Sea Angel

A beautiful Sea Angel in the sea.

So sea angels are a group of snails, basically. They’re not too distant relatives of garden snails that you would find on land in your back yard. With their wing-like fins, rounded heads and pinkish "hearts," it's hard not to fall in love with these tiny, slimy fairies, who have earned such names as sea angel. 

Sea Angels are widely distributed in the North Atlantic and Subarctic Oceans and is found also in the North Pacific Ocean and along the Atlantic coast of North America in the waters of the cold Labrador current south to the Cape Hatteras region (around 35 N) – EOL.ORG.

References :

• Sea Angel (Clione limacina) - Information on Sea Angel - Encyclopedia of Life. (n.d.). Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://eol.org/pages/451920/overview

• Willson, J. (n.d.). Sea Angels. critters360. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://www.critters360.com/index.php/sea-angels-9141/

The Black Swallower

The Black Swallower just ate a huge fish which is bigger then it size.

The Black Swallower (Chiasmodon niger) is one of the creepiest fish I have ever seen. Tankterrors.com - stated that “these little monsters live in some of the deepest depths and darkest place of the ocean, from roughly 2,000′ down all the way to 9,000′ below the surface.” That is not the biggest surprise; the black swallower can also turn a fish more than twice its length and 10 times its own mass into just that. 

Drawing of The Black Swallower

Australiangeographic.com - stated that “It has several long, hooked front teeth that can be pushed inward to allow the prey to move through its jaws, and then pushed backwards to lock it inside. Their prey makes its way down into a specialized gut that can distend so far that it hangs well below the rest of the body as the stomach tissues are stretched into transparency.”

References :

• The black swallower. (n.d.). Black swallower. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/creatura-blog/2013/11/black-swallower/

• Creepy Fish Files - The Black Swallower (Chiasmodon niger). (n.d.). Tank Terrors. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://www.tankterrors.com/creepy-fish-files-the-black-swallower-chiasmodon-niger/

Vampire Squid

A Beautiful Vampire Squid

The name of this particular squid is very different, as is the overall appearance of it. The black color is distinct enough in itself. The fact that the long arms flow like a black cape remind many people of a vampire wearing one. The arms have suckers that are hard to see unless you look up close at one. Not much is known about the feeding habits of the vampire squid. Its diet is believed to consist of prawns, cope pods, cnidarians, and other small invertebrates.

 The beaks of vampire squid have been found in the stomachs of seals, whales, and fishes, indicating that it is a favorite prey item for many deep-diving species – Seasky.org. They also live in the depths of the water where their dark color helps to serve as camouflage for them to avoid predators. “Vampire squid are found in the temperate and tropical regions of the ocean. They occupy meso- to bathypelagic depths where very little light penetrates between 300-3,000 m and are typically found between 600-1,200 m.”- Marinebio.com

References :

• Vampire Squid, Vampyroteuthis infernalis. (n.d.). MarineBio.org. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=179]

• Vampire Squid. (n.d.). - Deep Sea Creatures on Sea and Sky. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://www.seasky.org/deep-sea/vampire-squid.html

Venus Flytrap Sea Anemone

The side i,age of Venus Flytrap.

That wonderful monster of the deep, dear Neatoramanauts, is the Venus Flytrap sea Anemone (Actinoscyphia) from the Gulf of Mexico. The flytrap anemone is commonly found at depths of up to 5,000 meters, and is thus classified as a deep sea anemone. While in the Gulf of Mexico, the E/V Nautilus found many of these creatures on shipwrecks, which provide a solid substrate for the immobile anemones - innerspacecenter.org .

 Its name is derived from two land plants (the carnivorous Venus fly trap and the flower Anemone), but it's actually a type of polyp, related to corals and jellyfish. Based on the AnimalPawntation.com - “The enus Flytrap Anemone resembles a flower, but is actually an animal. It consists of a stem-like body topped with a wide mouth-like disk surrounded by tentacles. These anemones vary in color—they often have white or pastel bodies with brightly colored disks and tentacles in shades of pink and orange.” 

References :

• Masters, M. (n.d.). Features of the Venus Flytrap Sea Anemone. Animals. Retrieved August 18, 2014, from http://animals.pawnation.com/features-venus-flytrap-sea-anemone-3621.html

• Species of the Month, July 2014: Actinoscyphia aurelia, or the Venus Flytrap Anemone - Inner Space Center. (n.d.). Species of the Month, July 2014: Actinoscyphia aurelia, or the Venus Flytrap Anemone - Inner Space Center. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://www.innerspacecenter.org/news/item/226-species-of-the-month-july-2014-actinoscyphia-aurelia-or-the-venus-flytrap-anemone

Fangtooth Fish

Looking like it just swam out of a horror movie is the amazing Fangtooth. Known scientifically as Anoplogaster cornuta, this menacing creature haunts the deep waters of many of the world's oceans. Anoplogaster cornuta is found worldwide in tropical to temperate and subartctic seas, specifically within the range 65°N - 46°S, 180°W - 180°E. 

It is typically reported as a temperate to tropical species, though it has also been documented in the subarctic waters of the Pacific and Western AtlanticThe Fangtooth has a short deep body with a large head and mouth. The body is covered with small prickly scales – Eol.org. The distinct lateral line is an open groove partially covered by scales. There are mucous cavities on the head separated by serrated ridges. As the common name suggests, this fish has very long pointed teeth. The lower jaw fangs slide into pockets in the roof of the mouth when the jaws close. It is known from bathypelagic and mesopelagic depths down to about 5000 m, but is most common between 500 m and 2000 m – Australian Museum.

References :

• Norman, M. (n.d.). Fangtooth, Anoplogaster cornuta (Valenciennes, 1833) - Australian Museum. Fangtooth, Anoplogaster cornuta (Valenciennes, 1833) - Australian Museum. Retrieved August 18, 2014, from http://australianmuseum.net.au/Fangtooth-Anoplogaster-cornuta-Valenciennes-1833

• Descriptions and articles about the Fangtooth (Anoplogaster cornuta) - Encyclopedia of Life. (n.d.). Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://eol.org/pages/994696/details

Yeti Crab

The Yeti Crab have fur on its body

First of all, I would like to share one of the greatest creatures named Yeti Crab or scientifically called Kiwa Hirsuta. Mbari.org - This crab was first observed in March 2005 by marine biologists using the research submarine Alvin to explore hydrothermal vents along the Pacific-Antarctic ridge, south of Easter Island. Because of its hairy legs, this animal was nicknamed the "Yeti crab," after the fabled Yeti, the abominable snowman of the Himalayas.This crab is unlike any other though. It has an average size of about 6 inches long and is specifically unique for its quantity of silky blond setae covering its legs and claws. Setae would refer to the fur-like hair covering it. 

Place where we can find Yeti Crab

Yeti Crabs are often found in depths of more than 2000 meters, and are common on and around hydrothermal vents of the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. Factzoo.com - also stated that “Yeti crabs are known to inhabit the ocean floor and stay near hydrothermal vents, and due to their entire lives being spent on the ocean floor, they never develop the ability to see.” This means that all the Yeti Crabs are blind.  This is a video showing how they creating the food :)

                     

References :

• Yeti Crab - Grows Its Own Food In Its Hair. (n.d.). Animal Pictures and Animal Facts. Retrieved August 18, 2014, from http://www.factzoo.com/invertebrates/yeti-crab-grows-on-food-in-hair.html

• Discovery of the "Yeti Crab". (n.d.). Discovery of the "Yeti Crab". Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://www.mbari.org/news/homepage/2006/yeti-crab.html

Dumbo Octopus

A Cute Dumbo Octopus.

Dumbo octopus is a type of octopus named after Walt Disney's famous character Dumbo the elephant because of the ear-like fins. The huffingtonpost.com have stated that -  Dumbo octopuses have been spotted in deep sea environments in New Zealand and Australia, Monterey Bay, California, Oregon, the Philippines and in Papua, New Guinea. The largest Dumbo octopus ever recorded was over six feet in length, but the average size for most species is eight to 12 inches in length. 

There are around 37 different species of dumbo octopi. These interesting animals can be found in all oceans of the world. Based on Aquarium of Pacific - Dumbo Octopuses known as the deepest living of all octopus species live on the bottom, or hovering just slightly above the seafloor at depths of depths of 3000 to 4000 m (9800 to 13000 ft), with some living as deep as 7,000 m (23000 ft) below sea level. 

  

Dumbo octopus eat different type of crustaceans, bivalve, worms on the sea bottom and copepods (that are part of the zoo-plankton) when they swim near the surface of the water. Dumbo octopus swallows the prey whole. For that reason, size of the prey never exceeds 1-2 mm.

Reference:

• Onlinelearningcenter. (n.d.). Dumbo Octopus. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/dumbo_octopus

• Fox, C. (2014, May 15). Adorable 'Dumbo' Octopus Proves Deep Sea Creatures Aren't Always Creepy (VIDEO). The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 19, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/15/dumbo-octopus-video_n_5312440.html