The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss

On dry land, most organisms are confined to the surface, or at most to altitudes of a hundred meters—the height of the tallest trees. In the oceans, though, living space has both vertical and horizontal dimensions: with an average depth of 3800 meters, the oceans offer 99% of the space on Earth where life can develop. And the deep sea, which has been immersed in total darkness since the dawn of time, occupies 85% of ocean space, forming the planet’s largest habitat. Yet these depths abound with mystery. The deep sea is mostly uncharted—only about 5 percent of the seafloor has been mapped with any reasonable degree of detail—and we know very little about the creatures that call it home. Current estimates about the number of species yet to be found vary between ten and thirty million. The deep sea no longer has anything to prove; it is without doubt Earth’s largest reservoir of life.

www.thedeepbook.org...

The Dumbo Octopus can be found in any ocean and is known to have been found any where upto approximately 7,000 meters below sea level.


[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7a0d229f8c9f.jpg[/atsimg]

Two Unidentifed Species. The Abyss holds some very strange species. And here's proof.



Munnopsis, couldn't find any information on this species. Looks very alienish.


Marrus Orthocanna, a deep sea siphonophore. The combined digestive and circulatory system is red; all other parts are transparent.

Gallery - Please Visit

Claire Nouvian: The Deep Creatures of The Abyss


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It's said that we have barely explored 5% of the ocean floors. And with in that 5% explored, lurks some of the most amazing species of life i've ever seen.

I knew that there were some very odd looking creatures in the deep parts of the ocean, but after seeing these photo's, I seen just how odd, vast, and amazing the life is down there.

I hope soon that some more explorations will be taken to view some more the "alien" life that exist in our waters.

Enjoy.

The third picture looks like some sort of transparent ray. Interesting.

Aren't these creatures in the pictures some sort of POKEMON

The photographs are absolutely stunning. Thanks for putting them up for us.

The creatures are adorable, and only slightly foreboding.

Wow...what is with that Munnopsis thing...it looks more like an insect or something than a sea creature...I had a look on the gallery you linked, and I feel I just need to embed a few more of these weird ones. Great thread, S&F.






[edit on 21/8/10 by CHA0S]

Who needs space aliens when we have our very own right here on earth. great pictures.

Thank you for these pictures they have bought a pool of calmness into an otherwise trying day.

I am always amazed at the sheer inventiveness and beauty of the natural world, and sea creatures in particular.
Some of the happiest times in my life have been while diving in the Mediterranean sea.

Am looking at my two red capped pet Oranders (Rosy and Mr Bubbles) right now

Edited to add, that Dumbo Octopus is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen, shame I can't get one for my aquarium

[edit on 21-8-2010 by davespanners]

Thanks for the replys. Im glad that some of the ATS Community are enjoying viewing these photos.

But, remember where there's beauty, there is also.....

Unidentified Anglerfish


Fanfin Seadevil



.......These two cute guys.



[edit on 22-8-2010 by Oozii]

They may not be cute, but I think that they are equally beautiful in their own way, perfectly adapted to their environment and so amazing in their complexity but yet so graceful in their simplicity.

I'm such a sucker for animals that I would still probably try to give them a tickle under the chin before they gnawed my leg off.

Amazing images. Beautiful.

I can't wait to see what else is discovered in our own backyard.

We, as a species know more about the moon, Mars, and Venus than we do our own oceans.

Great thread, thanks so much for sharing

CDS

It is always nice to see threads like this. The first picture reminded me of a pokemon for some reason

I always wonder what is out there. You never know what is in the oceans. We don't know what is truly at the bottom of our oceans.

Great thread!

double post

[edit on 8/22/2010 by mblahnikluver]

reply to post by davespanners


ugh...i found these horrible and upsetting and disgusting..monsters.

i nearly puked.

i can't understand why anyone wants to look at these freaks and mutants.


we should control the environment so that these disgusting things don't exist.


we want to live in a world of beuaty..these things spoil it.

reply to post by nobodysavedme


lol. joke, right?


awesome pics, thank you!

beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Wow - really wonderful Pics - thanks for taking the time to share them with us all.

What struck me immediately is that if we can have such diverse (weird looking??!!) life only a few kilometres away from the surface of thr Earth what the HELL are we gonna find in the waters of say, Europa??!!

Amazing thread my friend,really enjoyed the pictures and your words.
It is truely amazing that the types of creatures you would expect to find in outter space you infact find at the bottom of are oceans.
Nasa should go diving instead,keep up the good work

reply to post by Oozii

If i pulled one of them up on a rod,id leave my fishing tackle, box and radio ,AND RUN FOR THE HILLS!! even gurnet are horrible,imaging trying to un hook him? PLEASE MISTER FISH CAN I HAVE MY ARM BACK!!

amazing what being in pitch black can do over thousands of years. not having to worry about being seen as much they can spawn all kinds of weird extremities and limbs to help them survive. blue plant by david attenborough has an excellent show on the deep in hi-def, i advise everyone to check it out.

great post s&f

[edit on 22-8-2010 by ST3V3nice]

Are you sure they are REAL... they look like creatures from a video game! LOL

What amazing creatures!

Thank you for posting this Oozii! Great find, S&F'ed!