Pteropods

Definition

Pteropods are small, free-swimming marine snails that belong to the mollusk family. They have a unique feature of having wing-like appendages, which allow them to move through the water.

Related terms

Ocean Acidification:

The process in which carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, leading to a decrease in pH levels. This can harm pteropods and other marine organisms that rely on calcium carbonate for their shells.

Calcification: The process by which marine organisms like pteropods build and maintain their calcium carbonate shells or skeletons.

Marine Food Web: A complex network of interconnected food chains in the ocean, where pteropods serve as an important food source for various predators such as fish and whales.