A deep-sea valentine

Reflections on red in the deep sea

The velvety red of a drifting jelly, the brick red of a vampire squid...many deep-sea creatures exhibit the colors of Valentine's Day. When pursuing the prey object of their desire, deep-sea creatures may use red as camouflage. Wavelengths of light in the red end of the visible spectrum are preferentially absorbed by seawater, and therefore red colors appear black in the deep sea. Red animals disappear into the darkness, enabling them to ambush unsuspecting prey or avoid a hungry predator.

The bright red lights you can see in some of the clips (e.g., the sea star at 01:22) are lasers from MBARI's remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and used to estimate sizes. The lasers are 29 cm apart.


1. Midwater jelly - Pandea rubra
2. Cock-eyed squid - Histioteuthis heteropsis
3. Siphonophore - Resomia dunni
4. Deep-sea jelly -- Voragonema
5. Mysid shrimp
6. Comb jelly - Beroe abyssicola
7. Cydippid comb jelly - Aulacoctena
8. Bubblegum gorgonian (Paragorgia arborea) on Davidson Seamount
9. Pandalopsis ampla
10. North Pacific Giant Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) and Redbanded rockfish (Sebastes semicinctus)
11. Sea star -- Family Pterasteridae
12. Lithodid crab - Paralomis
13. New species of soft coral - Gersemia juliepackardae
14. Flapjack octopus - Opisthoteuthis
15. Brisingid sea star and sea cucumber (Paelopatides confundens)
16. Bone-devouring worms - Osedax rubiplumis
17. Vampire squid - Vampyroteuthis infernalis

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Valentine's Day
• valentine
• MBARI
• red
• deep sea
• deep-sea animals
• love the ocean

[tekkenboy95]

Why are some of the creatures pulsating diffrent colors

[MBARIvideo]

@tekkenboy95 You are likely referring to the rainbow rows of lights flashing down the sides of some of the comb jellies or ctenophores (e.g. 0:37 & 0:46). Light from the ROV is diffracted by the comb rows on the jelly to create this stunning effect. Many ctenophore species also produce bioluminescent displays. This may include luminescence in the canals beneath the comb rows, but it is caused by a separate mechanism, and usually observed using a low light camera.

[Nazarus8]

I would really like to have the music from this video, can anyone please tell me what it is?

[MBARIvideo]

@Nazarus8 Music title: Lover's Touch; Composer: Joseph Michael McGregor

[panicandfoblvr]

This is beautiful! I'm so sad it had to end! Am i correct in saying that the last squid was the 'vampire' squid? What are all the species shown?

[MBARIvideo]

@panicandfoblvr

Yes, you are right. The last animal is a vampire squid. If you expand (show more) the text under the video there is a list of all the animals featured in the video.

And don't be sad, we definitely plan to keep posting more videos...Check back soon!

[Platychidnapus]

Can I ask what this song is? It sounds so peaceful.

[runza123]

One word= BeAuTiFuL! :')))

[bigcman321]

This is great, definitely subscribed. I'm doing a research paper on the vampire squid (I didn't know it existed last week), and it's an awesome creature. So unique.

[ishqo0o]

wow , a strange world 

[ThatHaloGuy117]

I want one of those light fish as a new lamp!

[steampunsniper]

Cock-eyed squid funny