- Ambush predator : An animal that sits and waits for prey to come close and then suddenly grabs the prey, rather than stalking or hunting for prey.
- Ampullae of Lorenzini : O rgans possessed by all chondrichthyes that are used to sense electrical signals.
- Anal fin : A fin attached to the lower edge of a fish behind the anus.
- Arnhem Land: A region of northern Australia west of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Australia’s largest Aboriginal reservation is there.
- Bioelectric signals : Weakelectrical signals created by all animals.
- Biology : The science of life dealing with animals, plants and other living things.
- Bony fish :F ish that have a bony skeleton as opposed to the cartilaginous fish.
- Bouyancy : The ability to float.
- Bycatch : Fish and other animals that are caught by accident. Also called incidental catch.
- Calcified/calcification : Made harder and preserved by the formation of calcium salts.
- Cartilage : A soft skeletal material used instead of bones in cartilaginous fishes such as sharks and rays.
- Cartilaginous fish : Fish that have a skeleton made of cartilage, such as sharks, rays and chimaeras.
- Cephalopods : The group consisting of octopuses, squid, cuttlefish and nautiluses; they have eight or more tentacles with suckers, soft bodies and can change colour very quickly.
- Caudal fin : The tail fin of a fish.
- Cetaceans : The group of marine mammals consisting of whales and dolphins; they breathe air, give birth to live young and suckle them on rich milk.
- Chondrichthyes : The group of fish that includes sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras.
- Clan: A division of a tribe tracing descent from a common ancestor.
- Claspers : male shark sex organs; a pair of long, narrow organs extending backwards from the cloaca underneath the body of male sharks.
- Cloaca : A hole underneath sharks that is used both for reproduction and excretion.
- Commercial fishing :Fishing for a commercial purpose – i.e. to sell.
- Continental shelf : The gently sloping undersea area surrounding a continent down to about 200 metres deep; at the edge of the continental shelf there is a steep drop to the ocean floor, this is the continental slope.
- Continental slope : The steep drop from the edge of the continental shelf (about 200 m) to the sea floor (down to about 2000 m).
- Crustaceans : The group including crabs, prawns, shrimps, lobsters and others; they have an external skeleton and jointed legs.
- Connective tissue: Tissue that connects, supports and surrounds the internal organs.
- Dermal : Of the skin.
- Demersal : Living near to the bottom of the sea.
- Denticles : The tiny scales that cover the skin of sharks and rays.
- Dorsal fin: The fin on top of a fish’s body.
|
