In the mesopelagic (twilight zone) where light levels are low, large eyes and reflective retinas are advantageous to make use of any vestiges of sunlight that penetrate down. Adaptations to deal with the lack of Light To avoid this potential problem, when they do meet, the male anglerfish will bite onto the female, their blood vessels fuse, and he will spend the rest of his life as a sperm producing appendage. The density of organisms in the deep sea is so low, that finding a mate in the right place at the right time can be quite a challenge. The deep sea anglerfish (Melanocetus johnsoni) is aptly named for its elongated dorsal spine that extends forwards and lures prey towards it's wide mouth and sharp teeth, with a glowing lure (containing bioluminescent symbiotic bacteria). Living in an environment where food is scarce, organisms need to be able to eat anything and everything that comes their way, the fangtooth (Anoplogaster cornuta) accomplishes this with its large cavernous mouth, and large dagger-like teeth (in fact, the teeth are so large is it difficult to close it's mouth).Īdaptations to deal with the low density of mates This month a study published in Proceedings B of the Royal Society described a new species of deepwater acorn worms found 2,700m deep near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with extremely long "lips" to help them capture prey in a habitat deficient of food. The organisms of the deep sea are truly amazing and extraordinary, with every journey down uncovering more of the mysteries. Many of these could potentially hold cures and new treatments for cancer, arthritis and other diseases.Īdaptations to deal with the low density of food 25% of the estimated 8,700,000 species on earth live in the ocean depths, and 91% of those have yet to be discovered, described and catalogued (CoML). The density of organisms is therefore low. The pressure at a depth of 2.5 miles is about 400 atmospheres, 400 times the pressure on the surface and equivalent to half a tonne per square centimeter. The water is very cold (37-50oF/3-10oC) and consequently has low levels of oxygen. It is dark, below 200m the light levels are too low for photosynthesis (the twilight zone), and not a glimmer of sunlight remains beyond 1,000m (the midnight zone). The deep sea is an extremely harsh environment.
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