The
cusk-eel; an amazing family of fishes that normally go unnoticed. The
family Ophidiidae contains some of the most extraordinary examples of
fish evolution, including Abyssobrotula galatheae, which was discovered
nearly 8,370 metres (27,460 ft) down in the deep sea, making it the
deepest living species of fish known to science. Some species live in
coastal shallow waters, while most others live
in the deep sea. Two species of cusk-eel have been known to reach over
6.5 feet in length, although most are smaller than this. Most groups of
cusk-eel (shallow and deep water) have not been studied well, and
scientists speculate many species have yet to be discovered. The
cusk-eel pictured here was photographed somewhere between
5,000ft-10,000ft deep and is classified under the genus Brotulotaenia.
All cusk-eels share this long, uniform body shape, although most species
of cusk-eel (notably the shallow water species) are dull in color.
Their larval forms, however, are quite extraordinary.
One
genus, Lepophidium, is widely abundant in North American waters (in both
shallow and deep water environments), but is poorly understood and
remains the least understood genus of cusk-eels. Scientists with the
University of Florida and the University of Kansas aim to better
understand and reorganize the entire genus, which ultimately led to the
discovery of eight new species of cusk-eels around North America,
ranging from shallow to deep water environments. A few of these fish
were discovered in the Gulf of Mexico, and may be good indicators of the
health of the environment following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in
2010. The entire gulf ecosystem is poorly understood, and the effects of
the oil spill are still under investigation. Scientists hope to study
these fish in their natural environment more in the future.
Read more here:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
http://eol.org/pages/5410/
Image Credit: Joshua Lambus
The
cusk-eel; an amazing family of fishes that normally go unnoticed. The
family Ophidiidae contains some of the most extraordinary examples of
fish evolution, including Abyssobrotula galatheae, which was discovered
nearly 8,370 metres (27,460 ft) down in the deep sea, making it the
deepest living species of fish known to science. Some species live in
coastal shallow waters, while most others live
in the deep sea. Two species of cusk-eel have been known to reach over
6.5 feet in length, although most are smaller than this. Most groups of
cusk-eel (shallow and deep water) have not been studied well, and
scientists speculate many species have yet to be discovered. The
cusk-eel pictured here was photographed somewhere between
5,000ft-10,000ft deep and is classified under the genus Brotulotaenia.
All cusk-eels share this long, uniform body shape, although most species
of cusk-eel (notably the shallow water species) are dull in color.
Their larval forms, however, are quite extraordinary.
One genus, Lepophidium, is widely abundant in North American waters (in both shallow and deep water environments), but is poorly understood and remains the least understood genus of cusk-eels. Scientists with the University of Florida and the University of Kansas aim to better understand and reorganize the entire genus, which ultimately led to the discovery of eight new species of cusk-eels around North America, ranging from shallow to deep water environments. A few of these fish were discovered in the Gulf of Mexico, and may be good indicators of the health of the environment following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. The entire gulf ecosystem is poorly understood, and the effects of the oil spill are still under investigation. Scientists hope to study these fish in their natural environment more in the future.
Read more here:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
http://eol.org/pages/5410/
Image Credit: Joshua Lambus
One genus, Lepophidium, is widely abundant in North American waters (in both shallow and deep water environments), but is poorly understood and remains the least understood genus of cusk-eels. Scientists with the University of Florida and the University of Kansas aim to better understand and reorganize the entire genus, which ultimately led to the discovery of eight new species of cusk-eels around North America, ranging from shallow to deep water environments. A few of these fish were discovered in the Gulf of Mexico, and may be good indicators of the health of the environment following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. The entire gulf ecosystem is poorly understood, and the effects of the oil spill are still under investigation. Scientists hope to study these fish in their natural environment more in the future.
Read more here:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
http://eol.org/pages/5410/
Image Credit: Joshua Lambus
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