Beware the creatures of the mystifying . While most people worry about the big scary thing in the ocean such assharksandorcas , if you ’re an isopod living down there it ’s the pink , fluffy - looking animals you ’ve got to be wary of , as a novel video that even surprised researchers shows .
On the latestEV Nautilustrip for the Ocean Exploration Trust , theROV Herculeswas explore the Nafanua Cone on Vailuluʻu Seamount within the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa . The team was observing some anemone 688 m ( 2,260 feet ) below the ocean ’s surface . So far so ripe . While their delighted voice can be hear in the video – " It ’s like we ’re in theBarbiemovie , everything ’s so pinkish and precious ! " – their cries of joy quickly turn to those of surprise when a nearby isopod becomes the latest meal for one of the cute , pink , and pernicious anemone .
Despite their round the bend pommy pom - same appearancesea anemones are animalsand quite furious predator . Anemones are closely related to coral and jellyfish and have venom - filled stinging tentacles that help them catch any Pisces , or in this casing , an isopod that drift too close . While this might seem barbarous , observations like this one can avail the team read more about the relationships between the mintage live in these remote places .
There are over 10,000 coinage of isopod that all belong to the taxonomic rules of order “ isopoda ” . While there is huge variation in size of it across the species they all have vulgar features that include , two pairs of antenna , bodies segmented into seven department that each have their own pair of walking legs . Species of isopods live both in the water like this one , and on Edwin Herbert Land include thehumble woodlouse .
The field ofVailulu’uis an crucial land site in the South Pacific , 3,700 kilometers ( 2,300 miles ) from Hawai’i and 2,414 kilometers ( 1,500 mile ) from the northeast ofNew Zealand . The team skip to learn more about the “ biology , geology , and chemistry of the cryptic volcanic habitats .
