Sediment is all that material made up of various compounds. It is constantly transformed by biological, physical or chemical effects, to be transported by wind, water, ice or gravity, until it is generally deposited in the aquatic depths. In this sense, the sediment is made up of a diversity of compounds and nutrients, being the place where certain types of animals live, which are also known as “infauna”, since here they can find shelter, food or a place to camouflage themselves to catch their prey.
In this AnimalWised article we will talk about the aanimals that live within the sediment using representative examples.
Nematodes
Nematodes are a phylum of animals that are identified as a type of tiny worms, and about which there has been controversy regarding their diversity. However, they are a very diverse group.
These animals have occupied many habitats on earth, some free-living and others parasitic. This way, various species are located in the marine sedimentwhere in addition to feeding on other tiny animals, bacteria, algae and, in general, organic matter, they participate significantly in decomposition and help in the recycling of nutrients.
Copepods
Another type of animals that live in the sediment are the copepods, which correspond to a type of crustacean. It is a diverse group of fresh or salty aquatic habits, although some can live in humid terrestrial areas, being found in most bodies of water on the planet.
Many species are part of the plankton, others are parasites and there are also those that have benthic life, inhabiting the aquatic sediments of the oceans. Others live in the sediments of lakes, rivers and even swamps or intermittent bodies of water. These animals are also an important part of the cycle of matter, being part of the food webs. Discover in this other article what the “Marine Food Chain” consists of.
Isopods
Here we find another group of crustaceans and, therefore, belonging to the phylum of arthropods. There are thousands of species: around half live in humid terrestrial environments, a similar number live in the seabed sediment and a smaller group is found in freshwater bottoms. Size can vary from less than 1 cm to around 50 cm, depending on the species. Water species are filter feeders on detritus or may be parasitic.
Amphipods
Amphipods are also small crustaceans that measure between 0.1 and about 30 cm. Generally, they feed on detritus or carrion, but they can consume algae or small insects. Although there are some terrestrial life, the majority live in bodies of salt, hypersaline or fresh water. Various species can be located at different levels of the water column, however, others are on the aquatic bottom at the sediment level.
polychaetes
Polychaetes are a type of worms that belong to the phylum annelids. Generally, species measure a few centimeters, but some grow considerably to about 3 meters. Certain species can live in plankton or as commensals, but most species inhabit the ocean floors, even at depths of thousands of meters. They usually build tunnels in the marine sediment.
Bivalves
Bivalves are mollusks characterized by the presence of a shell divided into two parts. They have aquatic life, whether salty or sweet, with a wide global distribution. Many are filter feeders, but some scrape the seafloor for their food and a few are even carnivorous. The vast majority of species correspond to the infauna, so they are animals that They live buried in the sediment. Some sandy places under water appear to contain no life until you excavate, and that is when it is possible to see the diversity of these mollusks.
sea anemones
Sea anemones, which are related to corals and jellyfish, among others, belong to the phylum cnidarians. They have striking colors, hence their name, like that of a terrestrial plant with flowers. Generally, they are sessile in life, forming polyps attached to sediment on the sea floor, although they can also attach to sunken wood, rocks, hide inside cracks and even be with algae in shallow waters. They are predators of prey such as fish, crabs or mollusks.
Sea stars
Another type of animals that live in the sediment are starfish, classified as echinoderms, class asteroid. These are animals of exclusively marine life, distributing on the ocean floor up to thousands of meters deep, although they can also be found in seagrasses, sandy areas, marshes or areas with algae formations. They are usually predators of snails, bivalves, sponges and algae.
Sea cucumbers
Sea cucumbers are also echinoderms, but of the class Holothuroidea. They are an important group in the oceans due to their participation in the recycling of organic matter or nutrients. Although it is common for them to be located in marine sediment at bottom level, they can move without problem. They feed on carrion and plankton, consuming large amounts of organic matter at the sediment level.
Pieces
We commonly associate fish with animals that spend their lives swimming, however, some species spend much of their time buried in aquatic sediment, whether in the sea or in bodies of fresh water. We have some examples in the following species:
Pearly razorfish (Xyrichtys novacula): lives in sandy or muddy areas where it can easily bury itself if it feels threatened. American mudfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa): it lives in seasonal water currents, so when drought arrives it buries itself in the sediment, where it remains until the rains return.marine stripes: some species not only rest on the seabed, but also remove the sand to bury themselves in the sediment.
As you can see, the animals that live in the sediment are very varied and curious. Tell us, did you know them?
If you want to read more articles similar to Animals that live inside the sedimentwe recommend that you enter our Curiosities of the animal world section.
Bibliography
Animal Diversity Web (2020). Available in: S. (2019). Deep Sea Soft-Sediment Communities. Available in: J. (2011). Functioning of Ecosystems at the Land–Ocean Interface. Infauna. Available in:
2023-09-27 22:37:07
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