1.

2 AnimalAdaptations

Observeandresearcheachoftheorganismsinthetablebelowandnoteanyadaptationsthattheypossess.
Adaptationsincreaseanorganismschancesofsurvivalandcanbestructural(physicalfeatures)functional(how
theirbodyworks)behavioural(whattheydo)orreproductive(howtheyreproduce).

Organism Adaptation Explanation

FanWorm
Sabellastarteindica

(Image:QM)

ReefStonefish
Synanceiahorrida

(Image:QM)

Portuguesemanowarorbluebottle
Physaliaphysalia

(Image:QM)

12
 Organism Adaptation Explanation

SmoothhandedReefCrab
Etisuslaevimanus

(Image:QM)

AnemoneFish
Premnasbiaculeatus

(Image:IanBanks)

HighfinCoastalMorayEel
Gymnothoraxpseudothrysoidea

(Image:QM)

GreenTurtle
Cheloniamydas

(Image:LeonardLow,CreativeCommons)

13
 Organism Adaptation Explanation

SteepheadParrotfish
Chlorurusmicrorhinos

(Image:RichardLing,CreativeCommons)

EasternShovelnoseRay
Aptychotremarostrate

(Image:QM)
BoxJellyfish
Chironexfleckeri

(Image:LisaGershwin)

14
 1.3MarineFoodWebs

Amarinebiologistobservedthefollowingorganismsfeedingaroundacoraloutcropandnotedthefollowing
relationships.

1.Createafoodwebforthismarinecommunity,rememberingthatthedirectionofthearrowsinafoodweb
indicatethedirectionofenergyflow.Thatis,frompreyintopredator.
Hint:startbyplacingtheproducersatthebottomofyourpageandmakethenextlevelaboveforthefirst
orderconsumers,thenextlevelforsecondorderconsumersandsoon.

e.g. Algae RabbitFish BlacktippedReef

Shark

(Producer) (FirstOrderConsumer) (SecondOrderConsumer)

Organisms FeedingRelationship

Corallinealgae Likecorals,corallinealgaedepositcalciumcarbonate.By
growingovercoralrubbletheyactlikeacementtobindthereef
together.Algaeareautotrophic.Thatis,theymaketheirown
foodbyphotosynthesis.

Turfalgae Likeotherplants,algaeobtainnourishmentviatheprocessof
photosynthesis.Thisalgaegrowinguponthebommiewallisthe
primaryfoodsourceformanyofthereefsherbivores.Many
herbivorousspeciessuchasparrotfish,surgeonfishand
damselfishcanbeseenfeedinginthiszone.

Phytoplankton&Zooplankton
Phytoplanktonaremicroscopicplantsthatmakeuppartofthe
planktoniccommunity.Theyareeatenbyzooplankton.
Planktonicspeciesarefoundinthewatercolumnaroundcoral
bommies.Inmostmarineecosystemsphytoplanktonarethe
primaryproducers.

Staghorncoral Symbioticzooxanthellaephotosynthesiseusingsunlightduring
thedayandmakefoodforthecoral.Atnightcoralpolyps
extendtentaclesandfeedonplanktonicspecies.

PurpleencrustingSponge Thesefilterplanktonicfoodparticlesfromthewater.
Haliclonasp.

Tubularsponge Thesefilterplanktonicfoodparticlesfromthewater.
Clathriasp.

Papuanjellyfish Theseusetheirtentaclescoveredinmillionofstingingcellsto
Mastigiaspapua feeduponplanktonicspecies.

Magnificentseaanemone Theseattachthemselvesfirmlytothereef.Manycontain
Heteractismagnifica zooxanthellaesinglecelledalgaethatphotosynthesisesusing
sunlight.Theyalsousetheirtentaclestocapturesmallfishsuch
asdamselfishandchromis.

KuitersNudibranch Thesefeedonspongemucusandcollagen.
Chromodoriskuiteri

Seacucumber Thesefeedonthemucusfrombranchingandlamellate
Synaptulasp. spongessuchasHaliclona.

15
 Organisms FeedingRelationship

CombJellies Thesearecarnivorous,feedingonzooplankton.
Beroesp.
Cuttlefish Thesenocturnalhuntersfeedoncrustaceansandherbivorous
Sepiasp. reeffish.
ChristmasTreeWorm TheirChristmastreelikegills filterandcaptureplanktonand
Spirobranchusgiganteus foodparticlesfromthewater.

Crayfish Thesearescavengers,feedingondeadmatteranddetritus.

Crownofthornsstarfish Theseareacoraleatingspecies.Thecrownofthorns favours

Acanthasterplanci thefastergrowingcoralspeciessuchasstaghorn.

Tigershark Theseareaggressiveandindiscriminatefeedersthatwilleat
Galeocerdocuvier justaboutanything:dolphins,seabirds,fish,stingrays,sea
snakesandturtles.

Parrotfish Theirteetharefusedtoformastrongbeakthatallowsthemto
scrapeturfalgaeoffrocks.

Damselfish Thesegrazeonturfalgaegrowingonrocks.

Butterflyfish Thesefeedonturfalgaeandalsobitetheendsofanemone
tentacles.

Beakedleatherjacket Thesefeedexclusivelyonindividualcoralpolyps.
Oxymonacanthuslongirostris
Redemperor Thesearenocturnalpredators feedingonsmallherbivorous
Lutjanussebae fish,cuttlefish,crabsandshrimps.

Humpheadmaoriwrasse Thesearecarnivorous,feedingoninvertebrates,smallreeffish
Cheilinusundulatus andsometimesfeedingoncrownofthornsstarfish.

Cleanerwrasse Thesefeedontheexternalparasitesofreeffish.
Labroidesdimidiatus
Hawksbillturtle Thesefeedonawiderangeoffoodincludingalgae,
Eretmochelysimbricata crustaceans,spongesandjellyfish.

(AdaptedandusedwithpermissionfromtheGreatBarrierReefMarineParkAuthority.ReefHQ
Aquarium,Townsville.ReefHQEducation.CopyrightCommonwealthofAustralia.)

2.Ifallthezooxanthellaealgaeweretodieduetotheimpactofglobalwarmingoncoralpolyps,outlinethe
effectstherewouldbeonthiscommunity.

.....................

16