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Where does the term plankton come from?
The word plankton comes from the Greek word planktos, which means “drifter.” Their name fits, because plankton do not swim on their own or stay in one place like coral. They drift about in the water, allowing tides, currents, and other factors determine where they go.
Who coined the word plankton?
Victor Hensen
The name plankton is derived from the Greek adjective πλαγκτός (planktos), meaning errant, and by extension, wanderer or drifter, and was coined by Victor Hensen in 1887.
What does planktonic mean?
(plăngk′tən) The small or microscopic organisms that drift or swim weakly in a body of water, including bacteria, diatoms, jellyfish, and various larvae.
What is the root word of phytoplankton?
Tiny plants that live near the surface of the ocean and are too small to see are phytoplankton. The word phytoplankton comes from Greek roots: phyton, “plant,” and planktos, “wandering or drifting.” Much plankton is composed of tiny animals, but the plankton made up of plants is phytoplankton.
What are the 3 types of plankton?
The three most important types of phytoplankton are:
- Diatoms. These consist of single cells enclosed in silica (glass) cases.
- Dinoflagellates. This name refers to two whip-like attachments (flagella) used for forward movement.
- Desmids. These freshwater photosynthesisers are closely related to green seaweeds.
What would we call a phytoplankton?
Phytoplankton, also known as microalgae, are similar to terrestrial plants in that they contain chlorophyll and require sunlight in order to live and grow. The two main classes of phytoplankton are dinoflagellates and diatoms.
What does it mean when someone is gritty?
Something that is gritty contains grit, is covered with grit, or has a texture like that of grit. The sheets fell on the gritty floor, and she just let them lie. adjective. Someone who is gritty is brave and determined. We have to prove how gritty we are.
What does zooplankton mean?
zooplankton. / (ˌzəʊəˈplæŋktən) / noun. the animal constituent of plankton, which consists mainly of small crustaceans and fish larvaeCompare phytoplankton.
What zooplankton means?
zooplankton, small floating or weakly swimming organisms that drift with water currents and, with phytoplankton, make up the planktonic food supply upon which almost all oceanic organisms are ultimately dependent.
What animal is plankton from Spongebob?
Copepod
Did you know that the character Plankton from Spongebob is based on a real planktonic animal – the Copepod (shown above)? There are even specific group of copepods with one eye, just like Plankton, called Cyclops!