Glossary

BBC

The British Broadcasting Company, the United Kingdom’s television and radio broadcaster that is funded by the government

bottom feeder

An animal or plant that lives in or on the bottom of a body of water

coelacanth

A large (up to 176 pounds) fish that is the only living animal to have a hinged head that they use to swallow large prey

constrictors

Snakes that coil around a victim, making it impossible for the victim to breathe

current

The movement of water

diameter

An imaginary straight line drawn from one point on the edge of a circle or circular object, through its center, to the opposite edge

evidence

Facts that indicate whether something is true or not

extinct

No longer existing

generate

Make or produce

geology

The science and study of the Earth, how it is shaped and structured, and the processes that shape it.

habitats

Place where animals and plants naturally live or grow

hoax

A trick or practical joke; an attempt to try to convince people that something is real when it is false

incident

Event or happening

intriguing

Interesting, fascinating; making people curious

mammal

A warm-blooded animal that has hair and nurses its young

mythical

Something that exists only in your imagination; not proven

phenomenon

An unusual or abnormal person, place, thing, or event

prank

A trick or practical joke

prey

Animals and plants that are eaten by other plants and animals

prominent

Something that is easy to see because it is sticking out beyond the surface

reptile

An animal, such as a turtle, snake, alligator, or lizard, that has a backbone and is cold-blooded

resembling

Similar to

shellfish

Animals such as crabs, oysters, or shrimp that have hard, protective skeletons on the outside of their bodies

sighting

The act of seeing or observing

sombrero

A type of Mexican hat, with a very broad brim and a high crown

sonar

Equipment that uses sound waves to find objects that are under water

strangle

To kill by stopping someone or something from breathing

surgeon

A doctor who removes or repairs parts of the body through operations

table

To postpone until a later time

trough

An underwater area with sloping sides that is deeper than the areas around it

unanimously

With everyone’s approval

weird

Unusual, strange, or creepy