The Census of Marine life is the gift that keeps on giving. Here are the latest pics of some new species they've discovered at the bottom of the ocean.
A blind lobster from the genus--Thaumastochelopsis
Sweet new comb jelly
More below the fold...
Ampelisca mississippiana - a new kind of amphipod
New species of squat lobster
Adorable new pebble crab
A new species of shrimp, seen here standing on a yellow worm (they both eat the same marine plants)
Read more about these species on nationalgeographic.com.
Life Science
Comments
Didn't the B52's do a song about the Squat Lobster? ;-D
I also would like to officially place my order for a dozen "Adorable pebble crab" please.
Thanks for the lovely pics of new stuff. Always a treat.
Posted by: Pat | November 14, 2008 3:58 PM
Comb jellies!! I do love those pretty bags of snot.
Posted by: Tamison | November 14, 2008 4:51 PM
Wondrous!
Posted by: ym | November 14, 2008 5:01 PM
These are all obviously fake. The things don't even have eyes.
Posted by: Katie | November 14, 2008 5:13 PM
@Pat:
Heh. "Squat Lobster" was my first thought too.
Posted by: mr_subjunctive | November 14, 2008 7:09 PM
Katie:
Well, let's see: it's the bottom of the ocean, there is not much light, so who would need eyes?
Posted by: somebody | November 14, 2008 7:58 PM
Ding ding ding ding ding-a-ding-ding...
Curse you! Do you realise how hard that tune is to dislodge from your brain?
That Thaumastochelopsis is pretty impressive - is that really a pair of massively asymmetrical chelae?
Marine plants, or the crinoid they're both sitting on (and looking pretty well camouflaged against) in the photo?
Posted by: Christopher Taylor | November 14, 2008 8:34 PM
You wouldn't need eyes if your were FAKE either.
Posted by: Katie | November 14, 2008 9:37 PM
'Rock Lobster', not 'Squat Lobster'. See http://www.absolutelyrics.com/lyrics/view/b-52s/rock_lobster/
Posted by: Christopher Gwyn | November 14, 2008 10:39 PM
Let us keep in mind that Katie is new to reality and hasn't made the adjustment.
Posted by: Alan Kellogg | November 15, 2008 1:35 AM
Curious question: Why is it that so many creatures at the ocean floor are white (or are they simply translucent?) It seems that in the darkness it would a disadvantage to be a color that so catches any light. Or is it something about a lack of need for pigment?
Posted by: Zelly | November 15, 2008 5:29 AM
I know the lyrics. It was a joke...a play on words. But thanks for the info. :-)
I am really enjoying the "fake things that don't need eyes" debate. ;-) This is one of the best websites ever.
Posted by: Pat | November 15, 2008 8:44 AM
So does that squat lobster really only have 5 legs or is one hidden?
Posted by: David Schwartz | November 16, 2008 10:40 AM
Pigmentation is required to protect an organism from UV rays, and various other sun-incurred rays. Aquatic life far from the sun's penetration does not require pigmentation. Pigmentation becomes a useless, energy-consuming metabolic process, so it was lost through evolution to these guys. Besides, these guys are only shiny and obvious to us because a light is shining on them. :) I'd be willing to trade my pasty complexion for a nifty fluid, boneless body!
Posted by: katie 2.0 | November 17, 2008 7:46 AM
Here's a surprising fact: Benny doesn't have eyes either! Rather, he "sees" with his acute sense of smell using scent receptors on his thighs.
Posted by: Andrew B | November 17, 2008 11:18 AM
The squat lobster does have the right number of legs. The last pair is usually tucked up into the thoracic cavity in Anomurans.
Posted by: Amanda | November 17, 2008 12:32 PM
There is a close relation in the pigmentation of skin and melanin substances in human skin. Such relationship also exist in other organism too.
Posted by: Depigmentation | November 18, 2008 5:22 AM
It seems that in the darkness it would a disadvantage to be a color that so catches any light.
Posted by: zayıflama çayı | November 20, 2008 3:48 AM
To clarify, I meant from bioluminescent predators. Although I guess that doesn't make a great deal of sense either...since there is very little light, does that mean creatures have great eyesight to cope or terrible eyesight since there's nothing to see? *head explodes*
Thanks Katie for the pigment response. :-)
Posted by: Zelly | November 21, 2008 4:40 AM
Aquatic life far from the sun's penetration does not require pigmentation. Pigmentation becomes a useless, energy-consuming metabolic process, so it was lost through evolution to these guys.
Posted by: beşi bir yerde | November 23, 2008 6:05 AM