Deep Sea Molluscs. Go to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, go to http://www.squarespace.com/naturalworldfacts to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Molluscs like cephalopods and gastropods dominate the marine world. Inhabiting nearly every ecosystem from shallow reefs to deep sea vents and the pelagic midwater, the success of molluscs is unparalleled. Nearly 25% of all marine organisms are molluscs, including such oddities as sea snails, nudibranchs, and coleoids like squid with their specialised tentacles. Even the snails you might find in your garden belong to the molluscs, for this is the only phylum with species found in the sea, freshwater and on land. A testament to their adaptability. With an estimated 85,000 living species known to science, the abundance and diversity of molluscs is what allows them to occupy a great many niches and habitats, and diversify into an assortment of shapes and sizes. The smallest meiofauna molluscs grow to just 0.4 mm long, while in the pelagic deep they dominate as voracious predators, looming out of the dark. This is the alien world of molluscs. 00:00 - Introduction to Molluscs 01:50 - Anatomy of Molluscs - Basic Body Plan 02:59 - Anatomy of Molluscs - Adaptations of the Foot 04:01 - Anatomy of Molluscs - Adaptations of the Shell 04:45 - Gastropods - Anatomy and Adaptation 05:49 - Gastropods - Life in the Intertidal Zone 06:39 - Gastropods - Defence Mechanisms 07:28 - Gastropods - The Scaly-foot Snail 08:29 - Gastropods - The Nudibranchs (Sea Slugs) 09:45 - Bivalves - Anatomy and Adaptation 10:20 - Bivalves - Infaunal Lifestyle 11:26 - Bivalves - Epifaunal Lifestyle 12:09 - Bivalves - Mussel Beds of the Deep Sea 13:46 - Cephalopods - Anatomy and Adaptation 14:31 - Cephalopods - Evolutionary History 15:43 - Cephalopods - The Coleoids (Squid and Octopus) 16:41- Cephalopods - Argonaut Octopus (Paper Nautilus) 17:33 - Cephalopods - The Vampire Squid 18:41 - Conclusion CHECK OUT MY DEEP SEA WEBSITE: https://naturalworldfacts.com/deep-sea-hub/ I do not own any of the footage. I write the script, narrate, and edit what footage I can find. Footage used belongs to the incredible marine conservation societies of Schmidt Ocean Institute, NOAA, MBARI, WHOI and the Ocean Exploration Institute, along with various other YouTube sources. Music Used: Light by Jorge Mendez Dreams Become Real by Kevin MacLeod Lost Frontier by Kevin MacLeod Voices by Patrick Patrikios Nocturne by Asher Fulero Solitude by Jorge Mendez #deepsea #wildlife #nature #documentary #ocean #marinebiology #science #biology Bibliography: https://www.shapeoflife.org/resource/about-molluscs https://www.shapeoflife.org/video/mollusc-animation-nautilus-body-plan https://www.earthtouchnews.com/oceans/deep-ocean/video-massive-deep-sea-mussel-bed-discovered/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063718303352

Ghost Sharks of the Deep Sea. There is a revenant that haunts the depths. At around 2,600 m (8,500 ft) deep, the Chimaeriformes, or Ghost Sharks, are an order of cartilaginous fish that diverged from true sharks 400 million years ago. With only one gill opening on each side, upper jaws fused to their skull, no scales, and large sensitive eyes that seem to glow, they appear ghostlike. They even move like ghosts, as rather than using their tail to generate propulsion, they use their large, wing-like fins to glide through the water while using less energy. The stitch-like lines that can be seen around their body make up the lateral line system, allowing them to sense the movements of prey nearby. Footage from EVNautilus, NOAA, MBARI, MarumTV.

Sea pigs of the deep ocean. Walking around on elongated tube feet, this peculiar creature is the most abundant animal on the abyssal plain. It’s called a sea pig, a kind of sea cucumber that has been found living as deep as 6,000 metres. They are deposit feeders, relying on decaying organic matter that they dig out of the mud using a ring of tentacles around the mouth. And in doing so, they play an important part in cycling nutrients and making food available to fellow sea-floor creatures. Remarkably, in 2020, researchers from MBARI discovered that many sea pigs seem to form a close symbiotic association with young king crabs. The crabs cling to their undersides, possibly to hide from predators.

In the Mariana Trench, 8 kilometres beneath the surface of the ocean, we find the deepest living fish in the oceans. Pale, slimy and resembling half-metre-long tadpoles, these remarkable creatures are Mariana Snailfish. The immense pressure found at these depths is 1,000 times greater than at sea-level, so to survive, they have developed soft, gooey bodies which seem to melt apart when specimens are brought to the surface. But down in the trenches, they’re incredibly efficient, and have even become top predators, preying on crustacean scavengers that in turn feed on decaying carrion.

Mimicry in the Deep Sea. Signup for your FREE trial to Wondrium here: http://ow.ly/pyxO30s3v4I To survive in the oceans, marine organisms have had to adapt in a number of weird and wonderful ways. Many alter their anatomy, behaviours and physiologies in order to cope with the challenges they face. Methods such as changing colour, developing stingers, or migrating long distances can help them stay hidden from predators, find a mate or access food. But some animals have taken a different approach to survival. Rather than evolve these complex characteristics for themselves, they instead simply disguise themselves, altering their colouration or anatomy not to serve a function, but in order to resemble another organism. In this film, we’ll explore the different kinds of mimicry, and take a look at how survival through deception can be a key to life in the oceans. 00:00 - An Introduction to Mimicry 01:38 - Chapter 1: Batesian Mimicry - Survival Through Deception 03:00 - Chapter 1: Batesian Mimicry - The Banded Snake Eel 03:17 - Chapter 1: Batesian Mimicry - The Mimic Octopus 04:17 - Chapter 1: Batesian Mimicry - Mimicry in the Deep Sea 05:58 - Chapter 2: Aggressive Mimicry - The Deep Sea Anglerfish 07:09 - Chapter 2: Aggressive Mimicry - The Bearded Scorpionfish 07:37 - Chapter 3: Müllerian Mimicry - Shared Warning Systems 08:25 - Chapter 3: Müllerian Mimicry - The Nudibranchs 09:07 - Chapter 3: Müllerian Mimicry - The Evolution of Mimicry 10:13 - Conclusion: The Importance of Imitation CHECK OUT OUR DEEP SEA WEBSITE: https://naturalworldfacts.com/deep-sea-hub/ I do not own any of the footage. I write the script, narrate, and edit what footage I can find. Footage used belongs to the incredible marine conservation societies of MBARI, WHOI, Schmidt Ocean Institute and the Ocean Exploration Institute, along with various other YouTube sources. Music Used: Growing Light by Triple Colossal X Music - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMP1D04GOKsT9aL1e36Bcbg/videos - Website: https://www.triplecolossalxmusic.com/music - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6ttLiMyYqjp4bXaq9ALWqT Dreamer by Hazy - Spotify: https://soundcloud.com/hazy_music - Music provided by www.plugnplaymusic.net Thaw by Hvybones - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3zZjcpnmt4NJNO0CfZH940?si=OUrPgoNWSYCtg67D1CESdw&dl_branch=1 - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hvybones/ Expand by Hazy - Spotify: https://soundcloud.com/hazy_music #deepsea #wildlife #nature #documentary #ocean #marinebiology #science #biology Bibliography: https://www.britannica.com/science/Mullerian-mimicry https://medium.com/the-vagus/deep-sea-mimicry-a-tale-of-camouflage-in-the-waters-806075d7e8bd https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2021/03/15/mimicry/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282374522_Behaviour_and_mimicry_in_the_juvenile_and_subadult_life_stages_of_the_mesopelagic_squid_Chiroteuthis_calyx

The goblin shark. At depths of around 1,300 metres, an alien-like creature stalks the deep sea. The goblin shark, with its unsightly nose and a mouth full of sharp teeth, can grow to nearly 6 metres long. Incredibly, its enlarged snout, or rostrum, serves an important purpose. It is filled with electroreceptors, called ampullae of Lorenzini, that allow the shark to detect the electric fields of prey in the endless dark of the depths. Although it may appear sluggish and slow-moving, this shark can be a formidable predator. Moving at 3 metres per second, its jaws are the fastest in the ocean, rapidly extending to catch prey in its teeth. The shark will then swallow its prey whole, before fitting its jaw back into its mouth, and vanishing into the dark once again.

In the deep ocean, it seems like Christmas all year round. A constant shower of marine snow falls from the surface waters, though perhaps not the sort you’d want to catch on your tongue. But these particles of dead matter and faeces are a source of food for a whole host of organisms. Many of them exhibit bioluminescence, covered in light-producing photophores as if adorned by Christmas lights. Among them are the sea angels, drifting together in a graceful mating dance. These angelic organisms are a form of shell-less snails called pteropods, which slowly beat their wing-like parapodia to move around, while secreting an expansive mucous net in order to capture the sinking flakes of marine snow.

This is a fanfin anglerfish. Nearly 3km down in the sunless depths, it spreads its web of glowing orbs out into the water in the hopes of luring unsuspecting prey. But unlike many of the deep’s bioluminescent inhabitants, this anglerfish is not able to produce its own light. Instead, it allows light-producing bacteria called Photobacterium to move into the orbs, as well as the larger main lure, or esca, that protrudes from its head. It’s an example of symbiosis. In return for protection from predators, the bacteria provide the anglerfish with the tool it needs to attract prey. To many animals, these flickering blue lights are irresistible, lead them astray towards their doom much like the mythical will-o-the wisp. The lights also play a part in helping much smaller male anglerfish find her in the vast, dark depths. The male bites onto her body, allowing their tissues and circulatory systems to fuse. He will hang on for the rest of his life, fed by nutrients received through the female’s blood, while he continuously fertilises her eggs. The couple become a single functioning organism.

Bioluminescence in the deep sea. Creatures that live beyond the twilight zone spend their lives in a world without sunlight. But many use this to their advantage. These twinkling, flashing, pulsating lights are caused by bioluminescence - the result of a reaction that produces light energy within the body of an organism. It is am adaptation that unifies vastly different creatures, from worms and jellyfish to squid and sharks. This mesmerising display is put on by a swarm of firefly squid, who gather at the surface from March until May to find a mate. But the lights are useful for blending in as well as standing out. Many deep sea creatures can detect the levels of ambient light around them, and adjust the intensity of their bioluminescence to match. As a result, they can hide from predators at both day and night.