Zooplankton Biodiversity

Holozooplankton are animals that live adrift in the ocean waves for their entire lives. The researchers who took part in the Census of Marine Zooplankton, a project of the Census of Marine Life, spent a decade surveying and photographing holozooplankton biodiversity around the world. Here is a sampling of what they found.

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Zooplankton

Transparent Sea Cucumber

Census researchers discovered this sea cucumber (Enypniastes sp.) in the Gulf of Mexico.

Transparent Sea Cucumber

CREDIT: Laurence Madin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution/CMarZ, Census of Marine Life

Deep Sea Copepod

<p>This copepod (<strong><a href="http://eol.org/pages/340029/overview">Gaussia princeps</a></strong>) was collected deeper than 1000 meters in the Sargasso Sea by Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ) researchers in April 2006.</p>

Deep Sea Copepod:

This copepod (Gaussia princeps) was collected deeper than 1000 meters in the Sargasso Sea by Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ) researchers in April 2006.

CREDIT: R. Hopcroft, University of Alaska - Fairbanks (www.cmarz.org)

The Squidworm - A New Species

The squidworm has 10 tentacle-like appendages on its head.

The Squidworm - A New Species:

The squidworm (Teuthidodrilus samae), a swimming polychaete, was first discovered by Census of Marine Life researchers in the Celebes Sea at about 2800 meter depth in 2007.

CREDIT: L. Madin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. (WHOI) (www.cmarz.org)

Jellyfish, or Siphonophore Colony?

<p>This colony of <em>Rosacea</em> may look like a single jellyfish, but it is actually a large group of smaller siphonophores clustered and living together.</p>

Jellyfish, or Siphonophore Colony?:

This colony of Rosacea may look like a single jellyfish, but it is actually a large group of smaller siphonophores clustered and living together.

CREDIT: L. Madin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (www.cmarz.org)

A Ctenophore Feeds

A Ctenophore Feeds:

The comb jelly (ctenophore) Thalassocalyce inconstans was photographed in the Sargasso Sea by Census of Marine Zooplankton researchers.

CREDIT: L. Madin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. (WHOI) (www.cmarz.org)

Close-up View of Salps

Close-up View of Salps:

This close-up view of salps, which have aggregated together into a long chain, have brilliant red guts from eating red plankton.

CREDIT: L. Madin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. (WHOI) (www.cmarz.org)

A Swimming Snail

<p><span style="line-height: 20px;">This sea butterfly (pteropod), </span><em><strong><a href="http://eol.org/pages/464954/overview">Atlanta peronii</a></strong></em><span style="line-height: 20px;">, is </span><strong><a href="http://www.planktonchronicles.org/en/episode/pteropods-swimming-mollusks">completely transparent</a></strong><span style="line-height: 20px;">, so you can see its organs.</span></p>

A Swimming Snail:

This sea butterfly (pteropod), Atlanta peronii, is completely transparent, so you can see its organs.

CREDIT: R. Hopcroft, University of Alaska - Fairbanks (UAF) (www.cmarz.org)

Amphipod: Salp Invader

An amphipod surrounded by her eggs, in the barrel of a salp.

Amphipod: Salp Invader:

The animal in the middle, surrounded by her own eggs, is an amphipod -- inside a sac that once was the "barrel" of a salp until she ate out its insides.

CREDIT: R. Hopcroft, University of Alaska - Fairbanks (UAF) (www.cmarz.org)

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Ocean Portal by The Smithsonian Institution

Zooplankton Biodiversity

Transparent Sea Cucumber

Transparent Sea Cucumber

Deep Sea Copepod

Deep Sea Copepod:

The Squidworm - A New Species

The Squidworm - A New Species:

Jellyfish, or Siphonophore Colony?

Jellyfish, or Siphonophore Colony?:

A Ctenophore Feeds

A Ctenophore Feeds:

Close-up View of Salps

Close-up View of Salps:

A Swimming Snail

A Swimming Snail:

Amphipod: Salp Invader

Amphipod: Salp Invader:

Share your comments here.