A new species was discovered in the depths of the ocean (5 photos)

Scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute have discovered a new species of marine mollusk. The discovery was made after studying a mysterious bioluminescent creature spotted in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The results of the study were published in the journal Deep-Sea Research Part I.





Scientists first spotted the unknown mollusk in February 2000 at a depth of 2,614 meters using a remotely operated vehicle. The creature had a voluminous structure with a hood on one end and a flat tail with finger-like protrusions on the other. The internal organs were brightly colored, making it difficult to identify.

To study it in more detail, the scientists collected data from more than 150 observations of the organism. They used remote sensing devices to monitor and collect samples, and conducted laboratory studies to better understand the creature's morphological features.



Internal anatomy of Bathydevius caudactylus gen. et. sp. nov. The red organ is the stomach, the rough orange organ is the digestive gland, and the small white area is the brain.

After years of observation and analysis, the researchers concluded that this is a new type of nudibranch, or sea slug. This species lives in the so-called midnight zone of the ocean, an area of ​​darkness, low temperatures, and high pressure. These environmental features make the discovery of such organisms extremely rare.





Three parts of the animal are clearly visible: the head, body, and tail. The head is dominated by the oral hood, which is highly elastic. In a relaxed state, the hood has a cup-shaped form with thick muscular walls. The mouth is located at the back of the hood, just below the medial central line (Fig. 2a). The lip of the hood is very flexible, with annular and radial bands of muscle that allow it to close like a sphincter (Fig. 2b), or to close along a vertical axis (Fig. 2c). The most dorsal part of the lip is almost prechenilic; it can reach a peak, forming a protuberance, or invaginate, forming a notch in the edge of the hood (Fig. 2d). The lip can also be folded back onto the outer surface of the bell (Fig. 2e). The hood can be used to propel the animal backwards with a medusoid impulse when flexing (Fig. 2f).



Bathydevius caudactylus on the seabed. The distance between the red laser dots is 29 cm.



Bioluminescence of Bathydevius caudactylus. Light comes from the surface of the oral hood and inside the dactyls (left).