benthic

1. not comparablePertaining to the benthos; living on the seafloor, as opposed to floating in the ocean.

   Near-synonyms: bathyal, abyssal, hadal

   3 more examples

   The benthic environment, except for intertidal areas, has been scarcely explored[…]

   1878, Proceedings of the United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution Press, page 3

   As the classical approach to benthic community studies originated primarily with Danish biologists, a section is devoted to comparisons of Danish bottom communities with those obtained in Hadley Harbor.

   1974, R. H. Parker, The Study of Benthic Communities, New York: American Elsevier Publishing Company, page 191

   Benthic foraminifera have been used for stratigraphic purposes almost since they began to be studied systematically.

   1994, Hans M. Bolli, Jean-Pierre Beckmann, John B. Saunders, Benthic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy of the South Caribbean Region, Cambridge University Press, page 1

   Synonyms: benthonic, demersal, bathyal, abyssal, hadal

plural benthics

1. Any organism that lives on the seafloor.