# Sea monster captured on camera.



## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi..

What the hell is this?.. caught on a ROV camera inspecting a drilling rig 5000 ft down..

I thought it was some plastic as it went past in the current, except when it saw the camera light it came back attracted by the lights.

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-...er-Drilling-Camera-Catches-Giant-Sea-Creature

Put it on full screen.

Answers on a post card please.

ray.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

It' a jellyfish innit :wink: 

tony


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Put me off paddling.

Dave p


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

OK, I may well be wrong but I think it's a Pyrosome - a type of Tunicate (they are closely related to chordates for various reasons).

They can be found at great depths and consist of individuals and a net structure....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrosoma

have a look at this captured one which was 2.1m long.

http://www.mar-eco.no/mareco_news/2004/the_pyrosome_story

It is* NOT* a jellyfish - there is no evidence of the normal structures found in the Cnidaria.

My first thought was a SALP but on further looking the Tunicates are much more likely - you can see the cluster of structures on it's body and it is much more reactive than a jellyfish would be as they only have a very primitive nerve net and no light detecting structures.

(My degree is in Marine Biology and I have spent many years investigating marine life although NOT at 5015'.........)

If others have better clues or identities great, but my suggestion is much better than those given on the video post..........

NB Deep sea creatures are notoriously difficult to identify since we know virtually nothing about this massive area - we know more about the surface of the Moon than the bottom of the depths.......  

Dave


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

I think it's a Pyrosome. A pyrosome is a type of Tunicate which are closely related to chordates.

It is definitely not a jellyfish and I don't think it's a salp.






edit
Bugger, Dave beat me to it. :lol:


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Quote:

However, experts have now confirmed that the ‘sea monster’ is, in fact, a rarely studied jelly fish known as Deepstaria Enigmatica

Tony :wink:


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## Kev1 (Apr 4, 2011)

I reckon Penguin knows his stuff
But with a name like Penguin what do you expect


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

GEMMY said:


> Quote:
> 
> However, experts have now confirmed that the 'sea monster' is, in fact, a rarely studied jelly fish known as Deepstaria Enigmatica
> 
> Tony :wink:


Tony may well be right;

http://eol.org/pages/203491/overview

the Deepstaria enigmatica is unusual for jellyfish as it has what appears to be a wire netting background.....

Thank you for pointing that out Tony, I did say I was quite prepared to be proven wrong! :lol:

Not something I have come across before and all of the linked images seem to come from the same video........

The Smithsonian Institute of Oceanography shows that it has been found in the Antartic, the Pacific and the Inidan Oceans......

http://invertebrates.si.edu/antiz/taxon_view.cfm?taxon=5849

Thanks again,

Dave


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Dave, I wouldn't have answered, if I had been incorrect, :lol: the 'object' was identified yesterday morning, before the 'quiz' :lol: :lol: :lol: 

tony


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Penquin said:


> OK, I may well be wrong but I think it's a Pyrosome - a type of Tunicate (they are closely related to chordates for various reasons).
> 
> They can be found at great depths and consist of individuals and a net structure....
> 
> ...


What he said.



motormouth said:


> I think it's a Pyrosome. A pyrosome is a type of Tunicate which are closely related to chordates.
> 
> It is definitely not a jellyfish and I don't think it's a salp.
> 
> ...


The only fish you know about are the battered variety from the White Horse Chippy in Northallerton! :lol:


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Barry,
Do try and keep up.
Apparently Dave and I might have been wrong, hard to believe I know.

White Horse good, Black Horse (Kirkby Fleetham) batter, I mean better. :lol: 

We are booked there at the end of June if you care to join us, oh, just remembered, you won't be here, shame.


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

barryd said:


> Penquin said:
> 
> 
> > OK, I may well be wrong but I think it's a Pyrosome - a type of Tunicate (they are closely related to chordates for various reasons).
> ...


Philistine. :lol:


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

A big slimey creature ....with no eyes , no ears and no sense of direction 

it could be a forum moderator. :lol:


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

spykal said:


> A big slimey creature ....with no eyes , no ears and no sense of direction
> 
> it could be a forum moderator. :lol:


Have you been looking in a mirror recently then? 8O :?  :lol: :roll:

Takes one to know one... 

Dave :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

spykal said:


> A big slimey creature ....with no eyes , no ears and no sense of direction
> it could be a forum moderator. :lol:


I thought they had been hunted to extinction! 

Dave :wink:


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