The discovery of new deep-sea hot springs in Antarctica has the potential to rewrite theories about how sea creatures have filled the world's oceans. In particular, scientists were able to find many new unique creatures in a large area from the southern tip of South America and Antarctica - for example, the pale octopus, the predatory seven-pointed starfish and the yeti crab
Interestingly, biologists have failed to find the tubular worms, shrimps and mussels that are commonly found in such hydrothermal vents. “It wasn't just one or two creatures, but practically everything we saw was new to science,” said Alex Rogers, professor of zoology at Oxford University and lead author of the new report.
“It was a wonderful experience. You're not entirely sure when you see those structures - you don't know if they are mineral or biological structures. It’s a very unusual feeling to see all these things for the first time and say to yourself: “Damn, I don’t understand what’s going on here,” the professor added.
The discovery was made during an expedition in January-February 2010, when scientists were able to observe life at a depth of 2.5 kilometers thanks to the remotely controlled Isis apparatus and the team of the oceanographic vessel James Cook. But it took scientists almost 2 years to analyze the data obtained - there were too many previously undescribed species, many samples were obtained that needed to be examined.
“We saw these smokers splashing out hydrogen sulfide and minerals surrounded by a huge carpet of various shellfish and other life forms. This is perhaps one of the most exciting scientific expeditions in which I have participated, - said Alex Rogers, writes Discovery.
Promotional video:
Scientists were especially interested in yeti crabs, since they managed to find a similar population in the southeastern Pacific Ocean - there must be some kind of relationship between them. The claws of a strange crustacean are covered with a kind of whitish wool, in which special bacteria live - however, such a symbiosis is characteristic of the entire fauna near hot springs.
Another important question is how the cold waters of Antarctica help or hinder the development of life. “By answering this question, we can understand whether the Southern Ocean is an evolutionary dead end or a starting point for evolution and colonization of other regions,” said Rich Aronson, head of the Department of Biological Sciences at the Florida Institute of Technology, an expert on Antarctic underwater life.
