Biologists dragged the secrets of the ice bottom

Vessel Polarstern has helped biologists to gather a huge collection of underwater inhabitants capable of impressing even the people who are not taking a great interest in biology. Do not believe me - see photos in our material
Previously unknown species of sponges, blind creeping creature, adorned with hairy antennae, crabs with eyes that are not needed in the dark, strange ribbed worms - just some of the new species found in the gloomy depths of the ocean off the coast of Antarctica. In a place which, according to representations of scientists, must have been very poor in terms of biological diversity.

Over a thousand species, most - of previously unknown, as well - a lot of well-known, but those that scientists do not expect to meet here, biologists have found during three expeditions germanskogo research vessel Polarstern in the Weddell and Scotia Sea, held from 2002 to 2005 under international project Andeep (Antarctic benthic deep-sea biodiversity - Biodiversity of Antarctic benthic deep-sea).

Lead study author Angelika Brandt (Angelika Brandt) from the Zoological Institute and Zoological Museum of the University of Hamburg (Biozentrum Grindel und Zoologisches Museum) and colleagues from several academic institutions in Europe was published in Nature reports of unusual findings.

Sea urchin Ctenocidaris - one of the most amazing species on the ocean floor
obtained in the study Weddell Sea at great depths (from 748 to 6348 meters).

Only some isopods (or isopods, is the largest detachment of crustaceans), scientists have collected 674 varieties, of which 585 species have not been described before. Also, researchers have found a great variety of shellfish, sea urchins, worms and so on.

This feast has delighted biologists. It is known that the ocean at the north pole of poor species. In comparison with the equatorial regions of the planet. It would be logical to expect the same scarcity of the ocean floor near the Antarctic, but it turned out that in terms of variation - is a true paradise.

In the Weddell Sea have found, for example, this glass sponge.

But not only the number of new types of happy scientists. It was important that they have found and where, and how the newly discovered species (and also found there are known species) are associated with the inhabitants of other parts of the world's oceans.

Own analysis of this connection was one of the most important elements of new work. "The Antarctic deep sea - may be the cradle of life for the global marine species" - makes the important conclusion Brandt.

Meet - pink polychaete worm - yet another surprise from the Weddell Sea

Many of the organisms found were found to have relatives in the neighboring smaller waters, and even in other ocean basins. General, through the Weddell Sea is a vast ocean current. So, this pool is important for the distribution of species in various areas of the planet. For example, the study found that some shellfish on the shelf and having eyes, closely associated with deep-crustaceans, the eyes do not have

This translucent isopod, opened in one of the expeditions Andeep, able to spread-eagle your body to increase the surface area and thus keep from sinking into the sediment at the bottom of the ocean

And sometimes, scientists found a deep-sea crabs that had occurred from their kinsmen on the shelf, while preserving the eye. Although they are now they no longer needed.

Especially surprised the biologists, the genetic analysis of foraminifera - single-celled, covered with decorative shells.

It was found that three species of these creatures found in the depths of the Weddell Sea, almost identical species fished in the Arctic Ocean. That is, these types in search of "better home" to overcome the entire planet.

Small gastropod, another sea urchin, some crustaceans, as well as a wonderful sea cucumber, like a pig - are also treasures for European researchers

An astonishing diversity of underwater life off the coast of Antarctica, biologists explain the relative isolation of the area over a long time.

In the dark depths of the inhabitants in the area of the ocean was 40 million "quiet" years for the experiments. Since around the time of final shape of the Southern Ocean around the continent. Until then, young Antarctica slowly moved to the South Pole, after the split of the ancient continent Gondwana, happened about 100 million years ago.

This brightly colored representative crustacean family Epimeriidae - the first deep-water dweller among species of its group

Interestingly, even before these expeditions, scientists optimistically hoped to find at least several new species of deep-sea creatures, the inhabitants of the continental slope and abyssal plains.

When he went through an amazing organisms for hundreds, biologists realized that they would have to seriously reconsider the role of the ocean areas in the evolution of marine life throughout the planet. So the present report - only the first result of visits Polarstern in the Antarctic. And the main work - ahead.

Study co-author - Catherine Linse (Katrin Linse) from the British organization for the Exploration of Antarctica (British Antarctic Survey) - explains the importance of this work: "The discovery of these extraordinary treasures - our first step toward understanding the complex relations between the great depths of the ocean and the overall distribution of marine life" .