Sealife guideThe sea life glossaryOur glossaries
Last updated on 09/03/2025 at 11:27 PM
English
Description
French
P
Français
pelagic
Définition
Living in the open water, away from the shore and the sea bottom.
Anglais
pélagique
Français
phytoplankton
Définition
Microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that drift in water and form the base of aquatic food chains.
Anglais
phytoplancton
Français
pinacocyte
Définition
A flat, thin cell that forms the outer layer of a sponge, providing protection and structural support.
Anglais
pinacocyte
Français
plankton
Définition
Tiny organisms that drift in water currents, including both plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton).
Anglais
plancton
Français
porocyte
Définition
A tubular cell in sponges that forms a pore, allowing water to flow into the sponge's body.
Anglais
porocyte
Français
protandrous
Définition
An individual organism that starts life as a male and later may change to a female.
Anglais
protandre
Français
protandry
Définition
A form of sequential hermaphroditism in which an organism starts life as a male and later changes to a female.
Anglais
protérandrie
Français
protogynous
Définition
An individual organism that starts life as a female and later may change to a male.
Anglais
protogyne
Français
protogyny
Définition
A form of sequential hermaphroditism in which an organism starts life as a female and later changes to a male.
Anglais
protogynie
Français
protophyte
Définition
A simple, primarily microscopic, plant-like organism, such as algae or bacteria, that performs photosynthesis or other basic life processes.
Anglais
protophyte
Français
protozoan
Définition
A single-celled, microscopic organism that can move independently and often feeds on organic matter.
Anglais
protozoaire
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Our latestUpdates

Friday, September 5th 2025
The bump-head sunfish
Learn about the bump-head sunfish (Mola alexandrini), the world's heaviest bony fish, its habitat in tropical and temperate oceans, diet of jellyfish, deep-water behavior and record size over 6,000 lbs.

Wednesday, September 3rd 2025
The chocolate chip sea cucumber
The chocolate chip sea cucumber has a massive cylindrical body that is beige in color, covered with a set of dark brown pustules resembling chocolate chips that protrude slightly from the surface, giving it a resemblance to a cookie, hence its french name. It can reach a length of about 12 inches when fully grown.

Monday, September 1st 2025
The red hind grouper
The red hind grouper has a distinctive appearance, usually beige to brown in color, with numerous red or brown spots covering its entire body and the base of its fins. It is often found in the shallow waters of coral reefs and rocky areas, where it hides in crevices and cavities.
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