Blobfish Adaptations to Extreme Pressure — Reading Comprehension

Imagine living where the weight of many elephants pushes down on you constantly! That's what it's like in the deep ocean, a place of incredible pressure. Far below the sunlight, a peculiar creature called the blobfish calls this extreme environment home. The deep sea is a truly unique habitat, and the blobfish has developed amazing ways to survive there.

Most fish have a swim bladder, a gas-filled organ that helps them float. But in the deep sea, where the pressure is immense, a swim bladder would collapse! So, the blobfish has a different strategy. Its body is mostly made of a jelly-like substance, much less dense than water. This low density allows the blobfish to be naturally buoyant, meaning it floats easily without needing a gas-filled sac. Think of it like a natural floatation device built right into its body!

This unique adaptation is perfect for its deep-sea lifestyle. The blobfish doesn't have strong muscles or a hard skeleton like fish in shallower waters. Instead, its soft, gelatinous body allows it to withstand the incredible pressure without being crushed. It just drifts along the ocean floor, using very little energy. It waits for food, like small crustaceans and other edible bits, to float by. Because of its specialized body, the blobfish can survive in one of the most challenging places on Earth.

Its unusual appearance, which makes it look like a sad, gelatinous blob when brought to the surface, is actually perfectly suited for its extreme deep-sea home. Its structure and function are a perfect example of how animals evolve to fit their specific environments. The blobfish is a master of deep-sea survival.

Interesting Fact: When a blobfish is brought to the surface, its body expands and loses its firm structure due to the massive decrease in pressure, which is why it looks so different from how it appears in its natural deep-sea habitat.

What is the blobfish's body mostly made of?

What helps most fish float?

Why doesn't the blobfish have a swim bladder?

What does 'buoyant' mean in the passage?

How does the blobfish's body help it find food?

The blobfish's soft body is an adaptation to low pressure. True or False?

If a shallow-water fish went to the deep sea, what might happen to its swim bladder?

Which of these is most similar to the blobfish's natural buoyancy?