Ocean Floor Life

How do creatures obtain food so far below the surface? Living plants are not available as food in the deep sea without sunlight and photosynthesis. Deep-sea species instead feed on fragments of dead plants, dead animals, and animal feces that fall from the sky. This type of food is known as marine snow.

Another approach for certain microbes to obtain food in the deep water is to make their own! These creatures transform energy from chemical reactions into nutrition in a manner similar to photosynthesis. This is known as chemoautotrophy.

Carnivorescarnivores are other types of fish. They use bioluminescent lures to attract preyprey (see below). Deep-sea fish extend their guts when this happens. This means they can consume organisms three times their own size! In addition, once in a while