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Life in the Atlantic Ocean

All life in the ocean is divided into three main groups. They are plankton, nekton, and benthos.

Plankton are all of the creatures in the sea that drift and float and rely on the tides to move them from place to place.

Plankton are all microscopic. They are either phytoplankton (microscopic plants) or zooplankton (jellyfish, copepods, arrowworms).

Many animals rely on plankton for their existence.

Nekton are all of the animals in the ocean that are able to swim on their own, without the help of the tides. This includes over 20,000 fish in the sea. These animals range in size from sharks which 50 feet in length to fish which are less than an inch long.

Most nekton have streamlined bodies to help them swim more effeciently.

Some nekton can travel at remarkable speeds. The sailfish can swim up to 30 miles an hour.

Many nektonic animals are able to swim vast distances. For example, the eel can travel thousands of miles.

Benthos are animals which live at the bottom of the sea.

Examples of benthotic animals are sea snails, clams, sponges, sea lilies, and starfish.

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11y ago

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