The bathyal zone or bathypelagic – from Greek βαθύς (bathýs), deep – (also known as midnight zone) is the part of the open ocean that extends from a depth of 1,000 to 4,000 m (3,300 to 13,100 ft) below the ocean surface. It lies between the mesopelagic above, and the abyssopelagic below.

How much sunlight does the bathyal zone get?

In the bathypelagic zone (1,000–4,000 metres deep) there is a total absence of sunlight. Bioluminescence (light produced by living creatures) is the only source of light.

What plants live in the bathyal zone?

There is no primary production of plant life in the bathyal zone, so all creatures that live there are carnivorous, eating each other or feeding on carcasses that sink down from above.

What are the characteristics of the bathypelagic zone?

The temperature in the bathypelagic zone, unlike that of the mesopelagic zone, is constant. The temperature never fluctuates far from a chilling 39°F (4°C). The pressure in the bathypelagic zone is extreme and at depths of 13,100 feet (4,000 meters), reaches over 5850 pounds per square inch!

Is the bathyal zone and aphotic zone?

The aphotic zone is further divided into the mesopelagic zone, the bathyal zone, the abyssal zone, and the hadal zone.

What is the bathypelagic zone also known as?

Bthypelagic Zone – The next layer is called the bathypelagic zone. It is sometimes referred to as the midnight zone or the dark zone. This zone extends from 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) down to 4,000 meters (13,124 feet). Here the only visible light is that produced by the creatures themselves.

How deep is the bathyal zone?

bathyal zone, marine ecologic realm extending down from the edge of the continental shelf to the depth at which the water temperature is 4° C (39° F). Both of these limits are variable, but the bathyal zone is generally described as lying between 200 and 2,000 m (660 and 6,600 feet) below the surface.

What zone do anglerfish live in?

Share. The deep sea anglerfish, also known as the humpback anglerfish, is a medium sized (7 inches/18 cm) anglerfish that lives in the bathypelagic zone of the open ocean. Living at depths of at least 6600 feet (2000 m), this species lives its life in the complete absence of sunlight.

What is the amount of oxygen in the bathypelagic zone?

Despite its huge volume, it is a relatively homogeneous environment in terms of environmental conditions (Angel, 1993). Thus, pressure for a given depth is constant, as well as temperature (range of −1 to 3 °C), salinity (34.3 to 35.1) and dissolved oxygen concentration (2.4 to 5.7 mg l−1).

What fish live in the mesopelagic zone?

One dominant fish in the mesopelagic zone are lanternfish (Myctophidae), which include 245 species distributed among 33 different genera. They have prominent photophores along their ventral side. The Gonostomatidae, or bristlemouth, are also common mesopelagic fish.

What are some adaptations for living in the bathypelagic zone?

Both dragonfishes and anglerfishes display another adaptation common to bathypelagic predators – large, sharp, backwards pointing teeth set in a large, terminal mouth. Presumably in an environment where prey is hard to find, once prey are lured, one does not want them to escape capture!

Is there oxygen in the bathypelagic zone?

Depth: The depth of the Bathypelagic zone reaches from 3,300 feet to 13,100 feet. Dissolved Oxygen: There is about 50 the amount of dissolved oxygen than in the atmosphere. Temperature: The temperature of course varies, however it mostly fluctuates at about 39°F.

What are the five zones of open ocean ecosystems?

The ocean is divided into five zones: the epipelagic zone, or upper open ocean (surface to 650 feet deep); the mesopelagic zone, or middle open ocean (650-3,300 feet deep); the bathypelagic zone, or lower open ocean (3,300-13,000 feet deep); the abyssopelagic zone, or abyss (13,000-20,000 feet deep); and the