1. Intertidal Zone
The intertidal zone is a very harsh environment. The organisms that live here have adaptions that allow them to live both submerged with water and out of water.
Depth: From High tide down to low tide.
Sea anemones
Starfish
Clams
Oysters
Barnacles
Crabs
seaweed

2. Sublittoral Zone
The sublittoral zone is a stable environment. The temperature, water pressure, and amount of sunlight remain fairly constant.
Depth: Low tide to the end of the continental shelf (about 200m below sea level)
Corals
Reef fishes
Crabs
Lobsters

3. Bathyal Zone
The bathyal zone is void of sunlight and there are very little plants found here. (WHY??)
Depth: 200m to 4,000m below sea level.
Sponges, brachiopods, sea stars, echinoids, and octopuses.

4. Abyssal Zone
The Abyssal zone contains very few plants and animals. This zone is located on the abyssal plain which can reach 4,000m in depth.
Depth: A plain that ranges from 4,000m to 6,000m.
Crabs
Sponges
Worms
Sea cucumbers

5. Hadal Zone
This is the deepest zone and consists of the floor of the ocean trenches and all the organisms that live there. Scientists know very little about this zone!
Depth: 6,000m to 7,000m
So far scientists have only discovered:
A few species of worms
A sponge
A clam

6. Neritic Zone
The Neritic zone covers the continental shelf. It is a warm, shallow zone that receives the most sunlight of all the zones. It also contains the largest concentration of marine life.
Depth: 0m to 200m of “Open water”
Marine mammals
Dolphins
Fish
Plankton

7. Oceanic Zone
The oceanic zone contains the volume of water that convers the entire sea floor except for the continental shelf. It varies in temperature and sunlight based on the depth. Some of the organisms found in the neritic zone are found in the upper oceanic zone.
Depth: 200m – 6,000m
Giant squid
Angler fish
Whale species