An elementary school science teacher decided to liven up the classroom with a salt-water aquarium. Knowing that salt-water aquaria can be quite a hassle, the teacher proceeded stepwise. First, the teacher conditioned the water. Next, the teacher decided to stock the tank with various marine invertebrates, including a polychaete, a siliceous sponge, several bivalves, a shrimp, several sea anemones of different types, a colonial hydra, a few coral species, an ectoproct, a sea star, and several gastropod varieties. Lastly, some vertebrates - a parrotfish and a clownfish - were added. She arranged for daily feedings of copepods and feeder fish.

The teacher was unaware of the difference between suspension feeding and predation. The teacher thought that by providing live copepods (2 mm long) and feeder fish (2 cm long) the dietary needs of all of the organisms would be satisfied. Consequently, which two organisms would have been among the first to starve to death (assuming they lack photosynthetic endosymbionts)?

1. sponges
2. coral animals
3. bivalves
4. sea stars
5. shrimp

The organisms namely sponges and coral animals are most likely to starve to death in the lack of photosynthetic endosymbionts. The correct option is 1 and 2.

What are endosymbionts?

Endosymbionts are organisms that live in close proximity to another cell or organism.

As sponges are predominantly filter feeders, consuming detritus, plankton, viruses, and bacteria. They also absorb nutrient solution from water directly through their pinacocyte cells.

Due to the lack of photosynthetic endosymbionts the organisms namely sponges and coral animals are most likely to starve.

Thus, the correct option is 1 and 2.

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