Tropical Ocean Animals Adaptations

The ocean has three broad habitats.

Tropical ocean animals adaptations. Common oceanic animal adaptations include gills special breathing organs used by some oceanic animals like fish and crabs. The intertidal zone the pelagic zone and the abyss. In tropical waters organisms have appendages to keep them afloat.

Have students identify animal adaptations in a National Geographic photo gallery. They have streamlined bodies to help them swim fast and gills that suck the oxygen out of the water so they can breathe. The bill of a toucan is huge and is often thought to be a useful tool to fight off predators.

Despite their adaptations for life at sea sea turtles must breathe air with lungs like humans do. Because the reefs offer natural protection to many of the fish many interesting adaptations. They must find a way to breathe underwater and intake the salt water so amimals have adapted and grown gills.

Water depth temperature and the presence or absence of light are some of the conditions that differ in these habitats. Most animals and plants must survive here so of course they must adapt. Tropical fish have many colors so they can blend in with the colorful ocean floor.

Sharks are very good at finding food. To do this populations of animals. Other plants like orchids bromeliads and ferns grow as epiphytes high up in the canopy where there is more sunlight.

They have a swim bladder to control their bouyancy. Animals such as polar bears have fur even covering the soles of their feet. The sloth uses camouflage and moves very slowly to make it.