A few examples of heterotrophs of the Pacific Ocean are hawksbill sea turtles, jellyfish, squid, and stingrays, and whale sharks.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Description: The hawksbill sea turtle, also known as Eretmochelys imbricata, is an agile, beautiful, and small sea turtle who is listed as critically endangered.
Niche: Hawksbills help maintain the health of coral reefs and seagrass beds by removing prey such as sponges from the reef's surface and providing better access for reef fish to feed. Habitat: Hawksbills are the most tropical of the sea turtles and are most commonly found in coral reefs, lagoons, rocky areas, and shallow coastal areas. Adaptations: Hawksbills have adapted to this environment by developing a beak in which the upper jaw overhangs the lower jaw, and gives it the ability to access crevices and small holes to obtain sponges for food. Some of the sponges and other small animals that hawksbills consume are toxic. Body fat absorbs the toxins without making the turtle ill, but their meat is still potentially poisonous to humans. This discourages, but does not stop, the harvesting of hawksbills for meat. Plants: Hawksbills are omnivores which are dependant on plants such as sea grasses, but they feed mainly on sponges. Scientific name: Eretmochelys imbricata |
(World Wildlife Fund)
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Jellyfish
Description: Jellyfish, also known as Medusozoa, are gelatinous animals that drift through ocean water all around the world (Ocean Portal).
Niche: Jellyfish are carnivores which live on fish, fish eggs, plankton, small crustaceans, and other jellyfish, in turn, they are preyed on by salmon, sharks, sea turtles, swordfish, and tuna (Reference). Habitat: Jellyfish can be found in oceans all throughout the world and some even live in saltwater lakes, but in general, jellyfish prefer the warm temperatures of tropical waters, even though there are a few species that dwell in cold or even frigid waters in the Arctic and Antarctic (Reference). Adaptations: Jellyfish have adapted to their environment by using their soft tissue they have to defend themselves from creatures that might try to consume them, and some even use their tentacles to bring food to their mouth while others filter feed, which means they eat whatever food the current brings them (Bright Hub). Plants: Jellyfish are not dependent on plants because they are carnivores, which means that they do not eat any plants. |
(Ocean Portal)
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Squid
Description: There are more than 300 species of squid, also known as Teuthida, which is a type of marine cephalopod similar to the octopus (A-Z Animals).
Niche: Common foods for squids include crabs, shrimp, various types of small fish, and they have also been known to feed on other squid that are smaller than them, squid also make up a great deal of the food source for birds, a variety of fish, and even sharks (Squid Information). Habitat: Some squid thrive in warm tropic waters, while others do better in water that has a lower temperature, but squid are found in just about all the major bodies of water found out there (Squid Information). Adaptations: It is believed that there was once a foot on the squid and it eventually developed into tentacles which allowed for the senses of the squid to magnify from what they were previously (Squid Information). Plants: Squid are not dependent on plants because they are carnivores, which means that they do not eat any plants. |
(Squid World)
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Stingrays
Descriptions: Stingrays, also known as Myliobatoidei, are flat marine fish found around the globe (A-Z Animals).
Niche: Stingrays are carnivorous animals and they prey on a wide variety of species in the ocean including crabs, clams, molluscs, oysters, snails, and some species of fish (A-Z Animals). Habitat: Stingrays inhabit warmer tropical waters around the world, but in general they prefer slightly deeper waters over shallow waters. (A-Z Animals). Adaptations: The coloration of stingrays commonly reflects the shading of the seafloor, which camouflages it from larger stingrays and predatory sharks. The barb, or spine, of a stingray is equipped with serrated edges and a sharp point. The underside may produce venom, which can be fatal to humans, and it remain deadly even after the death of the stingray (National Geographic). Plants: Stingrays are not dependent on plants because they are carnivores, which means that they do not eat any plants. |
(Awesome Ocean)
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Whale SharkDescription: There are more than 500 species of sharks, but the whale shark specifically is both the biggest fish and the biggest shark in the entire world, as its size can be compared to that of a bus, but they are also endangered.
Niche: Whale sharks are predators, which means they are at the top of the food chain and help keep ecosystems in balance, eat small things such as fish, plankton, and plants. Whale sharks are also filter feeders, which means they like to swim close to the surface in order to catch things that are in their path with their jaws. Habitat: According to National Geographic, whale sharks prefer warmer waters, but they populate all tropical seas. Also, whale sharks are known to migrate each and every spring to the central west coast of Australia. Adaptations: Like most sharks, whale sharks have a skeleton made of cartilage, which is lighter than bone, allowing them to stay afloat and swim for longer periods of time in order to catch their food. Whale sharks also have flat heads, with blunt snouts about their mouths and short barbels which extend out from their nostrils. Plants: The favorite meal of a whale shark is planton, but they also scoop up other small animals, fish, and plants that they come in contact with. Scientific name: Rhincodon typus |
(World Wildlife Fund)
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