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Aquatic Creatures You'll Want to Meet at the Aquarium: Deep Sea Creatures

Many mysteries remain about the ecosystem of the deep, dark ocean, where sunlight does not reach. The creatures there have mysterious shapes, and in recent years many species have gained cult popularity. I want to take a closer look at the details.

text: BRUTUS

Aquatic Creatures Encyclopedia: Deep Sea Creatures
Red croaker
Potfish
Small sea cucumber
Hagfish
Green-flanked anglerfish
Hermit crab
Octopus
Bird Foot
Shining alfonsino
coelacanth
Giant isopod
Igaguri crab
spider crab

Red croaker

A red monster crawling on the ground

Red croaker
The things that look like little legs are actually fins. They are a type of anglerfish and are a magnificent fish. However, they don't swim much, moving around like they're crawling on the ground. It's said that their name comes from the old word for toad, "kutsu," which means "toad."

Potfish

Fish that transition to a deep-sea lifestyle as they grow

Potfish
It has sharp spines on its dorsal fin and is very hard. When young, it has a pattern on its body and lives near the surface of the ocean where there is plenty of food and few predators, but as it grows, the pattern disappears and it moves to the deep sea. It is also popular as a food source.

Small sea cucumber

A deep-sea jewel shining on a skeleton

Small sea cucumber
These tiny creatures are only a few centimeters long and survive by feeding on organic matter in the mud. Their bodies are translucent and soft, like agar jelly. When stimulated, the tips of their projections glow a pale blue. Their shining form on the dark ocean floor makes them truly jewels of the deep.

Hagfish

When stimulated, it attacks with sticky mucus.

Hagfish
They are a rare species of vertebrate known as the jawless group, lacking a spine or jaws. When stimulated, they secrete a very viscous mucus that can suffocate other living creatures. They feed on animal carcasses, and are edible, known for their crunchy texture.

Green-flanked anglerfish

Capture your prey with a devilish face

Green-flanked anglerfish
The small protrusions between the eyes are esca (fake bait). They are supposed to look like food to lure in small fish that prey on them, but it's doubtful they are even useful at this size. The way they inflate and swell up as they absorb water and air is also quite strange.

Hermit crab

The reason for carrying a sea anemone is...

Hermit crab
Hermit crabs often have sea anemones attached to the shells they carry on their backs. This is said to be a way to protect themselves from predators. When they move their shells, they take the sea anemones with them, which is a rather strange feature of their lifestyle.

Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park (Ocean Expo Park): Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

Octopus

The most popular idol in the deep sea, with cute ears

Octopus
With their plump bodies and pointed ear-like protrusions, these members of the octopus family are so popular that merchandise related to them now fills the souvenir section. However, they are difficult to raise, and it is even difficult to capture healthy specimens, and they often only survive for a few weeks in an aquarium.

Bird Foot

A flower-like organism that blooms at the bottom of the ocean

Bird Foot
At first glance, it's hard to tell if it's even alive, but it's actually a type of sea lily, a member of the echinoderm family, the same as starfish and sea urchins. The tentacles on its flower-like "arms" capture plankton and carry them to its mouth at the base.

Shining alfonsino

A luminous fish that shines like a firefly

Shining alfonsino
They gather in groups in the dark ocean, emitting countless lights like fireflies. They emit light by symbiotically emitting luminous bacteria in the light-emitting organs under their eyes. It is thought that they glow to communicate with others or to escape predators.

coelacanth

"Living fossils" hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of biological evolution

coelacanth
It is synonymous with the mysterious deep sea. It was thought to be extinct until the early 20th century, but living creatures have been discovered in Africa and Indonesia. The specimens on display at the aquarium are here, but it would be great to observe them and think about the evolution of living things since ancient times.

Giant isopod

Grossly cute!? Giant pill bug

Giant isopod
It has been a driving force behind the recent popularity of deep-sea creatures. It feeds on dead fish on the ocean floor, but there have been records of it surviving for five years without eating at an aquarium, and its ecology is shrouded in mystery. Its size, which can grow to a maximum of about 50cm, is eerie, yet somehow adorable.

Igaguri crab

Just looking at this spiny crab looks painful

Igaguri crab
Although it is called a "crab," it is a type of hermit crab, literally covered in spines like a chestnut. If you look closely, you can see that it has only four pairs of legs, including the claws. In fact, the same is true for the red king crab, and this red king crab also belongs to the family of red king crabs.

spider crab

A giant crab with addictive, long, slender limbs

spider crab
This is the world's largest crab, and stands out even in the deep sea exhibit tank. Males can reach nearly 3 meters with their claws spread. Despite their large size, they are swift when catching prey. They mainly live in the waters off Japan, and have long been eaten.

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University of Tokyo Admissions Guide University of Tokyo Admissions Guide University of Tokyo Admissions Guide

No.1048

University of Tokyo Admissions Guide

Released February 16th, 890 yen

 最新号をチェック

FEATURED MOVIES
Featured Videos