Deck 14: Animals of the Pelagic Environment

Question 1

Which of the following is a member of the Phylum Cnidaria?

A) copepod
B) jellyfish
C) nautilus
D) salp
E) sea gooseberry

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Strategies for staying afloat in pelagic environments include air bladder, increased body fat, and increased density.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Some fish maintain body temperatures significantly higher than the surrounding water using a modified circulatory countercurrent heat exchange system between muscle and blood vessels.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Radiolarians and coccolithophorids are examples of zooplankton.

Question 5

The migration routes of marine fishes and mammals are well known by man.

Question 6

The California gray whale is unusual because it stirs up bottom sediment in order to feed.

Question 7

Red muscle fiber is abundant in cruisers, while white muscle fiber is abundant in lungers.

Question 8

Sharks have lunate caudal fins.

Question 9

Krill, cnidarians, and crustacean larvae are macroscopic zooplankton.

Question 10

All of the following are adaptations to life in the epipelagic zone except:

A) gas-filled bladders.
B) increased density.
C) increased surface area.
D) long appendages.
E) spines.

Question 11

Identify the mismatched pair.

A) arrow worm - Chaetognatha
B) krill - Arthropoda
C) Physalia - Cnidaria
D) Sea gooseberry - Ctenophora
E) Squid - Annelida

Question 12

Muscles segments used in locomotion and found along the sides of fish are called myomeres.

Question 13

One adaptation for deep diving is an increase in heart rate during the dive.

Question 14

Photophores are cells found in bioluminescent organisms that contain bioluminescent bacteria and dark pigments.

Question 15

The mysticeti whales include the humpback, the gray, and the sperm whales.

Question 16

Poikilothermic organisms can regulate their internal body temperature.

Question 17

We currently believe that all marine mammals evolved from land-dwelling mammals.

Question 18

Many cetaceans can extract 90% of the oxygen from each breath.

Question 19

Which of the following is not an adaptation for deep diving in Cetaceans?

A) blood flow is shifted from the brain to the extremities
B) collapsing the lungs to compensate for increasing water pressure during deep dives
C) having a lot of myoglobin in the muscles to store oxygen
D) having increased hemoglobin concentrations to store more oxygen
E) slowed cardiac rate

Question 20

All of the following are baleen whales except:

A) blue whales.
B) fin whales.
C) gray whales.
D) right whales.
E) sperm whales.

Question 21

Which set of fins is used for moving fast?

A) anal and dorsal
B) caudal
C) caudal and pectoral
D) pectoral
E) pectoral and pelvic

Question 22

Identify the mismatched pair.

A) dolphin -Cetacea
B) dugong - Sirenia
C) manatee - Cetacea
D) sea otter - Carnivora
E) walrus - Pinnipedia

Question 23

All of the following are adaptations of mesopelagic fishes except:

A) extensible jaws.
B) large mouths
C) large body.
D) nonspecific diet.
E) sharp, needle-like teeth

Question 24

The caudal fin of fast-cruising fish such as tuna is:

A) forked.
B) heterocercal.
C) lunate.
D) rounded.
E) truncate.

Question 25

All of the following are benefits the adaptive behavior in the figure because it:

A) confuses predators by constantly changing positions of the fish within the school.
B) makes the group of fish appear as one large unit.
C) reduces the mortality rate for individuals within the school.
D) reduces the probability that a predator will locate the prey species.
E) All of the above behaviors are beneficial to schooling fish.

Question 26

Which set of fins is used as stabilizers?

A) anal and caudal
B) anal and dorsal
C) caudal and dorsal
D) caudal and pelvic
E) pectoral and pelvic

Question 27

The shape of the caudal fin of a shark is referred to as:

A) forked.
B) heterocercal.
C) lunate.
D) rounded.
E) truncate.

Question 28

Which set of fins is used for turning and breaking?

A) anal and caudal
B) anal and dorsal
C) caudal and dorsal
D) caudal and pelvic
E) pectoral and pelvic

Question 29

Barrel-shaped animals with openings at each end for current flow are called:

A) cephalopods.
B) cnidarians.
C) crustaceans.
D) ctenophores.
E) salps.

Question 30

Which of the following affect the ability of species to capture food?

A) body length
B) body temperature
C) circulatory system
D) speed
E) All of the above affect the ability of pelagic organisms to capture food.

Question 31

The speed of a fish is closely related to its:

A) aspect ratio.
B) length.
C) number of fins.
D) size of tail.
E) width.

Question 32

The fin(s) that have been modified in rays and skates for efficient movement is (are) the:

A) anal fin.
B) caudal fin.
C) dorsal fin.
D) pectoral fins.
E) pelvic fin.

Question 33

The body shape among fishes varies greatly in accordance with habitat and life-style. A torpedo-shaped body is found among:

A) bottom-dwelling fishes.
B) demersal fishes.
C) fast swimming fishes.
D) fishes that live among rocks and vegetation.
E) slow swimming fishes.

Question 34

The muscle tissue of a "lunger" is predominantly:

A) blue.
B) gray.
C) pink.
D) red.
E) white.

Question 35

A modified circulatory system in tuna helps it:

A) cruise for long periods of time.
B) maintain a relatively high body temperature.
C) minimize heat loss.
D) swim very fast for short periods of time.
E) All of the above statements are a result of modified circulation in tuna.

Question 36

Bioluminescence is employed by mesopelagic animals for all of the following except:

A) attracting food.
B) communication.
C) counter illumination.
D) predator avoidance.
E) warning coloration.

Question 37

Cruisers often have relatively high body temperature because:

A) it assists them in predator avoidance.
B) it helps them blend more easily with their environment.
C) it increases the power output of muscle tissue.
D) they are cold blooded.
E) they only need to move periodically.

Question 38

An example of a "cruiser" is a:

A) flounder.
B) grouper.
C) mackerel.
D) shark.
E) tuna.

Question 39

Define symbiosis and compare and contrast the different types of symbiotic relationships and give an example of each.

Question 40

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.

A)arrow worm
B)copepod
C)ctenophore
D)jellyfish
E)salp

Question 41

Draw and label the most common tail fin modifications and discuss the swimming styles associated with each fin modification.

Question 42

Discuss why schooling behavior is adaptive to fishes.

Question 43

Bioluminescence serves all of the following purposes for organisms inhabiting the ocean depths except:

A) attracting prey.
B) camouflage.
C) communication with other species.
D) predator avoidance.
E) sexual signaling for mates.

Question 44

This marine mammal:

A) are small mammals with dense fur and lack an insulating blubber layer.
B) are tropical herbivores found in shallow coastal waters.
C) have anterior flippers covered with hair that cannot be rotated backwards.
D) have posterior flippers than can be moved forward.
E) have thick fur with hollow fur shafts for insulation.

Question 45

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.

A)copepods
B)foraminiferans
C)krill
D)radiolarians
E)squid.

Question 46

Compare and contrast adaptations of marine mammals and fish to life in the pelagic zone.

Question 47

Distinguish between poikilotherms and homeotherms and give an example of each.

Question 48

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.

A)anal
B)caudal
C)dorsal
D)pelvic
E)ventral

Question 49

Pick the pair which does not fit the pattern:

A) clown fish-anemone
B) dinoflagellates-coral
C) isopod-fish
D) krill-whale
E) remora-shark

Question 50

The function of a swim bladder is:

A) to assist the organism in steering with the currents.
B) to increase the density of the organism to keep it afloat.
C) to increase the surface area of the organism to prevent sinking.
D) to prevent predators from eating the puffer fish.
E) to allow a fish to change position in the water column.

Question 51

Discuss the adaptations used by marine organisms to prevent sinking.

Question 52

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.

A)blue
B)gray
C)killer
D)minke
E)sei

Question 53

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.

A)blubber
B)collapsible ribs
C)gas bladder
D)spines
E)swim bladder

Question 54

Discuss the role of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in regulating commercial whaling.

Question 55

Briefly describe the taxonomic groups of marine mammals. List the characteristics of each group and name an organism that belongs to each taxonomic group.

Question 56

The humpback and other baleen whales migrate every year to:

A) feed in the Arctic and Antarctic regions during the winter.
B) feed in the tropics during the summer.
C) feed in the tropics during the winter.
D) mate and give birth in the Arctic and Antarctic regions during the summer.
E) mate and give birth in the tropics during the winter.

Question 57

Sea lions are easily distinguished from seals because they:

A) cannot rotate their anterior flippers backward.
B) cannot rotate their anterior flippers forward.
C) have external ears.
D) have a short neck.
E) use their posterior flippers for swimming.