Diversity of Animals

Animal diversity

Habitat

The actual place where an organism lives is called habitat.

There are two types of habitat:-

Ø Aquatic habitat

Ø Terrestrial habitat

Here we will only discuss aquatic habitat.

Aquatic habitat

There are three types of aquatic habitat

1. Surface water

a. Neuston

The organisms which live on the thin film of water due to surface tension are called surface water organisms.

Example

Beetle, water strider, snails

b. Plankton

The microscopic drifting organisms found on or inside the surface water are called plankton.

There are two further types of plankton

· Zooplankton

Example; copepod

· Phytoplankton

Example; cyanobacteria

2. Middle Water

· The organisms found in the middle of water are called middle water animals.

· They are also called nektons

Examples; fishes, squid and prawns.

3. Benthic/Water Bed

· The organisms that are found in deep water.

· Example; crabs, sponges, star fish