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Jellyfish and other zooplankton are animals that live all or part of their life suspended and drifting in fresh or salt water, rarely come in contact with hard surfaces.
Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in water that provide a crucial source of food to many small and large aquatic organisms, such as bivalves, fish and whales.
Plankton includes plants and animals that float along at the mercy of the sea's tides and currents. Their name comes from the Greek meaning "drifter" or "wanderer." There are two types of plankton: tiny plants--called...
Jellyfish & Other Zooplankton The comb jelly, Thalassocalyce, is found in surface waters and midwater regions of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and sometimes in central California waters when warmer Pacific Oc...
Zooplankton A jellyfish-relative called a siphonophore, of the species Rosacea cymbiformis). This one has relaxed and extended some of its many tentacles, which carry batteries of stinging cells to kill prey ranging f...
The biological carbon pump removes atmospheric carbon by transporting carbon-rich material from surface waters to the deep ocean, aiding climate regulation.
Phytoplankton are primary producers of the ocean—the organisms that form the base of the food chain. WHOI explores the microscopic, single-celled organisms.
General Information One of the simplest biological samplers, zooplankton nets are made in a wide variety of styles and sizes. The two nets in the MARMAP Bongo vertical-haul net system shown here each have a mouth diam...
Because zooplankton are central to the ocean food web, this zone plays a critical role in sustaining complex interactions among marine organisms. The midnight zone is also where many larvae spend time developing befor...
It’s a copepod! This tiny but ubiquitous zooplankton plays a superpowered role in the marine ecosystem, competing with Antarctic krill for the title of “most animal biomass on earth.” Copepods are found in nearly ever...
