GLOSSARY

Aggregation: individuals gathered together in a loose group. Can apply to fish or to attached animals.

Anal fin: single fin running along the underside of a fish, from the anal opening towards the tail.

Benthic: dwelling on the seabed, either attached or unattached.

Colony/colonial: animal that consists of numerous similar or identical ‘units’ (e.g. polyps) that are linked together to form the complete organism.

Commensal: relationship in which two species live in close physical association, and are dependent on each other for some function or other.

Dorsal fin: fin running along the top of the body in the mid-line; it may be single or split into two or three separate sections.

Hermaphrodite: individual that contains both ovaries and testes in its body. These may be functional at the same time, or the animal may function first as one sex and then the other.

Ectoparasite: animal that lives on the outside of another, and is dependent on it for its nutrition (e.g. it attaches to the skin and feeds on blood).

Invertebrates: animals without backbones.

Lessepsian: all species of marine life that have travelled through to the Mediterranean from the Red Sea are known as Lessepsian migrants after the engineer’s name, Ferdinand De Lesseps.

Omnivorous/omnivores: animals with a diet consisting of a mixture of plant and animal material.

Herbivorous/herbivores: animals that feed on plants, such as algae and seagrasses.

Plankton: plants (phytoplankton) or animals (zooplankton) that float in the water column and are moved by ocean currents. Mainly microscopic, but includes larger organisms, such as jellyfish.

Pectoral fins: pair of fins located one each side of the body, just behind the head.

Pelagic: living and swimming in the water column, rather than close to or on the seabed.

Pelvic fins: pair of fins located on the underside of the fish, usually beneath the pectoral fins.

Predator: animal that hunts and feeds on other animals.

Symbiotic: relationship in which two (or more) species live together and benefit each other in one or more ways.

Territory: living, feeding or breeding area that is actively defended from intruders by the inhabitant(s).