Fish are part of the ocean ecosystem. These fish shine in the clear blue water.
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Windows Original, adapted from Corel Photography
Ocean Life
There are all kinds of animals that we call
sea life.
Crabs ,
worms, eels and sharks are all sea life. These animals live in water their entire life. Crabs, worms and many others are called invertebrates because they don't have a backbone.
Whales, dolphins and otters are called mammals. Eels, sharks and rays are all fish. These animals survive in the salty water we call ocean. Scientists say life began in the oceans. So without them, we may not exist today!
Use the table below to learn more about ocean life.
One way to explore ocean life is by scuba diving. Another way is to use a submarine like the Alvin.
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Crabs are very neat animals! They have a hard shell that protects their soft bodies. They also have claws for grabbing food. There are many kinds of crabs. Some are a foot long, and others are very small.
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There are two types of worms. Flatworms are thin organisms that look like pretty pancakes! They are very colorful but hard to see because they hide during the day. Segmented worms are round. They look
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Whales are the biggest animals known. The blue whale can reach 80 feet long! Even though they are huge, whales are usually friendly. It is people who are a threat to whales. Whales strain plankton from
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Dolphins are the most playful animals in the sea! They are often seen jumping high in the air and then diving deeply into the water. Dolphins don't have very good eyesight, so they use echos to see. Echos
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Have you ever seen an otter? They look like big rodents swimming in the water! Otters are very good swimmers, so they spend most their lives in the water. Otters eat fish, crabs, clams, sea urchins and
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Eels are long, thin animals that look like snakes in the ocean! Eels are colorful but they still look scary. Sometimes they only look scary in case of danger, but they're really harmless. There are eels
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Look out! It's a shark! Don't worry! Sharks aren't as mean as they look. Sharks are more scared of you than you are of them. Most sharks eat fish or crustaceans. Humans aren't on their menu! The great
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Rays are really neat animals. They flow through the water like silk. Rays have soft, wide bodies. Some of them are dangerous, so you shouldn't try to touch them! The manta ray is the biggest ray of all.
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