Some of these photos
are mine, others are ones I took from the ROV Oceanic Explorer's
camera monitor. If you can help us identify species with a *, please contact me at the email just above. Note: many of the specimens have been deposited at the Field Museum in Chicago and loans of the material can be arranged through Janet Voight (voight@fmnh.org) or John Slapcinsky (Slapcin@fmnh.org) |
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MOLLUSCS--Click
here for Arthropods
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| Bivalves (clams, etc.) are the most common
molluscs in the deep sediments. Most bivalve species are filter feeders,
but some abyssal ones such as the longneck Cuspidarids (below) are carnivorous.
They burrow in the mud, and suck in small crustaceans through their
siphons. Scaphopods (tusk shells) are the next most common in
the sediments. Some actively burrow horizontally through the mud seeking
prey. Swimming above the bottom, Cephalopods (squid, octopus,
etc.) are also common hunters of the deep. Recently, Johnsen et al.
showed in the 11-Mar-99 issue of Nature (p113) that some deep-sea
octopods have suckers that emit light, perhaps for communication and/or
luring prey. --Cephalopods in the deep --mainly squids and octopods--are often mysterious. Cirrate octopods and vampire squids have paddle-like fins and webbed legs for swimming. The giant squid has been found dead many times (washed ashore), but none have been seen alive. For information on and pictures of the Giant Squid, the bizarre Vampire Squid, see links below this table. -- Videos of mesopelagic squid in action can be found at R.E. Young's Page |
**CLICK PICTURE FOR LARGE VERSION**
| A. OREGON/WASHINGTON/BRITISH COLUMBIA -- DEEP BATHYAL
AND ABYSSAL (a) = abyssal plain (2850m), (ob) = continental slope (1800-2000m) for speciemens caught off Newport, Oregon |
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Octopods (a)
Benthoctopus canthylus (2000-2800m) |
Octopod (ob)
Benthoctopus yaquinae (1000-3000m) |
Longneck clam (a)
Cuspidaria sp. (apodema?) |
Hydrocarbon-seep clam(ob) Vesicomya gigas (1000-3000m)
See METHANE SEEPS for information on its symbiotes |
Cockle clam(a) *
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Scaphopod(a)
Dentalium megathyris (950-4000m) |
Gastropod(a)
Aforia crebristriata (450-2800m) |
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Big Squid(a)
Moroteuthis robusta |
Octopod(a) Graneledone pacifica or
boreopacifica Nesis (700-2700m) |
Cirrate octopod(a)
Cirroteuthis muelleri (400-5000m) |
Cirrate octopod(a)
Grimpoteuthis bathynectes (2850-3900m) |
Octopod/squid's webbing*
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A Giant Squid specimen at the Smithsonian in D.C. It
is thought to live at 300-700m in the mesopelagic
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Unidentified Gran eledone species from near the Juan de Fuca ridge (2400m) |
For more detail on deepsea habitats and deepsea molluscs,
see the Deepsea
Mollusk Site, and for all cephalopods, see CEPHBASE.
For more information on GIANT and VAMPIRE SQUID, see:
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B. CALIFORNIA SLOPE and OREGON HYDRATE RIDGE-- (er) = Eel River Seeps off Eureka, CA (510-520m) and (hr)- Hydrate Ridge off Newport, OR (500-890m) . See SEEPS & VENTS page for more images and information on some of these species |
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Octopod (er)
Enteroctopus dofleini? |
Cranchiid-type squid seen from Alvin at 880m
(hr)
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Neptunea humboldtiana or amianta (er,
hr)
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"BABYSITTER SNAILS": These Neptunea
lay eggs in a spiral tower, sit on the top, then fall off and die once
their jobs are done.
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Various squid seen from Alvin at 500 m (er)
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Tiny limpets found on carbonate
rocks (hr)
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Left: Calyptogena (Vesicomya) pacifica (er);
has bacterial symbionts; see SEEPS page
for more. Right: Acharax spp. (hr); has bacterial
symbionts; see Sahling
et al. for more on Vesicomya and Acharax
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A fairytale scene: The eggtowers form extensive surreal
scenes of "forests" (er 2001,hr 2006).
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ARTHROPODS: CRUSTACEA, PYCNOGONIDA
Click here to return to top |
| Marine Arthropods include: --Crustaceans such as crabs, lobster, shrimp, and isopods (for information on a giant isopod, go to Seasky's Giant Isopod) --Pycnogonids (sea spiders). The latter are tiny in shallow waters, seldom seen; but the deep sea spiders are often huge. They stride over the abyssal mud with their long legs, using a proboscis to suck tissues from sessile prey such as anemones |
| A. OREGON BATHYAL AND ABYSSAL -- (a) = abyssal plain (2850m), (ob) = continental slope (1800-2000m) and Hydrate Ridge (600m) (hr) off Newport, Oregon |
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Paralithodes verrelli
(ob; top; 850-3300m); Chionoecetes tanneri? (ob; middle); P. multispina? (ob; 900-2000m) |
Tanner
crab
Chionoecetes tanneri (hr) Caught with Alvin at Hydrate Ridge, about 600m deep (left, middle) and at 2300m on Juan de Fuca ridge |
Bathyal Shrimp(ob) Pandalopsis ampla?
(550-2000m) |
Abyssal Shrimp (a) Neocrangon abyssorum?
(1400-3200m) |
Galatheid crab (a)
(Munidopsis cascadiae?) |
Seaspider (ob)*
Ascorhynchus sp.?? |
Seaspider2 (a)*
Colossendeis sp (spicula?) |
Unidentifed seaspider from Juan de Fuca ridge hydrothermal
vents (2300m)
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