish and mammals :3

Question 24

Give the fish variant of oxytocin [J. Balcombe]

Answer 24

Isotocin.

Question 25

Give what is believed to be the fish variant of the amygdala [J. Balcombe]

Answer 25

The medial pallium.

Question 26

Which hormone can be used as a basic indicator of stress? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 26

Cortisol.

Question 27

Why will fish born in captivity and released into the wild likely die? [J. Balcombe]

Answer 27

Because they have not learned how to cope with surviving and evading predators.

Question 28

Marine environments cover __% of the Earth’s surface [P. Mladenov]

Answer 28

71%.

Question 29

Marine environments create __% of the Earth’s primary production [P. Mladenov]

Answer 29

50% (primary production: matter produced by photosynthesis).

Question 30

Name 2 marine environments that protect our coasts [P. Mladenov]

Answer 30

Coral reefs and mangroves.

Question 31

Identify 8 ways in which humans are destroying marine environments [P. Mladenov]

Answer 31

• Coastal development
• Waste disposal
• Nutrient run-off
• Over fishing
• Greenhouse gas emissions / global warming
• Plastic pollution
• Distribution of alien species
• Oil spills

Question 32

• How much water is there in the Global Ocean?
• What percentage of the Earth’s water does it make up?
  [P. Mladenov]

Answer 32

• 1.34 billion cubic kilometers

- 97%

Question 33

• How many major regional oceans are there?
• Name them.
  [P. Mladenov]

Answer 33

• 5
• The Pacific Ocean
• The Atlantic Ocean
• The Indian Ocean
• The Arctic Ocean
• The Antarctic / Southern Ocean

Question 34

Marginal oceans are found next to major regional oceans - true or false? [P. Mladenov]

Answer 34

False - they are found inside the major regional oceans (for example, the Caribbean Sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean).

Question 35

Abyssal plains are divided by __________________ [P. Mladenov]

Answer 35

Mid-oceanic ridges - vast chains of aquatic mountain ranges created by volcanic activity.

Question 36

• The Marianas Trench is found off of the coasts of which 2 islands?
• How deep is it?
  [P. Mladenov]

Answer 36

• Japan and the Philippines

- 11,000m (11km)

Question 37

• What is a seamount?
• How many are there in the world that extend above 1000m?
  [P. Mladenov]

Answer 37

• Mainly extinct volcanoes That do not break the surface of the ocean.
• There are roughly 100,000 that extend above 1000m in height.