Exotic Jellied Animal in the DEEP DEEP Dark Blue Sea
The Creature
This creature is typically known as the Sea Pig. But the scientific name is Scotoplanes. The Sea Pig is in the family of Elpidiidae. It grows up to about 6 inches/15 cm long. Known as sea pigs are in fact a type of sea cucumber. Sea cucumbers are echinoderms, a group of marine animals that includes sea urchins and starfish. They have five to seven pairs of enlarged tube feet. These walking legs are hydraulically operated appendages that can be inflated and deflated to move around.
Habitat
the creature lives in the bottom of the ocean, typically in the abyssal plains in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean. the depths are over 1000 meters deep. The related similar animals are also found in the Antarctic.
Food
Sea pigs are deposit or detrial feeders, eating bits of decaying plant and animal material found in deep sea mud. Their mouths are surrounded by a ring of feeding tentacles that they use to sift through the mud and grab onto food. Sea pigs are especially fond of food that has recently fallen from the ocean's surface, like a whale corpse.
Interesting facts
- Scientists have known about sea pigs for more then 100 years. They were first described by Swedish zoologist Hjalmar Theel in 1882. Theel described about 65 new species discovered by the Britiish research ship HMS Challenger during her round the world expedition of 1872-1876.
- Sea pigs often occure in aggregations of many hundreds of individuals. It's not because they enjoy each other's company. It's believed sea pigs tend to gather where food resources are abundant. Thus, many hundreds of sea pigs will be attracted to a dead whale carcass on the seafloor and gather at the spot to fest
the creature lives in the bottom of the ocean, typically in the abyssal plains in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean. the depths are over 1000 meters deep. The related similar animals are also found in the Antarctic.
Food
Sea pigs are deposit or detrial feeders, eating bits of decaying plant and animal material found in deep sea mud. Their mouths are surrounded by a ring of feeding tentacles that they use to sift through the mud and grab onto food. Sea pigs are especially fond of food that has recently fallen from the ocean's surface, like a whale corpse.Interesting facts
- Scientists have known about sea pigs for more then 100 years. They were first described by Swedish zoologist Hjalmar Theel in 1882. Theel described about 65 new species discovered by the Britiish research ship HMS Challenger during her round the world expedition of 1872-1876.
- Sea pigs often occure in aggregations of many hundreds of individuals. It's not because they enjoy each other's company. It's believed sea pigs tend to gather where food resources are abundant. Thus, many hundreds of sea pigs will be attracted to a dead whale carcass on the seafloor and gather at the spot to fest
Links
http://www.boredpanda.com/unusual-animals/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotoplanes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotoplanes
I have never heard or seen this creature so it was cool to learn about it.
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