A dog eat dogfish world: Predator-prey adaptation

Session outline Predator-prey interactions How predators and prey in the marine environment show adaptations to eat and avoid being eaten Design your own super predator or super prey using lessons learned from the information provided

Everything living thing is a community is linked together All plants and animals living in a community are linked together through feeding relationships. We call illustrations of these feeding relationships food webs However, prey for example are not completely powerless against the threats of predation. Similarly, predators have evolved to have adaptations that make them more effective hunters. It’s a dog eat dogfish world out there and adaptations can mean life or death. The arms race is on! Lets have a look at some of the adaptations predators and prey have in the marine environment to eat and avoid being eaten! More in-depth work on food webs and the impacts of man in the context of sustainable development can be accessed by downloading the food for thought resource pack in this module. Predator prey adaptations are similar to an arms race. Its an evolutionary race to out adapt one another which is continually occuring.

TO AVOID BEING EATEN SOME ANIMALS….

Have eyes at the side of their head Sweet lips have eyes at the sides of the heads to spot out potential predators.

Have sharp spines This sea urchin has sharp spines encasing its body to avoid being eaten.

Swim very fast These shoaling juvenile snappers swim at extremely high speeds to avoid being dinner. They also have shoaling behaviour to reduce the risk of being dinner if they were chased.

Stay in large groups This shoal of sardines reduce the risk of being dinner for this hungry looking macho shark by swimming together in large groups. Definitely a case of safety in numbers.

Have patterns to confuse predators This flying gurnard can expand its wing-like fins to confuse predators.

Are camouflaged to blend into their surroundings This plaice sits perfectly camouflaged on the sandy bottom of the North Sea. This helps it not just avoid predators but also sneak up on prey itself.

Mimic dangerous / poisonous animals This is a tropical flatworm. Although it is not dangerous itself, by mimicking the warning colours of other dangerous animals it helps protect itself from being eaten.

Have warning / danger colours This tiny octopus is actually one of the most deadly animals that inhabits the seas.

Have an unpleasant taste / texture Anemones secrete mucus around their bodies during low tide to a) reduce the risk of drying out and b) to give itself and unpleasant taste and texture to potential predators.

Have built in protection Crabs are built like tanks from the top down. A strong carapace (top of its shell). Helps protect it from potential predators. However, if knocked over its vulnerable leg parts would be a tasty treat for passing predators such as sea birds.

Have escape or startle responses Squid produce jets of ink when threatened to startle predators by producing a smoke screen which provides for a swift escape.

TO HELP CATCH PREY SOME ANIMALS….

Have eyes at the front of their head This sealion is an excellent hunter of fish with its forward facing eyes.

Have excellent sensitivity to their environment Dolphins use a form of eco-location to seek out fishy prey hiding in the sand.

Have sharp teeth

Have patterns to camouflage themselves to their surroundings This leopard eel waits poised to attack its prey, perfectly camouflaged to the surrounding coral.

Hunt in Packs Killer whales hunt strategically in packs to secure their prey such as seals.

Have venom / are poisonous Sea snakes are one of the poisonous animals on the planet! Just one drop of venom is enough to kill three humans almost instantly!

Now design your own super predator/super prey! Using information from this slideshow, design your own super predator or super prey Think about the characteristics that would make your animal an expert in evasion or capture Give you animal a name and present it to the rest of your class You might want to label certain features