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Hypnotizing footage reveals a never - before - see swim sea slug that eats using a large jelly - same hood and glows to defend itself from predators .
Living at depths of between 3,300 and 13,100 feet , ( 1,000 to 4,000 meter ) , the mystery shellfish ( Bathydevius caudactylus ) is the first sea slug mintage found living in the deep water newspaper column . Researchers first get footage of the animal in February 2000 using a remotely operated vehicle ( ROV ) off the Monterey Bay sea-coast . They spent the next 20 years discover more and gathering enough information to issue the most comprehensive description of a abstruse - sea animal to date .
The newly described mystery molluskBathydevius caudactylus.
Nudibranchs , or sea slug , normally live and feed on the seafloor , but the newly described bioluminescent species swim through the ocean ’s midnight geographical zone , deep below the surface . The newfound species is 5.6 inches ( 14 cm ) long with an enormous gelatinous hood , a fringed hindquarters , colourful organ visible through its translucent body , and a foot , like a snail .
At first , the researchers could n’t figure out what this foreign animal was , so they nicknamed it the " mystery mollusc . " When they got it back to the lab , anatomic and transmitted tests confirmed it was a nudibranch .
It is so distinct from other have it away nudibranchs that the researchers make a Modern syndicate : Bathydevius , which refers to the way this " roundabout " animal gull investigator with its alone features . It was given its species namecaudactylusthanks to the finger - like projections , or dactyls , on its tail .
The sea slug appears to feed using its massive hood to catch prey.
" We were exceedingly surprised to chance thatBathydeviusis a sea slug , part because it does n’t look like the others , but also because this is such an strange habitat for a nudibranch,“Bruce Robison , senior scientist at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute ( MBARI ) , told Live Science via email . Robison lead the efforts to describe the mystery mollusk .
" Most nudibranchs live on the seafloor in shallow water and provender on bind prey , " he enounce . " act into the deep water system pillar and eat on liberal - swim , fast - moving prey is a real challenge . "
Researchers at MBARI print everything they get laid about this bizarre animal — through more than 150 sightings across a 20 - class time catamenia — on Nov. 12 in the journalDeep - Sea Research Part I.
The sea slug appears to feed using its massive hood to catch prey.
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The ocean biff ’s semitransparent consistence likely protects it from being run into by predators , Robison said .
The scientist consider the mystery shellfish use its punk like a Venus fly front trap to enamor crustacean to eat . The hunting proficiency is used by several other sea creatures . " Several unrelated animals , include the large jellyfishDeepstariaand tenuous cockscomb gelatin , entrap their fair game in what search like a live grocery traveling bag , " co - authorSteven Haddock , older scientist at MBARI , told Live Science via electronic mail . " It ’s like bewilder a circle net to stop a charging lion . "
Although the mystery mollusc feeds in a similar style to the Leo the Lion ’s mane nudibranch ( Melibe leonina ) and the veiled nudibranch ( Tethys fimbria ) , these species are only distantly link up , so this is a character of convergent evolution .
" give the genetic separation from all other nudibranchs and its radically diverging body architectural plan , it seems clear that this is a successful evolutionary experiment , " Robison said .
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When under threat , the mystery mollusk uses bioluminescence to perturb its predators . In one illustration , researchers saw it come off a bioluminescent limb as a lure , similar to a lounge lizard dropping its backside .
The mystery mollusk is known to live in the northeastern Pacific Ocean , from Oregon to Southern California . However , experts believe its distribution could be more far-flung , as NOAA researcher have observed a like - looking fauna in theMariana Trench — the deep part of the ocean , located in the Western Pacific .
The experts still need to solve the puzzle of how this creature feeds . " We bed what it eat on but we ca n’t figure out how this slow - moving sea clout can enchant those very fast prawn , " Robison said .
