Mad as a Marine Biologist

Showing 6 posts tagged wtf

handibles:

Unbelievable. Possibly a jellyfish from the genus Deepstaria, only described since the 60s, and until know only known from fragments:  

Imperfectly known, many specimens damaged. Two nominal species, information from both combined here based on Russell (1967), Larson (1986), Larson et al. (1988). Bell remarkably thin, broad, delicate … flexing down in “pursing” manner… most specimens reported colorless but deep brown … lining a paler brown recorded once (Larson et al., 1988, as Deepstaria reticulum); more observations needed before value of this as species character can be evaluated. 

Deepstaria enigmatica

High-res One-Eyed Anomaly Talk about a one-of-a-kind discovery—an extremely rare cyclops shark (pictured) has been confirmed in Mexico, new research shows.  The 22-inch-long (56-centimeter-long) fetus has a single, functioning eye at the front of its head—the hallmark of a congenital condition called cyclopia, which occurs in several animal species, including humans. Earlier this year fisher Enrique Lucero León legally caught a pregnant dusky shark near Cerralvo Island (see map) in the Gulf of California. When León cut open his catch, he found the odd-looking male embryo along with its nine normal siblings. “He said, That’s incredible—wow,” said biologist Felipe Galván-Magaña, of the Interdisciplinary Center of Marine Sciences in La Paz, Mexico. Once Galván-Magaña and colleague Marcela Bejarano-Álvarez heard about the discovery—which was put on Facebook—the team got León’s permission to borrow the shark for research. The scientists then x-rayed the fetus and reviewed previous research on cyclopia in other species to confirm that the find is indeed a cyclops shark. Cyclops sharks have been documented by scientists a few times before, also as embryos, said Jim Gelsleichter, a shark biologist at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. The fact that none have been caught outside the womb suggests cyclops sharks don’t survive long in the wild.

One-Eyed Anomaly

Talk about a one-of-a-kind discovery—an extremely rare cyclops shark (pictured) has been confirmed in Mexico, new research shows. 

The 22-inch-long (56-centimeter-long) fetus has a single, functioning eye at the front of its head—the hallmark of a congenital condition called cyclopia, which occurs in several animal species, including humans.

Earlier this year fisher Enrique Lucero León legally caught a pregnant dusky shark near Cerralvo Island (see map) in the Gulf of California. When León cut open his catch, he found the odd-looking male embryo along with its nine normal siblings. “He said, That’s incredible—wow,” said biologist Felipe Galván-Magaña, of the Interdisciplinary Center of Marine Sciences in La Paz, Mexico.

Once Galván-Magaña and colleague Marcela Bejarano-Álvarez heard about the discovery—which was put on Facebook—the team got León’s permission to borrow the shark for research. The scientists then x-rayed the fetus and reviewed previous research on cyclopia in other species to confirm that the find is indeed a cyclops shark.

Cyclops sharks have been documented by scientists a few times before, also as embryos, said Jim Gelsleichter, a shark biologist at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. The fact that none have been caught outside the womb suggests cyclops sharks don’t survive long in the wild.

  • National Geographic

If squids could fly…

Yes, the plural of squid is just squid. 

The day has arrived, where squid are not only masters of the sea’s (because, lets face it, they are. The colossal squid takes that biscuit), but are now discovered to have mad aerodynamic skills. 

Marine biologist, Silvia Maciá, spotted an object soaring above the water for 10m. It wasn’t a bird or a plane, but super squid! Imagine that, an animal with no backbone defying gravity with such vigour. 

Flying Squid

At least 6 species are known to exhibit this behaviour, though it is probably more! The airborne adventure starts with the squid using jet propulsion to heave out of the water (same method used for underwater movement). Most gliding animals have a tough time controlling their trajectory, but it appears that the squid use their fins as wings, jet water and curl their arms to create lift (ahem…awesome). 

The most likely explanation for such anti-gravitational behaviour being evasion from predators, the squids natural physiology for gliding through the water working just as well when airborn. 

Will squid conquer every element? I’m serious. They are just that good.