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What Do Giant Isopod Eat — Reading Comprehension

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This engaging passage, ideal for Grade 5 learners and audio integrated, delves into the fascinating world of the giant isopod and its vital role as a scavenger in the deep ocean food web. Students will learn about its unique life cycle, habitat, and how it contributes to the ecosystem. Aligned with NGSS Standard LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms, this resource introduces key scientific vocabulary and concepts, making complex marine biology accessible. It highlights adaptations for survival in extreme environments and emphasizes the interconnectedness of life in the deep sea. Discover the hidden life of these mysterious deep-sea creatures.

CONTENT PREVIEW

Giant isopods scavenging on the seabed with life cycle stages and deep-sea creatures. — Giant isopods clean the ocean floor and grow through molting in extreme deep-sea conditions.

Meet the Giant Isopod
Giant isopods are amazing ocean animals that look like enormous pill bugs, or roly-polies. These creatures live deep in the ocean, far below where sunlight can reach. Some giant isopods can grow up to 16 inches long, which is bigger than a football!

Where They Live
Giant isopods live on the ocean floor at depths between 550 and 7,000 feet. Down there, it is very cold and completely dark. Food is hard to find, so animals must be clever to survive.

What They Eat
Giant isopods are scavengers. This means they eat dead plants and animals. One of their favorite meals is a whale fall—when a dead whale sinks to the bottom of the ocean, isopods can feast on it for years! They also eat dead fish, squid, and other slow-moving animals like sea cucumbers and sponges. Sometimes, they catch weak or slow prey. Giant isopods are like the ocean floor’s cleanup crew. They help keep the sea clean by eating dead things.

How They Eat
Giant isopods use their strong jaws to tear food into pieces. Their mouths have four sets of jaws that work together to break down tough food. Because food is so rare in the deep sea, they can go up to 5 years without eating! When food does arrive, they eat as much as they can all at once. This is called a feast-or-famine lifestyle.

Special Adaptations
These animals have amazing adaptations. They have a hard exoskeleton to protect their bodies, and very large compound eyes to help them see in the dark. If they feel threatened, they can curl up into a ball, just like their pill bug cousins.

Why Are They Important?
Giant isopods are decomposers. By eating dead plants and animals, they recycle nutrients back into the ocean. This helps other animals survive and keeps the ocean healthy.

Interesting Fact:
Giant isopods are related to shrimp and crabs—and in some countries, people even eat them as food!

How big can giant isopods grow?

Up to 16 inchesUp to 3 inchesUp to 2 feetUp to 6 inches

Where do giant isopods live?

Ocean floorRainforestMountainsRivers

What is a whale fall?

Dead whale on ocean floorWhale jumping out of waterWhale swimming fastBaby whale born

Why can isopods go 5 years without food?

Food is rare in deep seaThey hibernateThey are smallThey eat plants

What do isopods use to eat tough food?

Strong jawsSharp teethLong tonguesClaws

How do isopods help the ocean?