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Deep Sea Research Paper

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The deep sea is home to many fascinating creatures that have yet to be explored by scientists for their features. These creatures can be seen as special for the way they are able to survive in the extreme sea environments. Three species, in particular, have interested scientists for their own unique ways of adapting: the giant squid, the zombie worm, and the yeti crab. Their ways of adaptations allow them to survive in the intense deep sea environments. First and foremost, every species has different ways of adapting to the world around them. These simple adaptations allow them to survive their extreme living environments. One creature has many features that contribute to its living space. The giant squid is a worldwide squid that adapts …show more content…

These creatures are called zombie worms. The zombie worms were found on the bottom of the sea off the coast of California in 2002. Its own way of adapting goes back in history as one of the most crucial adaptations ever found. These worms live on whale bones on the ocean floor. On the ocean floor, the skeleton of the whales receives a rich source of nutrients for the zombie worms. These worms were even more fascinating due to the fact that they lack a mouth and gut. As it turns out, the zombie worm developed a chemical strategy to receive actual nutrients. With its remarkable ability, “A zombie worm attaches to a whale bone with special root-like structures. The skin cells of these structures produce an acid, which dissolves the bone, allowing the worm to extract the nutrients” (p.2). This is a very unusual, but special adaptation to the ocean floor environment. The worm’s acid drills into the bone of whale to collect the nutrients. Also, another modification it has made to it’s living space is depending on “internal bacteria to digest the fats and oils extracted from their whale-bone diet” (p.4). Holding these capabilities, the zombie worm can take on any whale’s …show more content…

One of these creatures are the yeti crabs. These crabs live near the thermal vents at the bottom of the deep sea. Their white color could be due to their obscured environment. There is a reason these crabs are called “yeti crabs”. Yetis have hair, so this would represent the crab’s distinct features. As said in the article, these crabs are “Dubbed ‘yeti crabs’ for their hairy chests and legs, these creatures are new to science” (p.3). This has grown on the crabs over many years to adapt to the thermal vents around its living space. The yeti crab lives in a mixed climate where it is very hot and very cold at the same time. When these two temperatures collide, “chemical reactions produce an array of mineral compounds, which many organisms consider food” (p.2). Animals such as the yeti crab depend on chemistry rather than photosynthesis. Since these crabs are new to science and new to the studies of scientists, they “aren’t sure but conjecture that mineral-eating bacteria might grow on the crabs’ hairs and that the crabs might scoop up the bacteria” (p.3). This differs from the other crabs in the world. Maybe the more the yeti crabs live near the thermal vents, they will adapt even more and evolve

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