bentho-, benth-

In oceanography, of or relating to the deepest regions of the sea and the organisms inhabiting that environment: There was an article in Jim's newspaper reporting that a ship recently sank in the abyssal-benthic area of the Pacific Ocean near California and was completely inaccessible or unreachable.

1. Pertaining to, or found on, the bottom of the sea at depths exceeding about 1,000 meters (3280.839 feet): Willard had to use specialized equipment to explore the abyssobenthic areas of the ocean.
2. Descriptive of an organism living on or in the ocean floor in the great depths of the oceans or lakes into which light does not penetrate; commonly used in oceanography of depths between 4,000 and 6,000 meters (13,123 and 19,685 feet): The fish that was discovered recently was an example of an abyssobenthonic creature.

The continental slope; the sea floor from the edge of the continental shelf to the continental rise: The archibenthal zone refers to the ocean layers between 200 feet and 3300 feet (65 and 1050 meters) and is the upper part of the abyssal zone.

Regarding the inhabitance of living creatures in the deepness of the paleonzoic ocean: Towards the end of the Paleozoic era, 90% of the marine forms of life in the archibenthal region of the sea became extinct, which was the biggest recorded mass obliteration of marine life in the history of the earth.

Referring to the bottom of the sea from the edge of the continental shelf to the upper limit of the abyssobenthic zone, at depths of ca. 200 to 1,000 meters: The archibenthic area is the upper section of the benthic region, from the abyssal to the sublittoral region.

The depths of the primitive (paleozoic) ocean: The region of archibenthos in the deep waters was characterised by marine invertebrates and primitive fishes appearing for the first time.

1. Of or pertaining to ocean-depths exceeding 1,000 fathoms or happening on the bottom under a body of water: In the book Timothy was reading, he learned that a benthon was an accumulation of organisms that live in the benthal region of the sea.
2. Relating to the deepest zone or region of the ocean: Jane really wondered how anything could survive in the benthal expanse of any sea, being so dark and without light.

1. Pertaining to the sea bed, river bed, or lake floor: The benthic ecological region of a large deep body of water is located at the lowest level which is covered with a sediment surface and some sub-surface sediments layers.
2. Referring to organisms living on or in sea or lake bottoms: Many creatures, termed benthos, thrive in the benthonic area including bacteria and fungi, as well as larger creatures like crustaceans and polychaetes.

Benthic also refers to the fauna living on the bottom, in contrast to the pelagic fauna, which live in the open oceans.
3. Etymology: A reference to benthos; from Greek, meaning "depth"; which designates the oceanic substratum.

Produced or derived from the benthos: Jenny finally found a publication dealing the "Benthogenic Controls of Sediment Dispersal" in the Gulf of Iskenderun in Turkey which she could use in her school report.

1. The aggregate of organisms that live on or in the benthos: Judy finally found a book dealing with the benthons, including fauna and living things thriving so deep in the oceans.
2. Etymology: [benth(os) + -on, extracted from plankton

Descriptive of the species that live in the deepest levels, or areas, of oceans, seas, lakes, etc.: There are certain kinds of fish that feed on the bottom of water areas, including demersal fish, benthic fish, ground fish, and benthopelagic fish.

Any large plant resting freely on the floor of a lake but capable of drifting slowly with the currents: While scuba diving, Jim could view the benthopheustophytes and how gracefully they swayed with the flow of the water.

An organism that thrives in the lowest areas of oceans, seas, lakes, etc.: Grace read about benthophilias that evidently existed at the bottom of large masses of water.

Any kind of plant that exists at the bottom of a body of water or in the bed of a river: Janet wanted to have an aquarium where she could plant benthophytes and watch them grow.

Any living plant that thrives and drifts freely on the surface of a body of water: Amy watched the benthopleustophytes floating on top the large lake close to where she was camping with her friends.