Japanese Agency Discovers Unidentified Deep-Sea Creature

On June 11, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) released photographs of a mysterious deep-sea creature believed to be an unknown species of comb jelly, or ctenophore, a jellyfish-like marine animal.

Taken by JAMSTEC’s “Kaikou” unmanned submersible at a depth of 7,217 meters (nearly 24,000 feet) in the Ryukyu Trench about 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of Okinawa, the photographs show a gelatinous animal with two pairs of long, spindly tentacles — one pair extended horizontally in front of its body and one pair stuck to the ocean floor, allowing the creature to float in place like a kite.

The creature’s elongated body is 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) long and 5 to 8 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) wide. The rear tentacles measure 1.5 to 2.5 meters (5 to 8 feet) in length, while the forward-reaching tentacles, which float on the current and catch prey, measure between 1 and 1.5 meters (3 to 5 feet) in length. The animal’s gastrovascular system, which circulates nutrients through the body, appears whitish in color.


SOURCE:
Pink Tentacle

This is pretty cool.

We know so little about the animals that live in the deep-sea, it's nice to learn about them.

It actually reminds me of something I would expect to fin in the Europan oceans though.


Comments, Opinions?

gives me the whilly's just to think of going that deep.


The life forms that exist deep in the ocean seem to be very exotic, this one is no exception.

Very cool find, Iori !!

I really love how deep-sea creatures can illuminate themselves.
Just awesome.

Thanks for the great info,
Lex

All I can tell them is keep searching. There is no telling what they may find down there.

[edit on 13-6-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Well let’s hope the Japanese don’t kill this rare and beautiful creature for “scientific” purposes...

Originally posted by WatchNLearn
Well let’s hope the Japanese don’t kill this rare and beautiful creature for “scientific” purposes...

It's most likely not rare, and even if ti was, it would actually be better to do scientific studies
on it, since with adequate knowledge you can later on, with the right technology re-create it,
or even re-create the entire species.

Originally posted by iori_komei
It's most likely not rare, and even if ti was, it would actually be better to do scientific studies
on it, since with adequate knowledge you can later on, with the right technology re-create it,
or even re-create the entire species.

Oh now i see! So they are slaughtering the world's whales in the name of science so they can recreate them later when they are extinct.

Makes perfect science now! Thanks...

Originally posted by WatchNLearn

Originally posted by iori_komei
It's most likely not rare, and even if ti was, it would actually be better to do scientific studies
on it, since with adequate knowledge you can later on, with the right technology re-create it,
or even re-create the entire species.

Oh now i see! So they are slaughtering the world's whales in the name of science so they can recreate them later when they are extinct.

Makes perfect science now! Thanks...

I think you're taking what he said out of context.

For the sake of the argument I think Iori Komei was isolating the legitimate scientific research that could be done for those jellyfish . I don't think he meant to include people that slaughter animals under the guise of science. Or any other such sinister acts. He also didn't say anything about killing mass amounts of them, like in your whale example .

Although I completely understand where you are coming from as I am both an environmentalist and a animal activist. However, I firmly believe positive things can come from scientific research on animals; for us and for them. There is just alot of corruption within our world that often controls and influences what's driving the science. I say as long as it's truly aimed for the betterment(sp?) of the world, then science is great.


[edit on 14-6-2007 by Cloak and Dagger]

great find! love reading about new sea creatures! -- like the new species they found when an ice shelf broke off recently. new friends discovered

discovering new animals and plants is very exciting, I would call that think a "Ochi", because it kind of reminds me of something from a Final fantasy.

Originally posted by iori_komei

or even re-create the entire species.

gross. the capability does not exist, obviously, and a few DNA datasets do not make a speces anyway.

i wonder if you will still be hailing 'progress' when it's you who ends up on the receiving end of such 'logic'.

Deep sea creatures are so fascinating Excelent find, Iori

The continuing discovery of new plant and animal species on Earth never ceases to amaze me.

--Kit.