Krill
They are tiny shrimp-like
crustaceans and swim in the
seas. Getting collect in large, dense masses called
"swarms" or "clouds," these pink, transparent animals
change some areas of the ocean's surface pink. Krill are
very important in the food cycle because many animals
eat them.
There are about 85 species of krill, including under 0.5
inch (1 cm) up to 5.5 inches (14 cm) long. The most
frequent krill is the Antarctic krill, which length is
up to 2.3 inches (6 cm) long and weighs about 0.035
ounces (1 g). Antarctic krill lives about 5 to 10 years.
Antarctic Krill is considered to be a fundamental
species since many Antarctic predators depend on them.
Foot:
Krill eat phytoplankton. Krill lives about 320 feet =
100 m deep and are safe and sound from their main
predators. They swim to eat phytoplankton. They can go
without eating for up to 200 days.
Body:
Krill
have a hard exoskeleton, many legs and a segmented body.
Females produce approximately 1,000 eggs each summer;
the eggs are laid at the surface, but fall to great
depths. The hatchlings swim back to the surface to
nourish.
Food Cycle:
Phytoplankton
is eaten by krill and Krill are eaten by many organisms,
including fish, squid, sea birds, and mammals like
baleen whales and some seals.
Class:
Kingdom
Animalia (animals), Phylum
Arthropoda,
Subphylum
Crustacea, Class
Malacostraca, Order Euphausiacea
