Showing posts tagged as "mbari"
This species is commonly known as the “bumpy jelly,” due to warts that cover the organism. These warts contain concentrated amounts of stinging nematocysts. Follow the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute on Facebook for great glimpses of deep-sea creatures!
© 2003 MBARI
Here’s lookin’ at you! Follow the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute on their recent Midwater Ecology Expedition, documenting the effects of declining oxygen concentrations on ocean communities. You’ll meet some interesting critters!
The sort-of gross diet of the “vampire squid from hell”
Our colleagues at MBARI – the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute – have been sharing videos and stories about the vampire squid for years. We in turn have been sharing them with visitors during our daily Mysteries of the Deep auditorium program.
Now MBARI researchers have solved the mystery of what these unusual deep-sea animals eat. It’s a fascinating tale, with a high gross-out factor – if you’re easily grossed out by animals that eat corpses, feces and mucus.
Turns out that the vampire squid, an ancient animal with characteristics of both squids and octopus, lives in a low-oxygen zone where living prey is scarce. But there’s an abundance of marine snow raining down, consisting largely of poop, dead bodies and mucus discarded by other ocean life.
So, unlike all other known cephalopod species, it hangs out, waiting for this manna to sink down, where it traps the goodies on filament-like tentacles, wraps them in mucus and gobbles it up.
This despite a Latin name (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) that translates as “vampire squid from hell.”
You’ll find much more in the video, on the MBARI website, and in this article from Discovery News.
Not as charming as the cast of Twilight, perhaps. But a mystery of the deep – solved.
Wow! Check out this cool, interactive mosaic that celebrates the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute’s first 25 years and its founder, David Packard!
Did you know it’s snowing in the deep ocean for the holidays? Check out this video from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute!
The bloodybelly comb jellys sparkling display is from light diffracting from tiny transparent, hair-like cilia. These beat continuously as a form of propulsion. In the deep sea, the jelly is nearly invisible; animals that are red appear black and blend into the dark background.
