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seafloor animals

1

Researchers discover carnivorous sponges that make their own light

07 Dec 2020

December 7, 2020 – MBARI scientists confirm the first evidence of bioluminescence in a sponge, showing that the sponges contain the chemicals necessary to make light within their bodies.

2

Cameras reveal largest aggregation of fishes in abyssal deep sea

23 Nov 2020

Nov 23, 2020 – Researchers recently discovered the largest aggregation of fishes ever recorded at abyssal depths (below 3,000 meters or 9,800 feet) in the ocean.

3

Glow-in-the-dark corals light up the deep sea

13 Jul 2020

July 13, 2020 – A new research paper shows that some of the most common and iconic deep-sea corals can create their own light.

4

Deep-sea animal communities can change dramatically and erratically over time

07 Apr 2020

April 7, 2020 – A 30-year study off the California coast has revealed dramatic fluctuations in deep-sea animal communities.

5

Deep-sea fish communities affected by oxygen and temperature

06 Mar 2020

March 5, 2020 – Research in the depths of the Gulf of California give scientists a clue as to how climate change could affect fish communities.

6

The secret lives of sponges

20 Feb 2020

February 20, 2020 – Time-lapse photography in the deep sea over 30 years reveals sponges “coughing” and moving across the seafloor.

7

Mysterious little red jellies: A case of mistaken identity

16 Jan 2020

January 16, 2020 – Little red jellies are commonplace near the deep seafloor in Monterey Bay. Now scientists are finding that their evolution and relationships to one another are probably incorrect.

8

Learning how to restore deep-sea coral communities

18 Sep 2019

September 18, 2019 – Researchers test methods to restore deep-sea corals via translocation at Sur Ridge.

9

Spotting skates: Two decades of deep-sea video observations

11 Sep 2019

September 11, 2019 – In a recent study, researchers compiled data from 18 years of rare video observations on deep-water skates.

10

Biologists discover deep-sea fish living where there is virtually no oxygen

17 Jan 2019

January 17, 2019 – Marine biologists recently discovered large schools of fishes thriving in low-oxygen conditions that would be deadly to most other fish.

11

Five new species of sea slugs found in the ocean depths

12 Dec 2018

December 12, 2018 – Marine biologists recently discovered five new species of colorful nudibranchs on the deep seafloor offshore of California and Baja California.

12

An inordinate fondness for bone-eating worms

07 May 2018

May 7, 2018 – Researchers have named 14 new species and created a new family tree of bone-eating (Osedax) worms.

13

A squid graveyard and a deep-sea buffet

31 Jan 2018

Jan 31, 2018 – A recent paper describes an unusual discovery: dead squid littered across the deep sea bottom.

14

Newly described “parasol” sponges are graceful but deadly (to small crustaceans)

05 Sep 2017

Sept 5, 2017 – Marine biologists describe three new species of predatory sponges that live in the depths off California and Baja California.

15

The pointy-nosed blue chimaera really gets around

04 Nov 2016

Nov 4, 2016 – An unusual deep-sea fish that was previously identified in the Southeastern Pacific has recently been found to live around the Hawaiian Islands and off the coast of Central California as well.

16

Young king crabs found hitchhiking on sea pigs

27 Oct 2016

Oct 27, 2016 – A recent paper shows that some juvenile king crabs hitch rides on wandering sea cucumbers, perhaps as a way of evading predators.

17

Deep-sea worms slither around the bottom of the animal tree of life

08 Feb 2016

Feb 8, 2016 – The deep sea is full of strange and little-known worms. A new paper coauthored by MBARI molecular biologist Robert Vrijenhoek describes four newly named species of worms in the genus Xenoturbella that have mouths, but no eyes, brains, stomachs, or anuses.

18

A bountiful harvest of deep-sea acorn worms

17 Nov 2011

Acorn worms have historically been thought of as shallow-water animals that live in burrows in muddy-bottom areas. Only four species were known to live in deep water. However, a recent paper by MBARI collaborator Karen Osborn and her coauthors shows that acorn worms live in the deep ocean environments around the world.

Science

  • Upper-ocean systems
  • Midwater research
  • Seafloor processes
  • Areas of study
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Geology
    • Ocean acidification
    • Physical oceanography and climate change
  • Past research

Technology

  • Solving challenges
    • Taking the laboratory into the ocean
    • Enabling targeted sampling
    • Advancing a persistent presence
  • Emerging and current tools
  • Technology transfer

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About MBARI

Research programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) encompass the entire ocean, from the surface waters to the deep seafloor, and from the coastal zone to the open sea. The need to understand the ocean in all its complexity and variability drives MBARI's research and development efforts.


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