Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of MexicoBrittany Cott, Lauren Edsel, Jessie

Masterson, Kevin Strileckis

Gulf of MexicoAn oval shaped basinApproximately 1500kmSurrounded by North America and CubaVery small tidal rangesWarm water temperatures

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Sailfish Top predators in the seasLong sharp bill and sail shaped dorsal finBody grows to about 4 feet longOne of the fastest fish in the oceanDiet includes:

Pelagic and benthic fish, squid, and octopus("Swordfish & Billfish")

Sailfish

Drawn by Jessie Masterson

Blackfin SnapperRed fish with yellow fins and white under-bellyStrong fightersLive in very deep waterThe young feed on planktonThe adults feed on shrimp and squidCan live up to 57 years

("All about saltwater blackfin snapper")("Gulf Red Snapper")

Blackfin Snapper

Drawn by Jessie Masterson

Banded Rudderfish Start at less than 11 inchesPattern of bands from eye to first finOnce longer than 11” it becomes more blueThey eat smaller fish and shrimpPrefer shallower waterLive on bottoms of the reef and in inshore channels ("All About Saltwater Banded Rudderfish")

Banded Rudderfish

Drawn by Jessie Masterson

Under The SeaSeaweed

Non-flowering plant that grows under water (“Seaweed”)

AlgaeTiny organisms with chlorophyll ("Algae")

CoralHard, calcium carbonate skeleton of a polyp ("Coral”)

Drawn by Jessie Masterson

Works cited"Swordfish & Billfish." WWF Global. WWF. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/swordfish_billfish/>."All about saltwater blackfin snapper." Identicards:Fishing, hunting, and wildlife products. N.p.. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <http://www.identicards.com/allaboutsaltwaterfish/species.asp?fish=Blackfin Snapper>."Gulf Red Snapper." Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. N.p.. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <http://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/snappers/gulf-red-snapper/>."All About Saltwater Banded Rudderfish." Identicard:Fishing, hunting, and wildlife products. N.p.. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <http://www.identicards.com/allaboutsaltwaterfish/species.asp?fish=Banded rudderfish>.

Works Cited Continued"Seaweed." Dictionary.com. N.p.. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Seaweed?s=t>."Algae." Dictionary.com. N.p.. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/algae?s=t>."Coral." Dictionary.com. N.p.. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coral?s=t>."Facts About The Gulf of Mexico for Kids." The Free Resource Sharing Educational Resources . N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr 2013. <http://www.thefreeresource.com/facts-about-the-gulf-of-mexico-for-kids>.