Deep sea photos reveal the otherworldly creatures of Bass Canyon

April 14, 2025 2:30 AM

Deep sea photos reveal the otherworldly creatures of Bass Canyon. Four kilometres (2.4 miles) below the Southern Ocean surface is a strange world inhabited by even stranger creatures. In its autumn voyage, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's (CSIRO's) Research Vessel Investigator took a closer look.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (7 comments total)

bony-eared assfish
posted by logicpunk at 4:36 AM on April 14 [3 favorites]

what did you call me, them's fightin' words
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:28 AM on April 14

I absolutely love that these creatures exist but I still stand by that whatever happens in the briny deeps is none of my damn business.
posted by Kitteh at 6:39 AM on April 14 [2 favorites]

The Dumbo Octopus is indeed as Dr. Nester says.

You have to love a marine biologist who describes these rare critters as "a bit squishy."
posted by martin q blank at 8:07 AM on April 14 [1 favorite]

> bony-eared assfish

The bony-eared assfish is by some sources believed to have the smallest brain-to-body weight ratio of any vertebrate
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 9:41 AM on April 14 [1 favorite]

boby-eared assfish

Did a velvet-chinned titfish write this article? I mean, nameshame much? No wonder you never see the poor little fella above -4000m.
posted by BCMagee at 11:02 AM on April 14 [1 favorite]

As usual, the ABC journalists go out of their way to insult animals.

The Jellynose Fish: A long, slender deep-sea fish with a flabby body, long tapering tail and a bulbous gelatinous snout which it uses to suck up prawns. As with many deep-sea species, little is known about it.

…or its body-image problems…
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:37 AM on April 14