Mesopelagic and Bathypelagic Zones

Untitled Slide

• -Vertically Adjacent
• -Together span 12,350ft
• Contact neither Surface or the Sea Floor

Mesopelagic Zone Overview

• 200 to 1,000m
• Water residence is 100yrs
• Diurnal Migrations
• Significant amounts of Carbon
• Temperature varies by Geographic Location
• ”Twilight Zone”

Plant Life

• Little to no plant life as there is not sufficient light for photosynthesis

Vertebrates

• Detritivores feed on deceased organisms sinking down from Epipelagic Zone
• Herbivores from Epipelagic Zone occasionally visit during daylight hours
• Herbivores from the Abyssopelagic Zone visit at night
• Carnivores feed on the Herbivores and Detritivores

Examples

• Gonostomatidae “Bristlemouth”
• Most common Vertebrate in the world
• Photophores under their heads

Examples

• Xiphias gladius “Swordfish”
• Found in temperate climates
• Popular Sport Fish

Examples

• Various Species of Squid inhabit this region
• Class: Cephalopoda
• Eyes focus by repositioning parts of the lense

Examples

• Anarrhichthys Ocellatus “Wolf Eel’
• Pacific Mesopelagic Region
• Not true eel, as it has gills

Examples

• Cuttlefish
• Technically Mollusks
• One of the most intelligent invertebrates

Bathypelagic Zone Overview

• 1,000-4,000m
• Beneath Mesopelagic
• Above Abyssopelagic
• Not reached by sunlight
• Cold (39F)

Plant Life

• No sunlight, so no plant life

Vertebrates

• Very different from those in other zones
• Usually lack eyes
• Very Weak muscles
• Very Slimy
• Often very pale

Examples

• Viperfish
• One of the few species with eyes
• Use photophores to lure prey
• Vary in color
• Long, foldable teeth

Examples

• Chlamydoselachus anguineus “Frilled Shark”
• Pacific and Atlantic
• Primitive features, often called a “living fossil”
• Mostly eats cephalopods
• Attacks by lunging like a snake

Examples

• Various Species of Squid inhabit this region
• Class: Cephalopoda
• Eyes focus by repositioning parts of the lense

Examples

• Various types of whales
• Frequently fight squid
• Can dive to extreme depths because of lung capacity, pressure resistances

Invertebrates

• Fish have difficulty surviving these depths
• Several types of invertebrates

EXAMPLE

• Porifera “Sponges”
• No Nervous System
• No Digestive System
• No Circulatory System
• Rely on constant water flow

Example

• Asteroidea “Sea Star”
• Echinoderm
• Can regenerate limbs
• Consume prey with external stomachs

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Works Cited

• http://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Mesopelagic_zone
• https://www.britannica.com/science/bathyal-zone
• http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/FamilySummary.php?Family=Xiphiidae
• http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Bonapartia&spe...
• http://www.fishbase.se/summary/Anarrhichthys-ocellatus.html
• http://www.fishbase.org/identification/SpeciesList.php?genus=Chauliodus
• http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Chlamydoselach...
• http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/courses.hp/zool250/animations/Porifera.swf
• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/starfish/