A team of scientists at the Schmidt Ocean Institute recently went on an expedition off the coast of Perth, Australia. What they discovered was not only incredible – but it was history-making.
During the month-long science expedition, a 150-foot-long siphonophore was discovered in the submarine canyons – the longest animal ever recorded on earth.
Check out this beautiful *giant* siphonophore Apolemia recorded on #NingalooCanyons expedition. It seems likely that this specimen is the largest ever recorded, and in strange UFO-like feeding posture. Thanks @Caseywdunn for info @wamuseum @GeoscienceAus @CurtinUni @Scripps_Ocean pic.twitter.com/QirkIWDu6S
— Schmidt Ocean (@SchmidtOcean) April 6, 2020
The insanely massive gelatinous siphonophore is actually a large floating colony of what’s called zooids. They are clusters of cells that basically clone themselves thousands and thousands of times. They string themselves together to produce one, long, extended body. These creatures eat much like jellyfish, by dangling tentacles that stun and paralyze their prey of small fish and crustaceans.
Leading the expedition was Nerida Wilson, a senior research scientist at the Western Australian Museum. She spoke with The Guardian, explaining that the massive siphonophore was the last thing that the science team was expecting.
“We suspected these deep sea areas would be diverse but we have been blown away by the significance of what we have seen,” Wilson said. Added Dr. Lisa Kirkendale, head of aquatic zoology at the Western Australian Museum and co-principal investigator, “These specimens represent so many extensions in depth and range records for so many species, and will form an important new part of WA Museum collections.”
In addition to the siphonophore, the team also discovered 30 new underwater species while conducting research aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel, Falkor.
The incredible research vessel is the only year-round seagoing philanthropic research vessel in the world. It’s owned and operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute which is a nonprofit organization run by Eric and Wendy Schmidt. The boat is equipped with an impressive 4,500-meter-capable robotic system called ROV SuBastian. Its job is to collect samples from deep ocean areas and take visual images as well.
“There is so much we don’t know about the deep sea, and there are countless species never before seen,” said Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Ocean Institute. “Our planet is deeply interconnected–what happens in the deep sea impacts life on land–and vice versa. This research is vital to advance our understanding of that connection–and the importance of protecting these fragile ecosystems. The Ningaloo Canyons are just one of many vast underwater wonders we are about to discover that can help us better understand our planet.”
When Wendy had caught sight of the 150-foot-long discovery, the excitement spread like wildfire.
“Most scientists had drifted out of the control room,” Wilson said. “The word soon spread and people came pouring into the control room to share the excitement. It was just amazing to see this huge organism spread out like a spiral UFO, hovering in the water column. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing.”
This brand new siphonophore discovery is twice as long as a blue whale and three times as long as a gray whale. It could take years for scientists to learn exactly how this creature lives and thrives, however, the discovery is exciting for the research-community nonetheless.
Watch more about this incredible discovery in the video below. It looks like it’s from another planet!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
