bioluminescentoceangoddess

Latest Posts by bioluminescentoceangoddess

Basket Star

Gorgonocephalus caputmedusae

The Basket Star is a strange yet elegant creature that lives in the deep ocean. It resembles a flesh white ball with gnarled and swirling branches. It thrives in locations with strong currents. Its numerous arms move slowly and wrap around prey. They are one of my favorite animals from the Echinodermata phylum.  

Photo credit

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-005-0032-3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgonocephalus

Helmet Jelly

Periphylla periphylla

The Helmet Jelly can be found at all depths of the ocean. This vibrant and strange jellyfish tends to proliferate in Norwegian fjords. They are one of the dominant predators in these isolated ecosystems. 

Photos

http://www.seawater.no/fauna/cnidaria/periphylla.html

https://www.bigfishexpeditions.com/2019/01/24/norway-deepwater-shark-diving-2018/helmet-jelly/

Giant Isopod

Bathynomus kensleyi

The Giant Isopod is an unsettling deep sea creature that crawls along the ocean floor scavenging for animal remains and detritus. These invertebrates are part of phenomenon known as abyssal gigantism, which is the tendency for  deep-sea dwelling invertebrates to be larger than their shallower-water counter parts. The Giant Isopod is found between 310m to 2140m in the ocean. 

Photo credit

https://seatrench.tumblr.com/post/615873390014791680/giant-isopod-bathynomus-sp-source

https://alchetron.com/Giant-isopod

Brittle Stars

Asteroschema Ajax

Brittle stars are in the phylum Enchinodermata and are closely related to sea stars. They have long stringy arms and small podia on the bottoms of their body. They also have a hydrostatic skeleton and have a complex water vascular system. When attacked, they will abandon their arm to confuse predators and make a hasty escape. The photo above is a deep sea brittle star that lives in coral reefs. 

Photo credit: https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Asteroschema_ajax

Scaly Dragonfish

Stomias Boa

The Scaly Dragonfish is about 32cm long and found at depths between 200 to 1500m. The long purple barbel on its chin is used to lure in prey. When the pery gets close enough, it swings its jaws forward swallowing the prey whole.

Photo credit: https://alchetron.com/Stomias

Video on the fish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=69&v=9oB_61aI2iQ&feature=emb_title

Squarenose Helmetfish

Scopelogadus beanii

The Squarenose Helmetfish is found between 800m to 4000m in the ocean. It received this unique name due to its scales reminding scientists of an armored helmet worn by medieval knights. It also has unusual holes around its face, and the white strands covering its face are sensory canals. 

Photo credit: https://www.vistaalmar.es/especies-marinas/peces-extranos/449-que-peces-mas-extranos.html

Wake up babe new fish dropped

Gulper Eel

Saccopharynx sp.

The  Gulper Eel is known for its massive jaws, which are capable of swallowing prey whole. It’s stomach is also able to expand twice its size. It is found only in the deep see about 2000 to 3000 meters in depth. 

Photo credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRO0IjSoHGA

https://marinebiochemistrygc2018.weebly.com/deep-sea-adaptations

Glasshead Grenadier

Hymenocephalus italicus

The  Glasshead Grenadier is a small deep sea fish named due to a transparent memberane that covers its head. It has fragile head bones, and it feeds on surface copepods and crustaceans. This fish is located between 100 m to 2000 m in the ocean. 

Photo credit: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/1720

https://www.futura-sciences.com/planete/photos/oceanographie-abysses-ces-merveilles-profondeurs-40-photos-686/ocean-grenadier-vitrier-hymenocephalus-italicus-poisson-abysses-4541/

Football Fish

Himantolophus paucifilosus

The Football fish is a deep sea angular fish located between 1000 to 4000 meters in the ocean. The glowing dots on its body are sensory organs called neuromast that help the fish detect changes in the water.

Photo credit: https://alchetron.com/Footballfish

https://www.amazon.com/Creatures-Deep-Search-Monsters-World/dp/1770852816

Deep-sea white anglerfish

Haplophryne mollis

The Deep-sea white anglerfish is a ghostly white creature found at depths between 1000m to 4000m. The strange bulge between its eyes is a bioluminescent lure. The main fish above is a female and the tiny fish attached to her body are males. Since it is difficult to find mates in the deep ocean, male fish latch onto the female with hooked teeth. Even though the male fish are parasitic, they are eventually reduced to pockets of sperm that are used for reproduction. For all you fellas out there that have a rough time with the ladies, be thankful that you are at least not a bag of gonads floating through the ocean. 

Photo credit: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/440297301041956897/

https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d414d3559444f7a457a6333566d54/share_p.html

Threadfin Snailfish

Careproctus longifilis

The Threadfin Snailfish resembles a prehistoric tadpole that is ghostly white. The holes in its face are large sensory pores that help them detect changes in the ocean. It is often found at depths between 1900 to 2997 meters. 

Photo credit: https://www.timeout.com/singapore/museums/creatures-of-the-deep

Pram Bug

Phronima sedentaria

The Pram Bug is a deep sea amphipod that is located between 200 to 1000m in the ocean. It has a translucent exoskeleton and can see primarily blue light. It is also is contained in a hollowed out barrel that is used for protection and to house babies. The image above is a female pram bug carrying its young. 

Photo Credit:https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/phronima-female-and-young

Marrus orthocanna

Marrus orthocanna is a deep sea siphonophore found at depths between 400m to 2200m. It has a colony of gas-filled zooids on the top used for locomotion. It also has a long, bright orange tentacles on the bottom. Marrus orthocanna are viscous predators and consume small crustceans and copepods. 

Photo credit: http://www.arcodiv.org/watercolumn/cnidarian/Marrus_orthocanna.html

Hula Skirt Siphonophore

Physophora hydrostatica

The Hula Skirt Siphonophore a deep sea siphonophore that is found between 700 m to 1000m. It is made of a colony of hundreds tiny zooids. The top portion of the colony holds the swimming bells, which allow the colony to move. The bottom of the siphonophore holds the orange ‘hula skirt,’ which is full of stinging tentacles. 

Photo link : https://twitter.com/montereyaq/status/1162068535331311617?lang=da

Periphyllopsis braueri

The  Periphyllopsis braueri is a tiny, deep sea jellyfish that is only 6 cm in diameter. It is red-chocolate  in color, and it has eight gonads. Furthermore, it is found at depths between 600m to 1000m. 

Photo credit: https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/19gulfofalaska/logs/aug2/aug2.html

Update

Hi everyone, I apologize for the inconsistent posting. I’ve been studying for my Chemistry Praxis. :( There will be more to come soon !

An amazing glowing ctenophore!

Bloody-belly comb jelly

Lampocteis cruentiventer

The Bloody-belly is a 16 cm ctenophore that is found at depths 700 m to 1200m. It is crimson red in color and appears black in the deep ocean. However, the jelly has the ability to emit a different color. Furthermore, it uses highly iridescent ctenes to propel through the water. 

Photo credit:  https://laughingsquid.com/bloody-belly-comb-jelly/

https://www.reddit.com/r/deepseacreatures/comments/2j1717/bloodbelly_comb_jelly_lampocteis_cruentiventer/

Pyrodinium bahamense

Pyrodinium bahamense is a tropical species of dinoflagellates  that is found primarily in Atlantic Ocean waters. It prefers salinity around 20 psu and blooms when there are large amounts of nitrogen in the water. The dinoflagellate glows bright blue when agitated by motion. Furthermore, even though this plankton species is beautiful to look at, it causes seafood toxicity. 

Photo credit: https://alchetron.com/Pyrodinium-bahamense

https://wonderchews.com/bodies-of-light/

Sea elephant

Carinaria japonica

The Sea Elephant is a translucent sea snail that has a large muscular body and a tiny triangular shell. Its foot is used for crawling on the ground, and it can be transformed into a fin that is used for swimming. It is called the “sea elephant” because it has a small trunk in its mouth that is used to swallow prey. Furthermore, the Sea Elephant eats arrow worms and jellies.

Photo credit

https://bodegahead.blogspot.com/2014/12/carinaria-part-2.html

http://tolweb.org/Carinaria_japonica/28750

Deep Sea Arrow Worm

Eukrohnia hamata

Arrow worms are small, predatory marine worms that consume copepods, ostracods, and larvae. They resembles a clear, ink pen whizzing through the dark sea. Furthermore, they are found primarily in the Artic Ocean between 700m to 1200m. The picture on the bottom is its head. They have 8 hooks, which are used to grab prey and 25 posterior teeth. Even though the arrow worms are terrifying up close, they are only 4.5 cm in size.

Photo credit:   http://www.arcodiv.org/watercolumn/chaetognaths/Eukrohnia_hamata.html

Crystal Jellyfish

Aequorea victoria

The Crystal Jellyfish is a graceful, transparent jellyfish with long, thin tentacles. It has bioluminescent organs around it bell that produce a bright, green light. It tends to consume small copepods, but it has the ability to swallow other jellyfish half its size. Furthermore, this jelly is used in biological experiments to detect calcium.

Photo credit: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/crystal-jelly

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/5-aequorea-crystal-jellyfish-with-amphipods-alexander-semenovscience-photo-library.html

Dear ocean enthusiast and supporters,

Hi everyone, thank you for supporting my blog. I have gained over 500 followers and that is worth celebrating. I will try my best to post every day some of the amazing creatures that live in the deep ocean. Have a great night!

Physonect Siphonophore

Nanomia cara

The Physonect siphonophore has tiny, bubble shaped sacs that are filled with gas. The sacs are called pneumatophores and help this creature move through the deep ocean. It also has venomous tentacles that stun prey and over eighty stomachs. There are numerous amounts of these strange creatures along the east coast, and they have cause some fisheries to collapse. Furthermore, they can be found at depth between 400m to 1000m.  

Photo credit: http://www.seawater.no/fauna/cnidaria/cara.html

https://www.mindenpictures.com/stock-photo-siphonophore-hydrozoan-cnidarian-nanomia-cara-atlantic-nectophores-naturephotography-image90194961.html

Sea Gooseberry

Pleurobrachia pileus

The Sea Gooseberry is a comb jelly or ctenophore that has two enormous tentacles covered with adhesive cells. When tiny crustaceans, eggs, and larvae brush against the tentacles, the prey are stuck to them. The Sea Gooseberry draws the tentacles to its mouth, and it consumes the prey. These unique organisms can be found as deep as 750 m. 

Black Dragonfish

Idiacanthus atlanticus

The Black Dragonfish are needle-like fish that migrate between 500m and 2000m in the deep ocean. Females are black with 6 stripes and lack a barbel, pelvic fins, and sharp teeth. Males, on the other hand, are dark brown and have a barbel, which is the light producing structure on its chin. Furthermore, it uses bioluminescence to detect prey instead of lure prey.

Photo credit: https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-learn-secrets-from-ultra-black-skin-that-allows-deep-sea-fish-to-lurk-unseen/

https://steemit.com/life/@munnashah/the-most-terrible-and-surprising-7-animals-of-the-sea

https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/995601-thalassophobia

Wolftrap Angler

Thaumatichthys binghami

The Wolftrap Angler is slightly different from many other species of anglers. It has its bioluminescent lure located inside of its mouth instead of connected  to its body. Even though it is intimidating up close, it is only nine centimeters in size. It is found in the deep ocean at 2432m. 

Photo credit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaumatichthys_binghami

https://igniteyourcuriosity.wordpress.com/2016/10/22/anglerfish/

Silky Medusa

Colobonema sericeum

The Silky Medusa is a gentle and reserved jellyfish; it has white-tipped tentacles that have the ability to detach from its body and bioluminescence when attacked by predators. It can be found drifting between 500 m to 1500 m. Furthermore, it consumes small crustaceans. 

Photo credit:  https://twitter.com/mbari_news/status/949736123760340994

https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/midwater-jelly

Cigar Comb Jelly

beroe forskalii

The Cigar Comb Jelly is a gelatinous ctenophore that is marveled by many due to its sparkling bioluminescence. It tends to elegantly float around 120 m in the ocean. It uses unique, hair-like structures called ctens to move horizontally in the ocean. It also swims in a spiral pattern before consuming zooplankton in the ocean.

Photo credit: https://www.wrobelphoto.com/gelatinouszooplankton/h25347306

https://www.flickr.com/photos/a_migotto/27227530815

Fanfin Seadevil

Caulophyyne jordani

The Fanfin Seadevil is an ugly, deep fish that is covered in gnarled skin and long sensory filaments. The sensory filaments allow this species of anglerfish to detect movement in the water; this helps the Fanfin find and lure its prey. Furthermore, this deformed monstrosity can be found floating between 700m to 3000m in the ocean. 

Photo credit:   https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/science/anglerfish-bioluminescence-deep-sea.html

http://www.robotspacebrain.com/alien-creatures-of-the-mariana-trench/