Exploring MBARI’s Top 10 Deep-Sea Animals: Fascinating Creatures from the Abyss
- Tomopteris Worms: These deep-sea worms perform an undulating dance to swim and can rapidly change direction without altering their body orientation. Scientists are interested in reverse-engineering their movement for robotic applications.
- Crossota millsae, a jellyfish, resembles fireworks when disturbed, with tentacles jetting off in different directions.
- The Pacific viperfish has large teeth that protrude outside its mouth, acting as bars to trap prey.
- The strawberry squid has one big eye for detecting prey shadows and a small eye for bioluminescence.
- Feather stars, akin to sea stars, surprise observers by swimming despite their appearance as stationary flowers.
- The amphipod, Phronima, appears scary but is fascinating for its predatory behavior, dwelling inside other animals’ carcasses.
- Pompeii worms are exceptionally heat-tolerant, living near hydrothermal vents and breathing through a unique adaptation between hot and cool water.
- The bloody belly comb jelly, with its bright red coloration, creates a mesmerizing rainbow effect as light reflects off its teen rows.
- The vampire squid feeds on drifting matter from the sea surface, using sticky filaments, contrary to its name’s implication of blood-sucking.
- The barreleye fish astounds with its transparent head revealing upward-facing green eyes that can rotate to track prey above, a mystery solved by scientists.