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Check out this beautiful * giant * apolemia siphonophore recorded in #NingalooCanyons expedition. It seems likely that this specimen is the largest ever recorded, and in a strange UFO-like feeding posture. Thank you @Caseywdunn for information @wamuseum @GeoscienceAus @CurtinUni @Scripps_Ocean pic.twitter.com/QirkIWDu6S
– Schmidt Ocean (@SchmidtOcean) April 6, 2020
An estimated 150-foot siphonophore, apparently the longest animal ever recorded, was discovered during a month-long scientific expedition exploring underwater canyons near Perth, Australia.
In addition, researchers from the Museum of Western Australia found up to 30 new underwater species on board the research ship of the Schmidt Ocean Institute. Falkor.
The discovery of this massive gelatinous-chain siphonophore, a floating colony of tiny individual zoos that cloned thousands of times into specialized bodies coming together to work as a team, was just one of the unique finds among some of the marine and fish invertebrates. deepest ever recorded for Western Australia.
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Scientists from the Museum of Western Australia, led by lead scientist Dr. Nerida Wilson, joined researchers from Curtin University, Geoscience Australia and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography to explore Ningaloo canyons in the Indian Ocean. Using an underwater robot, ROV SuBastian, they completed 20 dives to depths of up to 4,500 meters (14,700 feet) during 181 hours of exploration.
During the expedition, scientists collected the first giant hydroids in Australia, discovered large communities of glass sponges in Cape Range Canyon, and observed for the first time in Western Australia the Taning bioluminescent octopus squid, the long-tailed sea cucumber, and various other squatting molluscs, barnacles and lobster species. Some of the collected species will be exhibited at the Museum of Western Australia.
The team also found the largest specimen of the giant siphonophore. Apolemia once recorded, the video of which was published on the Twitter account of the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
“We suspected that these deepwater areas would be diverse, but we were surprised by the importance of what we have seen,” said Wilson. Added Dr. Lisa Kirkendale, chief of aquatic zoology at the Museum of Western Australia and co-principal investigator, “These specimens represent so many depth extensions and range records for so many species, and will form a significant new part of the WA Museum collections. . “
The expedition is part of the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s one-year initiative in Australia and the Pacific to conduct a series of science and engineering expeditions with teams of scientists and researchers from around the world. Using the SuBastian underwater robot, scientists for the first time can explore deep-sea canyons and coral reefs in Australia that have never been seen before. Archival material and samples collected from the oceans surrounding Australia will have important implications for the sustainability and protection of these underwater ecosystems, and for similar habitats worldwide that are endangered due to rising ocean temperatures and other threats. environmental.
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Owned and operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, a philanthropic nonprofit organization established by Eric and Wendy Schmidt in 2009, Falkor It is the only year-round philanthropic seagoing research vessel in the world. The vessel is equipped with a 4,500 meter capacity underwater robotic system, the SuBastian ROV, which was used to visually explore and collect samples from critical areas of the deep ocean that had not been previously explored.
The ship and ROV are made available to the international scientific community at no cost, and the scientists agree to make their findings public. Collection data for these specimens will be made publicly available.
“There is so much we don’t know about the depths of the sea, and there are countless species never seen before,” said Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of the Schmidt Ocean Institute. “Our planet is deeply interconnected – what happens in the depths of the sea impacts life on earth – and vice versa. This research is vital to advance our understanding of that connection and the importance of protecting these fragile ecosystems. Ningaloo’s canyons are just one of many underwater wonders we are about to discover that can help us better understand our planet. “
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Full science will allow the research team to formally describe many of the new animal species found, develop a ROV methodology to monitor Marine Parks in Australia, and analyze deep-water samples for environmental DNA in the Indian Ocean. The SuBastian ROV dives were streamed live and are available in perpetuity on the YouTube page of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, including featured videos, making the incredible diversity in the Ningaloo region available for the public to explore. Archival material and samples collected are important records within the Gascoyne Marine Park, serving as a permanent record of biodiversity in the canyons to build on in the future.
“Ongoing scientific exploration is vital to the effective management of our marine parks,” said Dr. James Findlay, director of Australian National Parks, who has been closely following the Falkor expedition, “and we are committed to partnering with other agencies to register and monitor these precious places. “
Reprinted from the Schmidt Ocean Institute
(WATCH the video below)
“You go out and expect certain things … suddenly they take you aside + at the moment of discovery, doing something you never expected and seeing something you have never seen. It’s just magic.”
Full #NingalooCanyons the final video is AMAZING: https://t.co/wmjMsugbDt pic.twitter.com/IS38E3Twvo
– Schmidt Ocean (@SchmidtOcean) April 12, 2020
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