2015-2016 Edition Coral Reef Habitat Study My Name: Team Members: 1. 2. 3. 4. Page 1
Coral Reef Habitat BEFORE YOU VISIT Coral reef habitats provide homes for thousands of marine life. Hard, stony coral animals create the structure for the coral reef. Biotic and Abiotic Factors of a Coral Reef Habitat Draw a circle around the biotic factors. Draw box around the abiotic factors. Fish Sand Zooplankton Shore birds Moss & algae Sunlight Eels Rocks Salt water Clams & muscles Coral animals Lobsters Water temperature Plants Wind Sea turtles Water depth Waves Snails Pollution Sea stars & urchins Sharks Page 2
Our Habitat - Coral Reef Goal - Create a fish to live in a coral reef habitat that eats small animals from the middle of the coral reef water column. Question - What adaptations are needed for a fish to live in a coral reef and eat animals from the middle of the coral reef water column? Hypothesis - Look at the pictures below. Circle one body shape, one mouth shape, one tail shape, and one coloration pattern to describe how a fish can look to live in a coral reef habitat and eat animals from the middle of the coral reef water column. Fish Habitat: Your fish lives in a coral reef. Fish Food: Your fish eats animals from the middle of the coral reef water column. Circle the body shape that is best for a fish to live in the coral reef. Circle the mouth shape that is best for a fish to eat animals from the middle of the coral reef water column. Circle the tail shape that is best for a fish to swim between the rocks and plants in a coral reef. Circle the coloration pattern that will help a fish to hide in a coral reef. Page 3
Just by looking at (observing) a fish you can learn a lot about how it swims, where it lives, and how it eats. All fish have special body parts to help it to live in its habitat. These special body parts are called adaptations. Adaptations in fish are special body shapes, mouth shapes, tail shapes, and coloration patterns. You will study these adaptations, like a scientist, and then build a fish with your group. Your job at the aquarium is to build a fish to live in a coral reef habitat. On your aquarium tour, you will learn how real fish are adapted to live in this habitat. 1. Stay with your assigned group 2. Use an inside voice in the aquarium. 3. Walk in the aquarium. 4. Do not tap, write on, or touch the glass exhibits. 1. Find the fish pictured on pages 5, 6, and 7. Your aquarium guide will help you. 2. Observe each fish in its habitat and answer the questions about its adaptations. 3. Use the Wacky Adaptations Booklet as a guide. Page 4
Read a Fish 1. The name of this mouth is: 2. Observe: Where does this fish swim in the water column? (Circle one) Top Middle Bottom Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus 3. How does this fish use its mouth? (Circle one) Eats food overhead Eats food below or underneath Gulps food Eats food straight ahead 4. What habitat(s) does this fish live in? Lake River Tide Pool Coral Reef 5. The name of this mouth is: 6. Observe: Where does this fish swim in the water column? (Circle one) Top Middle Bottom Archer fish Toxotes jaculatrix 7. How does this fish use its mouth? (Circle one) Eats food overhead Eats food below or underneath Gulps food Eats food straight ahead 8. What habitat(s) does this fish live in? Lake River Tide Pool Coral Reef Page 5
Read a Fish 9. The name of this body shape is: 10. How does this body shape help the fish hide? (Circle one) Fish hides in small places Fish darts quickly and makes fast turns Fish buries itself in the sand Fish does not hide, it swims in open water Snowflake Eel Echidna nebulosa 11. Observe: How does this fish swim? (Circle all that apply) Swims non-stop Stays in one spot Swims alone Swims and rests Swims backwards Swims in a school 12. What habitat(s) does this fish live in? Lake River Tide Pool Coral Reef 13. The name of this body shape is: 14. How does this body shape help the fish hide? (Circle one) Fish hides in small places Fish darts quickly and makes fast turns Fish buries itself in the sand Fish does not hide, it swims in open water One-spot Foxface Rabbitfish Siganus unimaculatus 15. Observe: How does this fish swim? (Circle all that apply) Swims non-stop Stays in one spot Swims alone Swims and rests Swims backwards Swims in a school 16. What habitat(s) does this fish live in? Lake River Tide Pool Coral Reef Page 6
Read a Fish 17. The name of this tail is 18. How does this fish use its tail? (Circle one) Short bursts of speed Slow swimming Steady swimming in open water Very fast swimming Crevalle Jack Caranx hippos 19. Observe: How does this fish swim? (Circle all that apply) Swims non-stop Stays in one spot Swims alone Swims and rests Swims backwards Swims in a school 20. What habitat(s) does this fish live in? Lake River Tide pool Coral Reef 21. The name of this tail is 22. How does this fish use its tail? (Circle one) Short bursts of speed Slow swimming Steady swimming in open water Very fast swimming Sandtiger Shark Carcharias taurus 23. Observe: How does this fish swim? (Circle all that apply) Swims non-stop Stays in one spot Swims alone Swims and rests Swims backwards Swims in a school 24. What habitat(s) does this fish live in? Lake River Tide pool Coral Reef Page 7
Now that you have completed your aquarium investigation, it is time for you to create an imaginary fish. 1. Use this chart below as a checklist to choose the adaptations that will help your fish live in a coral reef habitat and eat animals from the middle of the coral reef water column. Look at the habitat pictures to help you make your choices. 2. Draw a picture of your fish (on page 9). 3. Build a fish from the items in the box on the table. 4. Evaluate your fish model (on page 10). Fish Habitat: Your fish lives in a coral reef. Fish Food: Your fish eats animals from the middle of the coral reef water column. Step 1 Circle the body shape that is best for a fish to live in the coral reef. Circle the mouth shape that is best for a fish to eat animals from the middle of the coral reef water column. Circle the tail shape that is best for a fish to swim between the rocks and coral in a coral reef. Circle the coloration pattern that will help a fish to hide in a coral reef. Page 8
Step 2 Step 3 Page 9
Step 4 1. Use your Wacky Adaptation Booklet as a guide. How do the adaptations you chose help your imaginary fish survive? Mouth Shape Tail Shape Body Shape Coloration Pattern 2. Look at your hypothesis and compare it to the build a fish checklist. Are they the same or different? If they are different, why are the adaptations you chose after your investigation better than the ones you chose in your hypothesis? 3. Tell your class about your fish. Back at school, you can build a second fish for a different habitat. Page 10