A research team accidentally discovered a giant siphonophore at a depth of 600 meters, coiled in a spiral shape, extending its fearsome tentacles to hunt for food, as reported by the Guardian on November 30.
The scientists found a long, flexible, and suspended organism forming a massive spiral at a depth of 600 meters in an underwater canyon off the coast of Western Australia in 2020.
“It looks like a string on the horizon. It is extremely large,” said Nerida Wilson from the Western Australian Museum, sharing with the Guardian on November 30.
The giant siphonophore discovered off the coast of Western Australia is in a spiral position to catch prey with its deadly tentacles. (Photo: Schmidt Ocean Institute).
This organism is a siphonophore, a deep-sea creature that is a different branch of the Portuguese man o’ war. They float on the surface of the water, extending deadly tentacles into the water. The specimen is believed to be a new species belonging to the genus Apolemia, a group of organisms resembling feather boas.
The spiral shape of the siphonophore is thought to be a feeding form. Numerous small tentacles create a “wall” that traps small prey, including fish and crustaceans.
The scientists aimed to study the deep sea and stumbled upon this elongated creature while the submersible was on its way back to the research vessel Falkor, operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
The screens on the Falkor displayed live footage from the submersible’s camera. Everyone on board was puzzled when they saw a gigantic spiral shape appear. Everyone rushed into the control room for a closer look. Wilson remarked: “It was mesmerizingly beautiful. No one knew what it was.”
Due to limited time, the submersible could only observe the creature briefly. Wilson stated: “We circled around, captured some footage, and collected a small sample. Then, we had to head back.”
Siphonophores belong to the same group of animals as jellyfish, but their bodies are formed in a more unique way, resembling hundreds of small jellyfish stuck together. Essentially, they are a single organism, created through sexual reproduction between male and female.
Instead of developing in the conventional way, siphonophores have small parts called zooids. Each zooid has its own specific function, such as feeding, reproduction, or capturing prey. Wilson noted: “They are a colony and consist of many small individuals.”
Based on preliminary calculations of the submersible’s path, the spiral siphonophore is believed to be the longest specimen ever discovered, measuring approximately 45 meters. It is even considered the longest animal ever measured, longer than a blue whale.
Wilson is working with imaging specialists to accurately calculate the size of the siphonophore from the footage. Extracting three-dimensional information from the video is not easy, as the siphonophore was moving alongside the submersible.
