Ten Year Study, Marine Scientists Warn of Mass Extinctions
Posted on August 3, 2010 / 5,027 viewsCensus of the deep maps the world’s sea creatures
Census of Marine Life scientists have drawn up an inventory of the world’s underwater citizens. A decade of studies to map the abundance of life in the world’s oceans estimates 230,000 species of animals.
A dragonfish from Australia, which lives in permanent darkness and cold, where food is hard to find. For many animals at depth it may be weeks to months between meals – if they find something to eat, they have to hang on to it. This is why so many deep-sea fish have large teeth. This fish has teeth on its tongue. It would be a terrifying animal if it was not the size of a banana.
Hydatinidae (red-lined paper bubble) off Cape Nomamisaki, Japan. This new species of hydatinid gastropod was discovered from a sperm whale carcass in the deep sea. Its tiny eyes are protected by cephalic shields.
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Ophiothrix suensonii. These nocturnal echinoderms are called sponge brittle stars. They are very common in the Caribbean. They are so-called because they are found exclusively either inside or outside living sponges.
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Queen angelfish, Holacanthus ciliaris, near an oil rig in Texas waters, Gulf of Mexico Photograph: G Haralson/Texas A&M Press
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A giant Caribbean anemone, Condylactis gigantea
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Deep-sea jellyfish, Atolla wyvillei. When attacked by a predator, it creates light (bioluminescence) to ‘scream’ for help. Japan
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