Marlin

Adaptation

The process by which a species becomes more fit for its environment over the course of several generations. It is a result of natural selection.

The animal at the top of its food chain; it has no natural predators.

Aquatic

Living in water.

Camouflage

The ability for an organism to blend into their surroundings usually to hide from prey or predators.

Cartilage

Flexible but firm connective tissue that makes up parts of the human nose and ears, along with shark and ray skeletons.

Dermal Denticle

Tooth-like scales that cover the exterior of sharks and rays.

Ectotherm

An animal that relies on the outside temperature to regulate their body temperature (reptiles and amphibians). Also known as cold-blooded.

Endotherm

An animal that regulates their body temperature internally (mammals and birds). Also known as warm-blooded.

Fish

A group of ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals that live primarily or entirely in water, have fins instead of limbs, and breathe using gills.

Gills

The respiratory organ that allows fish, amphibians in their larval phase, and crustaceans to absorb oxygen molecules from water.

Invertebrate

An animal that has no bones.

Poison

A toxin that is harmful when touched or eaten and is often produced through glands.

Predator

An animal that hunts other animals for food.

Prehensile

Able to grasp.

Prey

An animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal.

Species

A closely related group of animals with similar characteristics that are capable of reproducing (example: tigers).

Spiracle

A respiratory organ that pumps water through the gills of stingrays and some sharks and allows them to breathe while resting motionless (some invertebrates have spiracles that function differently).

Subspecies

A group of animals within a species that are genetically different from other groups in the same species (there are 6 subspecies of tigers).

Venom

A toxin that is injected into prey through teeth or a stinger.

Vertebrate

An animal that has a backbone.