> ScienceDeep sea experts have unveiled a captivating glimpse into the enigmatic oceanic world during a recent 45-day expedition of the Pacific Ocean.
While exploring the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific's abyssal plains lying between Mexico and Hawaii, they have discovered several new alien-like creatures.
Image: University of Gothenburg.
Image: University Of GothenburgAnother captivating species was the elusive pink sea pig and a translucent sea cucumber.
ALSO SEE: Antarctic Monster: Scientists Spot 'Strawberry-Body' Sea Creature With 20 Arms(Image: University of Gothenburg)
> Science
Deep sea experts have unveiled a captivating glimpse into the enigmatic oceanic world during a recent 45-day expedition of the Pacific Ocean. While exploring the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific's abyssal plains lying between Mexico and Hawaii, they have discovered several new alien-like creatures.
The Abyssal Plains, encompassing depths ranging from 3,500 to 5,500 meters, are a largely unexplored realm that covers more than half of the Earth's surface. The expedition was led by marine ecologist Thomas Dahlgren from the University of Gothenburg and the NORCE research institute
Rosa havsgrisar lever flera tusen meter under ytan! Den här söta(?) sjögurkan är en okänd art som upptäcktes på havsbottnen i Stilla havet vid vårens expedition. "De här områdena är de minst undersökta på jorden", säger Thomas Dahlgren @goteborgsuni https://t.co/UPTvRmM1Ub pic.twitter.com/G3abjiJOTc — Naturvetenskap/GU (@Naturvetenskap) June 4, 2024
Employing a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the research team meticulously photographed and collected samples of the deep-sea denizens, revealing a wealth of remarkable creatures adapted to survive in an environment devoid of abundant nutrients.
Among the remarkable discoveries was a cup-shaped glass sponge, an ancient species believed to possess the longest lifespan of any known creature on Earth, potentially spanning up to an astonishing 15,000 years.
The glass sponge creature. Image: University of Gothenburg.
The sea cucumber. Image: University Of Gothenburg
The pink sea pig. Image: University Of Gothenburg
Another captivating species was the elusive pink sea pig and a translucent sea cucumber. You can even spot the digestive tract of the latter in the image above. These slow-moving creatures navigate the desolate plains using their tube feet, combing the nutrient-rich sediments for sustenance, experts said.
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Their unique features, including outgrowths on their underside, are adapted to efficiently funnel food into their mouths, showcasing the remarkable evolutionary adaptations of these deep-sea dwellers. The inhabitants, such as filter-feeding sponges and sediment-feeding sea cucumbers, have evolved intricate strategies to thrive on the sparse organic debris, known as "marine snow," that drifts down from the more productive surface waters.
"The sea cucumbers are some of the largest animals we found on the expedition. They act as vacuum cleaners on the bottom and are specialists in finding sediment that has passed through the least number of stomachs," Dahlgren said.
He stated that he wants to learn more about these organisms in order to protect them from activities like deep-sea mining that threaten their existence.
ALSO SEE: Antarctic Monster: Scientists Spot 'Strawberry-Body' Sea Creature With 20 Arms
(Image: University of Gothenburg)
