slideshow

Deep Body of water Variety Slideshow

Deep sea animals accept to live in a very cold, night, and loftier-pressure surroundings where they can't come across a thing! To survive in that location, they've evolved some very strange adapations. Some make their own lite, an ability called bioluminescence, while others are totally blind. Some are terrifying looking, similar anglerfish, while others are quite beautiful—even if there is no i to appreciate it except united states of america people looking at photos. See some of the remarkable adaptations that deep-bounding main animals have evolved in this slideshow. Acquire more about the deep sea and abyssal corals at their overview pages, and run into photos of other bioluminescent animals.

This new species of lobster (Dinochelus ausubeli) is blind and has bizarre claws. It was discovered about 300 meters (984 feet) deep in the Philippine Sea by a Census of Marine Life expedition.

These are the first zoanthids (relatives of coral) recorded at a hydrothermal vent. This recently discovered hairy crab species (Kiwa hirsuta) has no eyes. Photograph of a transparent comb jelly against a dark sea. A fringe of tentacles surrounds the bell of this jellyfish (Halicreas minimum). Photograph of a transparent polka-dotted squid in the dark ocean. Photograph of a translucent red-orange comb jelly against a black sea. This jelly's red color provides camouflage in the ocean depths. This jewel squid (Histioteuthis bonnellii) lives above the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. A red deep-sea fish specimen. A sea star brought up from a benthic ROV dive. Big Red Deep Sea Jellyfish The pink strands of this coral harbor a variety of organisms. Sea whips are gorgonian corals, with flexible skeletons. This aptly named fish has two long fangs. Venus fly-trap anemone in the Gulf of Mexico This crab was collected on a NOAA/MAR-ECO cruise to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in 2009. Riftia tubeworm (Riftia pachyptila) colonies near hot spring. This lizardfish rests on the bottom, waiting to snatch prey. How Many Nights of Hanukkah? A harp has its own place in holiday music, but we also think this sponge looks like a super-sized menorah! This newly-discovered carnivorous sponge (Chondrocladia lyra) was found using robotic submersibles operated by the Giant eyes spot prey. Huge claws grab the prey, and a tiny mouth rips it to shreds. This bubblegum coral has a fanlike shape. It is growing 1,310 m (4,298 ft) deep on the Davidson Seamount. Photograph of the underside of a gelatinous octopus with a bright yellow bioluminescent ring around her mouth. A red and white colored bristle worm swims in the water column.

This new species of lobster (Dinochelus ausubeli) is blind and has bizarre claws. It was discovered about 300 meters (984 feet) deep in the Philippine Sea by a Census of Marine Life expedition.

Blind Lobster

Credit: Tin-Yam Chan/COMARGE Census of Marine Life

This new species of lobster is blind—an adaptation to deep-sea life—and has very bizarre claws, or chelipeds. It was discovered nearly 300 meters (984 feet) deep in the Philippine Sea by a Demography of Marine Life expedition. Non only was this a new species, but it was placed in an entirely new genus equally well. It'south scientific proper name,Dinochelus ausubeli, honors a co-founder of the Census, Jesse Ausubel.

These are the first zoanthids (relatives of coral) recorded at a hydrothermal vent.

Zoanthids on Hydrothermal Vent

Credit: Charles Fisher, Ridge 2000 Program/ChEss, Census of Marine Life

Bloom-like zoanthids, relatives of coral, carpeting a hydrothermal vent. This species of zoanthid is the showtime e'er discovered at a hydrothermal vent. See more pictures of incredible deep sea diverseness at our slideshow!

This recently discovered hairy crab species (Kiwa hirsuta) has no eyes.

Yeti Crab

Credit: A. Fifis, Ifremer/ChEss, Census of Marine Life

The yeti crab ( Kiwa hirsuta ), an unusual, hairy crab with no optics, was discovered in 2005 on a hydrothermal vent near Easter Island. It represents not only a new species but also a new genus—Kiwa, after the mythological Polynesian goddess of shellfish. Learn more near the Census of Marine Life and encounter other species plant during this 10-year projection.

Photograph of a transparent comb jelly against a dark sea.

Bioluminescent Rummage Jelly

Credit: Marsh Youngbluth/MAR-ECO, Census of Marine Life

Like many deep bounding main creatures, this tiny comb jelly (Bathocyroe fosteri) has a transparent body, enabling it to alloy into the surrounding waters. This ctenophore is very mutual around the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. More about the deep ocean can be institute in the Deep Ocean Exploration department.

A fringe of tentacles surrounds the bell of this jellyfish (Halicreas minimum).

Midwater Jellyfish

Credit: Marsh Youngbluth/MAR-ECO, Census of Marine Life

A fringe of short tentacles surrounds the flattened bong of this tiny, transparent jellyfish (Halicreas minimum), which can exist found at depths up to 984 feet (300 meters). But information technology would exist hard to spot: the bell grows up to but 4 centimeters (2 inches) across! See more deep ocean diverseness and explore more well-nigh jellyfish biodiversity.

Photograph of a transparent polka-dotted squid in the dark ocean.

Cockatoo Squid

Credit: Marsh Youngbluth/MAR-ECO, Demography of Marine Life

This transparent cockatoo squid (Leachia sp.), also known as a drinking glass squid, lives in the depths of the ocean and has many adaptations to help it survive there. It retains ammonia solutions inside its body that requite information technology a airship-like shape and help it float. It has large eyes and pigment-filled cells, or chromatophores, that await like polka dots and serve as camouflage.

See more pictures of bioluminescent animals that light up in the dark ocean water, and other organisms institute in the deep ocean by the Census of Marine Life.

Photograph of a translucent red-orange comb jelly against a black sea.

Red Mid-H2o Comb Jelly

Credit: Marsh Youngbluth/MAR-ECO, Census of Marine Life

Like this ctenophore (Aulococtena acuminata), many animals that live in the midwater zone are reddish—making them nigh invisible in the dim bluish lite that filters down from the bounding main surface. This small comb jelly snares prey with its ii brusk tentacles. Read more about the deep sea and comb jellies.

This jelly's red color provides camouflage in the ocean depths.

Unidentified Comb Jelly

Credit: Marsh Youngbluth/MAR-ECO, Census of Marine Life

This jelly's carmine colour provides cover-up in the deep sea. Ruddy light rarely reaches those depths, and most abyssal animals accept lost the power to see blood-red. The long, complex tentacles of this unidentified comb jelly (Order Cydippia) have mucilaginous cells that can snag prey, and then retract. Larn more well-nigh comb jellies and click through a slideshow of deep ocean animals.

This jewel squid (Histioteuthis bonnellii) lives above the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Jewel Squid

Credit: David Shale/MAR-ECO, Demography of Marine Life

This beautiful gem squid (Histioteuthis bonnellii) can be found swimming above the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at depths of 500-ii,000 meters (1,640-vi,562 anxiety). The "jewels" covering the body are bioluminescent photophores. Merely these squids tin can't bargain for their lives with those jewels: they accept been found in the stomachs of sperm whales, swordfish and sharks.

A red deep-sea fish specimen.

A Fish that Looks Like a Whale

Credit: Kunio Amaoka

This deep sea creature, the whalefish (Cetomimidae), has a whale-similar body, a gaping oral fissure, no fins or scales and a deep lateral line, which detects vibrations in the water. The commencement specimens were discovered by two Smithsonian scientists in fish collections at the National Museum of Natural History more than a century ago. In the 1980s, a different scientist realized that they simply had female adults in the museum collections. Where were all the males? It would take another xx years to observe out.Find out how this fish was office of an international scientific mystery.

A sea star brought up from a benthic ROV dive.

Bounding main star, Captured by ROV

Credit: B. Bluhm, M. Iken, UAF, Subconscious Body of water 2005, NOAA

A bounding main star, Hymenaster pellucidus , brought up from a benthic ROV dive. View the "Under Arctic Water ice" photograph essay to acquire more than.

Big Red Deep Sea Jellyfish

Big Ruby-red Jellyfish

Credit: ©2002 MBARI

Marine biologists from MBARI nicknamed this startlingly big jellyfish—which grows over ane meter (three feet) in diameter—"large blood-red." Information technology would be difficult to miss, except that it lives at depths of 650 to 1,500 meters (2,000 to 4,800 feet). Big ruby-red uses four to seven fleshy "feeding arms" instead of stinging tentacles to capture food and has been observed off the due west coast of North America, Baja California, Hawaii, and Japan. It'due south scientific name, Tiburonia granrojo, comes MBARI's ROV Tiburon. More well-nigh deep body of water exploration tin can be found in our deep sea overview.

The pink strands of this coral harbor a variety of organisms. Sea whips are gorgonian corals, with flexible skeletons.

Sea Whip Coral

Credit: Aquapix and Expedition to the Deep Gradient 2007

The pink strands of this single deep-sea coral harbor a variety of marine life. Sea whips are gorgonian corals and have flexible skeletons. See more pictures of coral in our Abyssal Corals article.

This aptly named fish has two long fangs.

Fangtooth Fish

Credit: © David Shale

This aptly named fish (Anoplogaster cornuta) has long, menacing fangs, but the adult fish is small, reaching only virtually half-dozen inches (17 cm) in length. It's teeth are the largest in the ocean in proportion to trunk size, and are and then long that the fangtooth has an accommodation so that it can shut its mouth! Special pouches on the roof of its mouth prevent the teeth from piercing the fish's encephalon when its mouth is closed.

It has been found as deep as 5,000 meters (sixteen,404 feet), making it 1 of the deepest living fish, but is about mutual between 500 and ii,000 meters (1,640 and 6,562 feet). During the twenty-four hour period it stays in deeper areas of the ocean and at night, migrates upward to shallower h2o to feed. (This is chosen a diel migration.) Younger, smaller fangtooth fish filter zooplankton from the water and adults feed on fish and squid.

See more bizarre-looking ocean life in the Creepy Critters Marine Life slideshow and learn more than in the Deep Bounding main Exploration section. You can meet a fangtooth specimen on display in the Sant Ocean Hall at the National Museum of Natural History.

Venus fly-trap anemone in the Gulf of Mexico

Venus Fly-Trap Anemone in the Gulf of Mexico

Credit: I. MacDonald (in Gulf of Mexico–Origin, Waters, and Biota. Vol. 1. Biodiversity. Felder, D. L. and Campsite, D. K. (eds.) 2009. Texas A&M Press.

Similar its terrestrial namesake, the Venus fly-trap anemone (Actinoscyphia sp.) sits quietly and waits for food to migrate into its outstretched tentacles, which are lined with stinging harpoons called nematocysts. Of class, this is how most anemones conduct; this one but happens to look a like like the Venus fly-trap plant! They are abyssal animals; this one was photographed at roughly 4,900 anxiety (1500 meters) by researchers with the Demography of Marine Life. Encounter more photos from the Census of Marine Life.

This crab was collected on a NOAA/MAR-ECO cruise to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in 2009.

Spiny Deepsea King Crab

Credit: © David Shale

This crab ( Neolithodes sp. ) was collected on a NOAA/MAR-ECO prowl to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the summer of 2009. Its red color provides cover-up and protection from predators. Red wavelengths are strongly absorbed by water, so red calorie-free does not normally attain the midwater body of water zone. Well-nigh deep-sea animals have lost the ability to see red. More near deep bounding main exploration tin be institute in the Deep Ocean Exploration department.

Riftia tubeworm (Riftia pachyptila) colonies near hot spring.

Tubeworms on a Hydrothermal Vent

Credit: ©2003 MBARI

Riftia tubeworm ( Riftia pachyptila ) colonies grow where hot, mineral-laden h2o flows out of the seafloor in undersea hot springs—such as the Guymas Basin of the Gulf of California at 2,000 meters (6562 anxiety), where MBARI took this photo. As volcanic activity deep below the seafloor changes, sometimes these hot springs finish flowing. In this case, the entire worm colony may dice off. Merely new hot springs appear in other areas, and these are colonized by tubeworm larvae within a year or so. Marine biologists at MBARI are studying how rapidly the tubeworms can colonize new hot springs, which may exist dozens or hundreds of miles from the old ones. Listen to a podcast nigh Riftia from One Species at a Fourth dimension.

This lizardfish rests on the bottom, waiting to snatch prey.

Deepsea Lizardfish

Credit: © David Shale

This lizardfish (Bathysaurus ferox) rests on the ocean bottom with its head slightly elevated—waiting to snatch prey with its large oral cavity and sharp teeth. It lives at depths of 600-3,500 meters (1,969-eleven,483 feet) and grows upward to 64 centimeters (25.2 inches) long. More about deep bounding main exploration can be found in the Deep Ocean Exploration department.

How Many Nights of Hanukkah? A harp has its own place in holiday music, but we also think this sponge looks like a super-sized menorah! This newly-discovered carnivorous sponge (Chondrocladia lyra) was found using robotic submersibles operated by the

Harp Sponge

Credit: Copyright © 2005 MBARI

This newly-discovered carnivorous sponge (Chondrocladia lyra) was plant using robotic submersibles operated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Enquiry Institute 10,000 feet below the surface in dark waters. Information technology traps small crustacean casualty with barbed hooks plant along its co-operative-like limbs. Once it has caught something, the sponge covers it with a thin membrane and the digestion procedure begins.

Giant eyes spot prey. Huge claws grab the prey, and a tiny mouth rips it to shreds.

Phronima

Credit: © David Shale

This tiny, shrimplike animal is no more than than two.5 centimeters (one inch) long, but it'southward as ferocious as a shark. Its behemothic eyes spot casualty. Huge claws grab the prey, and a tiny mouth rips it to shreds. The casualty never sees what's coming, because Phronima's transparent body blends into the surrounding water. More than about deep ocean exploration can be found in the Deep Bounding main Exploration section.

This bubblegum coral has a fanlike shape. It is growing 1,310 m (4,298 ft) deep on the Davidson Seamount.

Bubblegum Coral

Credit: NOAA/MBARI 2006

This bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea) has a fanlike shape. It is growing 1,310 yard (iv,298 ft) deep on the Davidson Seamount southwest of Monterey, California. Learn more about abyssal corals in the multimedia feature " Coral Gardens of the Deep Sea."

Photograph of the underside of a gelatinous octopus with a bright yellow bioluminescent ring around her mouth.

Bioluminescent Octopod

Credit: Michael Vecchione/NOAA

The yellow bioluminescent ring on this female octopus ( Bolitaena pygmaea ) may attract mates. Bioluminescence is an important adaptation that helps many deep sea animals survive in their dark world. More than well-nigh deep ocean exploration can be found in our Deep Sea Exploration section.

A red and white colored bristle worm swims in the water column.

A Striped Deep Sea Worm

Credit: © Hauke Flores, AWI

In Antarctica'south Southern Ocean swims a beautiful polychaete (bristly worm) called Tomopteris carpenteri, which is adorned with alternating cherry-red and transparent bands. The largest species in its genus, it information technology establish throughout the water column, including the deep sea, where this photo was taken past Census of Marine Life researchers. Most polychaetes swim in the open water using their parapodia, the comb-similar appendages coming off their sides, but some coffin into the seafloor. Many members of the Tomopteris genus are bioluminescent and can shoot sparks off their parapodia when threatened.