Feast in the deep

Dead whales that sink down to the seafloor provide a feast for deep-sea animals that can last for years. Previous research suggested that such "whale falls" were homes for unique animals that lived nowhere else.

However, after sinking five whale carcasses in Monterey Canyon, researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) found that most of the animals at these sites were not unique to whale falls, but were common in other deep-sea environments as well.

The whale-fall communities also included a few very abundant animals that were "bone specialists," including 15 species of bone-eating Osedax worms and several newly discovered species of bone-eating snails.

For more information, see:
http://www.mbari.org/news/news_releases/2010/whalefalls/whalefalls-release.html

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• whale falls
• bone-eating worms
• MBARI
• Lonny Lundsten

[killerbanshe3]

those CRABS?!?!

[silvermoon1221]

Omnomnom?

[outofthegreenmist]

Fascinating as ever. Nature wastes nothing and recycles everything.

[veterraga]

great!

[hodor]

MOAR please

[novaman1967]

Awesome

[twihard201]

He sounds really bored, but this is a fascinating subject.

[rapteye]

A very Interesting upload, Thanks!

[Uteki]

Really interesting!Thanks for the upload!

[amvoverwizzle]

1st