DeepC Wormz R Da Bomb
DeepC Wormz R Da Bomb avatar

By , on August 20th, 2009 3 comments   Adaptations, Biodiversity, New Research, New Species   , ,  

Ventral view of Swima species 1 with three attached and two autotomized b-bombs. Image © 2004 Karen J. Osborn. Or perhaps more appropriately have the bomb.  Osborn et al. report in Science seven previously unknown species (0.7 to 3.6 inches) of annelid worms hailing from the deep pelagic (>1800m).  All the new species form a . . . → Read More: DeepC Wormz R Da Bomb

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Creatures from the Sewer
Creatures from the Sewer avatar

By , on June 30th, 2009 153 comments   Biodiversity, TGIF: Pictures & Movies   , , , , , , , , , , , ,  

The latest viral video is from the sewer under Cameron Village in Raleigh, NC.  The mysterious creatures found are nothing short of disgusting and spectacular.  This video has made its way to Video Sift and various cryptozoology sites.  Speculations on the nature of this creature run from bryozoans, cnidarians, slime molds, and some mysterious . . . → Read More: Creatures from the Sewer

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The 10 Greatest Web Videos of Marine Invertebrates
The 10 Greatest Web Videos of Marine Invertebrates avatar

By , on February 22nd, 2009 12 comments   Biodiversity, Bringin' It, Critters   , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  

In no certain order… 10.  Those barnacles just ain’t feeding!  This is red hot barnacle copulation! Turn the lights down low, everything’s goin’ to be just right… 9. Humboldt Squid are vicious, blood thirsty demons ready to rip the flesh off any living creature.  Of course I tend toward exaggeration 8. Beautiful? Definitely! Slow? Stunningly!  . . . → Read More: The 10 Greatest Web Videos of Marine Invertebrates

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Kick off ’09 with a Marine Invert Calendar and Clock
Kick off ’09 with a Marine Invert Calendar and Clock avatar

By , on January 19th, 2009 8 comments   Biodiversity, Gadgets & Gear   , , , , , , , , , ,  

SCAMIT (Southern California of Marine Invertebrate Taxonomists) has released the best calender of the year – a marine invertebrate calendar! Long time DSN reader Leslie Harris works at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and put together this calendar to help support, “a non-profit dedicated to educating & supporting local taxonomists.” Not only . . . → Read More: Kick off ’09 with a Marine Invert Calendar and Clock

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Mommy, Where Do Dwarf Male Harems Come From?
Mommy, Where Do Dwarf Male Harems Come From? avatar

By , on November 26th, 2008 7 comments   Biodiversity, Critters, Mating & Reproduction, New Research, Seeps, Vent, & Whale Falls   , , , , , , , , , , ,  

Long time readers will be all too aware of my absolute fascination with the bone-devouring zombie worms from the ocean’s depths. Since their discovery merely 6 years ago, researchers have uncovered many discoveries about these strange creatures. To review: Fun Facts on the genus Osedax (meaning “bone-devourer”)! Gather round the whole family! Not only do . . . → Read More: Mommy, Where Do Dwarf Male Harems Come From?

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The 27 Best Deep-Sea Species #2: Bone-Devouring Zombie Worms from Hell
The 27 Best Deep-Sea Species #2: Bone-Devouring Zombie Worms from Hell avatar

By , on October 30th, 2008 One comment   Biodiversity, Critters, Seeps, Vent, & Whale Falls   , , , , , ,  

#2 Genus Osedax (Phylum: Annelida, Class: Polychaeta, Order: Sabellida, Family: Siboglinidae) BONEZ1!! WE WANTZ UR BONEZ!! Perhaps the scariest deep sea creature, Osedax (latin for “bone devourer”) is a genus of tubeworm that lives on the carcasses of whales that have fallen to the seafloor. It lives off of mining the lipids in the . . . → Read More: The 27 Best Deep-Sea Species #2: Bone-Devouring Zombie Worms from Hell

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Ladies of the Bone-Devouring Worm Prefer Their Boys Tiny and in Harems
Ladies of the Bone-Devouring Worm Prefer Their Boys Tiny and in Harems avatar

By , on March 2nd, 2008 17 comments   Adaptations, Mating & Reproduction, New Research, New Species, Seeps, Vent, & Whale Falls   , , , , , , , , ,  

These chicas are freaky. But if you lived on a whale vertebrae and eat through bone, perhaps you’d be a little on the kinky side too, right? Osedax, the “bone-devouring” worm is weird. Now, I know long time Deep Sea News readers will be a little used to us talking about odd critters in the . . . → Read More: Ladies of the Bone-Devouring Worm Prefer Their Boys Tiny and in Harems

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