Species: Tomopteris
Student: Imani Davis
Information:
Zooplanktons are a type of plankton that consists of “…many small species of animals found in fresh and marine waters throughout the world” (The Gale Group Inc.). According to some scientists, there are two groups of zooplanktons: meroplankton and holoplankton. Meroplanktons are made up of the larvae of fish and other marine animals and “…if they survive they will grow into free-swimming organisms” (Nature Works). A holoplankton, on the other hand, “…remains planktonic throughout their entire life” (Save the Bay). Each day a zooplankton travels vertically through the water and they feed on small floating plants (such as algae) that are closer to the top (Nature Works).
Tomopteris come from the phyllodocids family and are typically eight to fifty millimeters long (Scripps Institution of Oceanography). Its diet consists of chaetognaths, tunicates, and fish larvae (Scripps Institution of Oceanography). Similar to many other zooplanktons, tomopteris are a translucent and luminescent species. The most interesting fact about tomopteris is that they glow a bioluminescent blue, and a few glow yellow, a rarity in sea life.
Works Cited
Nature Works. “Plankton.” NatureWorks, PBS, 2017
Real Monstrosities. “Tomopteris.” Real Monstrosities, 17 Aug. 2012,
Save the Bay. “Zooplankton.” Zooplankton, 1998,
Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “Tomopteris Spp.” Scripps Oceanography,
The Gale Group Inc. “Zooplankton.” Animal Sciences, Encyclopedia.com, 2002,
