Flashlight fish have their own light source. Have students find the fish that lives among the tentacles of the sea anemone. This green, leafy plant helps sea otters to survive in their habitat. They use it to find food, and even wrap themselves up in it to take a nap without drifting off. Have students identify characteristics of the homes of at least three different animals in the Mississippi Gallery.
Habitats often provide animals with camouflage, or places to hide from predators or prey.
Fish that live in the same or similar habitats often have similar adaptations or characteristics to help them survive in that habitat. Have students describe what characteristics they find in common among the various habitats in the Mississippi Gallery. Although they are both saltwater habitats, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea are very different habitats. Have students look for at least three major differences in these two habitats as they are represented at the Aquarium. An oil rig can provide some of the same benefits to fish in the Gulf of Mexico as coral reefs do in the Caribbean.