Australian Scientists Discover Massive Deep Sea Predator That Looks Like Silly String
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On March 16, 2020, researchers aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute's ship Falkor stumbled upon a beautiful *giant* Apolemia, a type of siphonophore, in the Indian Ocean off western Australia. The scientists are not sure of the exact length of the silly string-like creature, which was found in the Ningaloo Canyons at a depth of 2,070 feet (631 meters). However, based on the measurement of its outer ring by a laser-equipped drone, they estimate it was 150 feet (46 meters) long.
"We think it's the longest animal recorded to date," Dr. Carlie Wiener, director of marine communications at the institute, told USA TODAY.
Siphonophores, which are related to jellyfish, are deep-sea predators that prey on tiny crustacean and fish using the vast array of stinging cells on their tentacles. Though they appear as a single organism, every specimen is a gelatinous colony made up of thousands of individuals, each fulfilling a specialized function. Some are responsible for catching prey, while others are charged with distributing the nutrients throughout the colony.
Dr. Rebecca Helm, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina, who was not part of the expedition, believes the find is significant because siphonophores are fragile and hard to find. "I've gone on numerous expeditions and have never, EVER, seen anything like this," she wrote in a tweet. "THIS animal is massive. AND not just massive, the colony is exhibiting a stunning behavior: it's hunting." The researcher, who specializes in the evolution and development of jellyfish, speculates that because it takes a long time for life to grow in the near-freezing deep sea temperatures, this creature could be "tens, possibly HUNDREDS of years old."
This was not the only intriguing animal discovered by the Schmidt Ocean Institute researchers during their investigation of the rarely explored deep-sea areas in and around Australia. Their month-long expedition across Bremer Bay, Perth Canyon, and the Ningaloo Canyons, which involved 20 dives, has led to the discovery of about 30 new species! Here is a glimpse of the amazing underwater world the lucky scientists experienced.
Resources: USAtoday.com, schmidtocean.org, www.slashgear.com
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283 Comments
mushroom69about 4 yearsawesome- nico2about 4 yearsThis is fascinating, as a jellyfish lover. These are so cool! I want to know more about them. Hopefully they become better known.
love_the_oceanabout 4 yearsI love Jellyfish I love all fish, I love every animal in the ocean. And don't worry, I'll spread the word!- tigerzeyeabout 4 yearsThese are not jellyfish, or fish. Mainly known as the Giant Siphonophore, (the silly string looking one) the Potuguese Man O War is a Siphonophore as well, the most interesting one in my opinion, is also the most terrifying, i couldnt find the name but its stingers (i think stingers) are at its face and then it just once again starts to look like silly string.
albushogwartsabout 4 yearsI got stung by a man o war once *shivers*
huskylover92about 4 yearsit seems kind of cool to me
rip_roraover 4 yearsAwesome!
coolvaeover 4 yearsI don't know how LOOONG it is.
ceebeeover 4 yearsIt looks like a LOOOOOONG string
11008800over 4 yearsIt doesn't look like a predator but it might be dangerous!!
happypig2020over 4 yearsIt's interesting that it's never been spotted before and it's the longest animal recorded in history. That's cool!
i_like_robloxover 4 yearsIt is pretty cool... but at the same time, it is also a preditor.
hermione2008over 4 yearsI’m shocked that it’s a predator.