Australian oceanographers studied the bottom of the Wallaby-Cuvier underwater cliff. In this respect informs University of Western Australia (UWA).
The Wallaby-Cuvier cliff stretches for 700 kilometers, demarcating the Cuvier Plateau off the coast of Western Australia. The scientists used an underwater vehicle and a multi-beam echo sounder to examine the seafloor near the cliff at depths of up to 5.5 km. They also managed to record the presence of 50 different organisms, including corals, sponges, and a spherical single-celled organism that the authors refer to as a “mudball.”
“We were surprised by the variety of organisms seen in just two days, the most common being xenophyophor, a fan-shaped organism found mostly in the flat areas of the cliff region. We also found small “mudballs” that we believe to be gromiids, mysterious single-celled organisms living in the mud realm. “They were encountered at the base of the cliff, where they present a complex and nutrient-rich micro-habitat,” said Todd Bond, one of the paper’s authors.
Such studies help to better understand underwater ecosystems that are difficult for humans to access.
ancient biologists to solvethis causes ticks to “throw” eggs like a cuckoo.
Source: Gazeta
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