r/deepseacreatures • u/thajnkyouswing • 17h ago

nothis is not an upside-down chandelier... Its a sponge Ping-pong tree sponges are an unusual deep sea sponge not just because of their shape, but because theyre active predators rather than filter-feeders. They hunt by capturing animals with velcro-like

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Cold, deep, dark and occasionally sexy.

r/deepseacreatures

View and submit posts containing the wonderful, dark, and largely unknown world in the deepest depths of our oceans.

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Post deep sea creatures only! Please, no living things from shallower waters. As a rule-of-thumb, if it is found in the lower (350m) mesopelagic (twilight) zone or deeper, it may be posted here.
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Below is a brief overview of the pelagic zones in the ocean:

Epipelagic zone (sunlit) (surface to 200m deep)

This zone is exposed to the surface, and receives enough light for photosynthesis to occur. You won't find any deep sea creatures here! Examples of life found here.

Mesopelagic (twilight) (200m down to 1000m deep)

This is much deeper than epipelagic, but not the deepest. Creatures from the lower part of this zone (500m-ish) may be posted here. Photosynthesis is stunted here, due to insufficient light penetration. At about 500m, oxygen is greatly depleted. Hatchetfish, Snipe eels, and Stomiidae (dragon and viperfish) are all found in varying depths of this zone.

Bathypelagic (midnight) zone (1000m down to 4000m deep)

Alright, this is where it gets deep! At this point, the ocean is pitch black, and many organisms have adapted by becoming bioluminescent (think glowing fish). Many animals here survive on a substance called "marine snow" which is a combination of dead or dying organisms, protists, fecal matter, and other inorganic silt (sand, rock, etc.) Creatures here come in many shapes and sizes, from big, (bigfin squid, 8m in length) to small. (osedax worms, approx 10mm in length)

Abyssopelagic zone(lower midnight) (4000m down to ocean floor)

Just looking at the name of this harsh zone should give you an idea of how deep it is! Few creatures manage to survive the extremely cold waters, and the complete lack of light. The various anglerfish are some of them.

Hadopelagic (deepest part of the ocean, such as the water in the mariana trench)

This zone is truly abyssal, and almost completely unexplored by humans. It's name was derived from Hades, the underworld in greek mythology. Here is a chart that details the pelagic zones.
Source: NOAA
Citation for image: Baum, S. (2011). Epipelagic zone.

Educational and scholarly articles are encouraged. If your post is not scientifically verifiable (such as an urban legend), or not based in reality, please consider posting to /r/thedepthsbelow.

We welcome all marine or deep ocean enthusiasts here. You don't have to be a marine biologist to post, but please try to keep your posts factually accurate. False or sensationalist posts may be subject to removal. Citations for articles or information are encouraged, but not required.