I just saw this video on the sea pen, and it surprised me. This particular variety of sea pen is a soft coral which disappears when touched, protecting it from predators. It vanishes by forcing water out of itself, which makes it retreat into its peduncle.

Click to view

I had a single page of "deep-sea facts" for many years on my website and always intended to update it, but procrastinated until just last night. Probably not much new to wtf_nature, though I couldn't find much mention of the Xenophyophores here ( Read more... )

I'm just going to quote Wiki straight because it really says it all ( Read more... )

aka Salt-and-Pepper Shakers


( Read more... )

I came across this one some time back on the invertebrates community, and wrote itup as one of my parasite posts on my own LJ. I'm sure I'll repost others, here :)


( Read more... )

( Read more... )