Definition: An aquatic biome that comprises systems of open-ocean and unprotected coastal habitats, characterized by exposure to wave action, tidal fluctuation, and ocean currents as well as systems that largely resemble these. Water in the marine biome is generally within the salinity range of seawater: 30 to 38 ppt.
Definition: The marine benthic biome (benthic meaning 'bottom') encompasses the seafloor and includes such areas as shores, littoral or intertidal areas, marine coral reefs, and the deep seabed.
Definition: number of currently described and taxonomically accepted marine species in this clade (Appeltans et al. 2012. The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity. Current Biology 22, 2189–2202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.036)
Definition: a type of locomotion in which an animal moves on a secreted layer of mucus, propelled by the beating of cilia. It is characteristic of small, soft-bodied invertebrates.
Definition: a type of locomotion in which an animal moves on a secreted layer of mucus, propelled by the beating of cilia. It is characteristic of small, soft-bodied invertebrates.
Definition: percent of all marine species in this clade that are currently described (estimate) (Appeltans et al. 2012. The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity. Current Biology 22, 2189–2202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.036)
Definition: percent of all marine species names in this clade that are considered subjective synonyms (Appeltans et al. 2012. The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity. Current Biology 22, 2189–2202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.036)
Definition: The organization of the system of organs involved with sexual reproduction, e.g., hermaphroditism, monoecy, dioecy/gonochory, gynodioecy, androdioecy, gynomonoecy, andromonoecy, polygamodioecy, polygamomonoecy, apomixis, etc.
Definition: Eye-spots which may be set into a pit to reduce the angles of light that enters, to allow the organism to deduce the angle of incoming light. Lens-like structures may be present, but stemmata, unlike lens eyes, cannot form an image, either for lack of refractive power or retinal resolution.
Definition: The organization of the system of organs involved with sexual reproduction, e.g., hermaphroditism, monoecy, dioecy/gonochory, gynodioecy, androdioecy, gynomonoecy, andromonoecy, polygamodioecy, polygamomonoecy, apomixis, etc.
Definition: Total species unknown in this clade (undescribed + undiscovered) (estimate based on expert opinion) (Appeltans et al. 2012. The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity. Current Biology 22, 2189–2202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.036)
Definition: "marine species in this clade which are currently represented in specimen collections (estimate) (Appeltans et al. 2012. The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity. Current Biology 22, 2189–2202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.036)"
Definition: unsampled and undiscovered marine morphospecies in this clade (estimate) (Appeltans et al. 2012. The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity. Current Biology 22, 2189–2202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.036)
Definition: Eye-spots which may be set into a pit to reduce the angles of light that enters, to allow the organism to deduce the angle of incoming light. Lens-like structures may be present, but stemmata, unlike lens eyes, cannot form an image, either for lack of refractive power or retinal resolution.
