Nekton refers to the aggregate of actively swimming aquatic organisms in a body of water (usually oceans or lakes) able to move independently of water currents.

Nekton are contrasted with 'plankton' which refers to the aggregate of passively floating, drifting, or somewhat motile organisms occurring in a body of water, primarily comprising tiny algae and bacteria, small eggs and larvae of marine organisms, and protozoa and other minute predators. Larger organisms such as jellyfish are also part of the plankton.

Contents 1 Oceanic nekton 2 Etymology 3 See also 4 External links

[edit] Oceanic nekton

Oceanic nekton comprises animals largely from three clades

• Vertebrates form the largest contribution, these animals are supported by either bones or cartilage.
• Molluscs are animals like squids and scallops.
• Crustaceans are animals similar to lobsters and crabs.

[edit] Etymology

The term nekton was coined in 1890 by Ernst Haeckel; it is rooted in the Greek word νηκτόν(nēktón) ("the swimming"). The study of swimming organisms (biofluidynamics, biomechanics, functional morphology of fluid locomotion, locomotor physiology) is called nektology. One who studies swimming in all its forms is called a nektologist.

[edit] See also

• plankton (the organisms that float or drift within the water)
• neuston (the organisms that float on the water)
• benthos (the organisms at the bottom of a body of water)

[edit] External links

• Stefan Nehring and Ute Albrecht (1997): „hell und das redundante Benthon: Neologismen in der deutschsprachigen Limnologie“. In: Lauterbornia H. 31: 17-30, Dinkelscherben, Dezember 1997 E-Text (PDF-Datei)

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