4 Incredible Animals in the Benthic Zone

Do you know that there are some zones in our oceans? You can read ocean zones and creatures live in each layer to get to know how each zone is different and has different types of creatures. One of them is the benthic zone. This zone refers to the zone or area which begins at the shore and extends to the bottom of a waterbody.

Simply, the benthic zone is the zone located at the bottom of a freshwater body or a marine. It can be found everywhere all over the world. Because it’s located at the bottom, only a small amount of sunlight can reach this zone. It has low temperature and high pressure, so that not many organisms can survive and live here.

However, there are some organisms that are adapted to survive there. The organisms are called benthos, or the organisms that live on, in, or near the bottom of the freshwater bodies.

The organisms themselves are classified into several groups called macrobenthos (the larger animals which are visible to the naked eye), microbenthos (microscopic organisms less than 0.1 mm in size), meiobenthos (organisms which are very tiny which is between 0.1 mm to 1 mm in size).

The benthos are very beneficial for the marine environment. They can act as bioindicators. Bioindicators indicate the presence, concentration and effect of water pollutants in the water environment.

So, let’s get to know the benthos, the organisms you can find in the benthic zone!

• Deep Sea Anglerfish

As the name suggests, deep sea anglerfish live in the depths of the sea where it is extremely cold and dark. Therefore, they are listed among the 7 deep-sea creatures.

However, they have the ability to emit light by using the spine attached to their heads. They use this to attract prey in the dark bottoms. Once the prey is close to the light source, the fish will directly close its large mouth, creating a large cage with its teeth.

Because deep sea anglerfish live in the harsh environment, they need to keep the reproduction continue to occur. This is done by the male anglerfish which spends most of its life as parasite attached to a female anglerfish. This is how this fish species survives at the very low depths in water, including the benthic zone.

• Sea Urchin

Sea urchins are characterized by their tube feet and spines. These animals eat algae as the primary diet and also slow-moving animals. There are around 950 species of sea urchins found on the seabed of every ocean, and they even inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore.

Sea urchins belong to the group of Echinoderm, which also includes sea stars, sea cucumbers, brittle stars and many more.

Sea urchins are listed as one of the most dangerous sea creatures as they can cause injuries when the spines break off in the skin. When it is not treated, the spines may migrate into deeper tissues and the injuries will get worse. A few sea urchins even can inject venom through their jaws.

• Hagfish

Another species of fish found in the benthic zone is hagfish. Hagfish are deep-sea organisms which resemble eels. They rely on dead bodies of organisms that sink to the bottom as their food.

Interestingly, when there’s a large animal dies and the body sinks to the bottom, this fish will burrow into the body and enjoy consuming the flesh. That’s how this organism helps recycle organic matter reaching the seafloor.

Hagfish have some adaptations that enable them to survive in the benthic zone. They breathe through their skin when burrowed in the mud.

Despite the fact that they have simple eyes and are almost blind, they have an exceptionally strong sense of smell and touch. With these senses, they are able to find food in the dark. Lastly, they protect themselves by producing a slimy substance which helps them to fight off predators.

• Crabs

You might see crabs only at the seashore, but do you know that some crabs live along the seafloor too? Crabs are crustaceans which means they have exoskeletons, the outer shells. These exoskeletons protect them from predators as well as from ocean currents and waves. There are about 4,500 species of crabs and they can be found both in salt water and freshwater.

Just like fish, crabs breathe by using their gills. They move by crawling along the ocean floor, though there are some species that can swim. They find food by their antenna and wait for food to go by. Their diet includes clams, small fish, snails and other crabs.

Animals are always interesting to be learned as there are a lot of things we can find about them. If you love to know more about animals living in certain parts of the world, you can spend time reading these native animals in the Sonoran Desert and animals in the Great Barrier Reef.