Classification Summary

Plankton
For the following, know classification (why), common name, brief description or drawing,
habitat, and place in the food chain (trophic level).

On test, I may have pictures for you to match to names.

Holoplankton

I. Kingdom Monera: procaryotic cells, simple and unspecialized; single cells, some in
groups or chains.
A. Bacteria: single cells, in chains or groups; autotrophic and heterotrophic,
aerobic and anaerobic; important as food source and in decomposition.
B. Cyanobacteria: blue-green algae; autotrophic single cells, in chains or
groups, produce some red blooms in sea; phytoplankton.
II. Kingdom Protista: grouping of microscopic and mostly single-celled organisms;
autotrophs (algae) and heterotrophs (protozoa).
A. Phylum Chrysophyta: golden-brown algae; yellow to golden autotrophic
single cells, in groups or chains; contribute to deep-sea sediments;
phytoplankton.
1. Class Bacillariophyceae: diatoms.[dominate in cool/cold water] [story
about raising them in lab--silica dissolution]
2. Class Chrysophyceae: coccolithophores, silicoflagellates, and other
flagellates. [prefer warm water]
B. Phylum Pyrrophyta: fire algae; single cells with flagella; produce most red
tides; bioluminescence common; usually considered phytoplankton.
1. Class Dinophyceae: dinoflagellates.
C. Phylum Phaeophyta: Brown algae Sargassum maintains a planktonic habit
in the Sargasso Sea
D. Phylum Rhodophyta: Red algae
E. Phylum Protozoa: heterotrophic protists like dinoflagellates radiolarians, and
foraminifera
III. Kingdom Animalia: animals; multicellular heterotrophs with specialized cells,
tissues, and organ systems; zooplankton (holoplankton). For temporary
members of the zooplankton (or meroplankton), see the Meroplankton listed in V.
A. Phylum Coelenterata or Cnidaria: radially symmetrical with tentacles and
stinging cells like Jellyfish including such colonial forms as Portuguese
man-of-war.
B. Phylum Ctenophore: comb jellies; translucent; move with cilia; often
bioluminescent.
C. Phylum Chaetognatha: arrow worms; free swimming, carnivorous worms.
[Some species limited to specific water masses]
D. Phylum Mollusca:
Class Gastropoda Snails Pteropods

E. Phylum Arthropoda: animals with paired, jointed appendages and hard outer
skeletons.
 
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 1. Class Crustacea: copepods and euphausiids.
F. Phylum Chordata: animals, including vertebrates, with dorsal nerve cord
and gill slits at some stage in development.
1. Subphylum Urochordata: saclike adults with "tadpole" larvae; salps.

Meroplankton: larval forms from the

I. Kingdom Animalia
A. Phylum Annelida (segmented worms Trochophore),
B. Phylum Mollusca (shellfish and snails [Veliger]),
C. Phylum Arthropoda (crabs [Zoea] and barnacles [Nauplius]),
D. Phylum Echinodermata (starfish [Brachiolaria], brittle star [Ophiopluteus] and
sea urchins), and
E. Phylum Chordata (fish).

Classification Summary
Nekton
The nekton, all members of the kingdom Animalia, can be classified in the following phyla
and classes.

I. Kingdom Animalia.- animals; multicellular heterotrophs with specialized cells,

tissues, and organ systems.
A. Phylum Mollusca: mollusks.
1. Class Cephalopoda: squid and cuttlefish; the octopus is a member of
the benthos.
B. Phylum Chordata: animals with a dorsal nerve cord and gill slits at some
stage in development.
1. Subphylum Vertebrata: animals with a backbone of bone or cartilage.
a. Class Agnatha: jawless fish; lampreys and hagfish.
b. Class Chondrichthyes: jawed Fish with cartilaginous skeletons;
sharks and rays.
c. Class Osteichthyes : bony fish; all other fish, including
commercial species such as salmon, tuna, herring, and
anchovy.
d. Class Reptilia: air breathers with dry skin and scales; young
develop in self contained eggs; turtles, sea snakes, iguanas,
and crocodiles.
e. Class Aves: endotherms; skin covered with feathers, forelimbs
are wings; embryo enclosed in shell; birds.
f. Class Mammalia: endotherms; body covering of hair; produce
milk; young born live.
(1) Order Cetacea: whales.
(a) Suborder Mysticeti.- baleen whales, including
blue, gray, right, sei, finback, and humpback
whales.
(b) Suborder Odonticeti.- toothed whales, including
the killer and sperm whale, the porpoise, and the
 
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 dolphin.
(2) Order Carnivora: sea otters, seals, sea lions, and
walruses.
(3) Order Sirenia: dugongs and manatees.

Classification Summary
Benthos
Benthic organisms include members of the following kingdoms and phyla.

I. Kingdom Monera: includes the bacteria, an important food source in mud and sand
environments; also cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, especially abundant on coral
reefs.

II. Kingdom Protista: convenience grouping of microscopic, usually unicellular plants

and animals.

A. Phylum Chrysophyta: golden-brown algae; mainlv planktonic, but benthic

diatoms are abundant.
B. Phylum Protozoa: infauna include many members among sand and mud
particles, including amoeboid and foraminiferan species.

III. Kingdom Plantae: plants; primarily nonmotile, multicellular, photosynthetic

autotrophs.

A. Phylum: Chlorophyta: green algae; seaweeds such as Ulva and Codium.

B. Phylum: brown algae; coastal seaweeds, including the large kelps
Nereocystis, Macrocystis and Postelsia. (Sargassum is planktonic in the
Sargasso Sea.)
C. Phylum Rhodophyta: red algae; littoral and sublittoral seaweeds of varied
form.
D. Phylum Tracheophyta: plants with vascular tissue; true roots, stems, and
leaves present.
1. Class Angiospermae : flowering plants; seeds enclosed in fruit;
eelgrass, surf grass, and mangrove trees.

IV. Kingdom Animalia: animals; multicellular heterotrophs with specialized cells, tissues,
and organ systems.

A. Phylum Porifera: sponges; simple, nonmotile Filter-feeders.

B. Phylum Cnidaria (Coelenterata): radially symmetric, with tentacles and
stinging cells.
1. Class Anthozoa: sea anemones, corals, and sea fans.
C. Phylum Platyhelminthes: flatworms; free-living and parasitic forms.
D. Phylum Nemertina or Nemertea: ribbon worms.
E. Phylum Aschelminthes: round worms, or nematodes.
F. Phylum Brachiopoda: lampshells.
 
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 G. Phylum Annelida: segmented worms.
1. Class Polychaete: free-living marine carnivores, including tube worms,
Nereis and clam worms.
H. Phylum Pogonophora: deep-sea tube-dwelling worms; giant members found
around hot vents on the sea floor.
I. Phylum Mollusca: mollusks.
1. Class Polyplacophora: chitons
2. Class Scaphopoda: tusk shells
3. Class Gastropoda: Single-shelled mollusks; snails, limpets and sea
slugs.
4. Class Pelecypoda or Bivalvia: bivalved mollusks; clams, mussels,
scallops, and oysters
5. Class Cephalopoda: octopus. The squid is a member of the nekton.
J. Phylum Arthropoda: Animals with paired jointed appendages and outer
skeletons.
1. Class Crustacea: Crabs, shrimp, and barnacles
K. Phylum Echinodermata: all marine, radially symmetric, spiny-skinned animals
with water-vascular systems, including starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars,
and sea cucumbers.
L. Phylum Hemichordata: Acorn worms.
M. Phylum Chordata: animals, including vertebrates, with dorsal nerve cord and
gill slits at some stage in development.
1. Subphylum Urochordata: filter-feeding, saclike adults with "tadpole"
larvae; sea squirt.

 
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