Double Dose of Joy

I've always enjoyed posting on deepsea gigantism and on new oceanic finds. This post is a double dose of joy.

Scientists have recently conducted the most comprehensive survey to date of New Zealand's Antarctic waters. While exploring the Ross Sea, they came across expansive fields of sea lilies, huge sea snails, large sea spiders, jellyfish with 12-foot tentacles, and 2-foot-wide sea stars.

These sea stars are the size of giant food platters. I foresee Sizzler offering buffet runs on trays inspired by these. Or maybe plush pillows...

Why do polar waters, much of which has never been seen by human eyes, yield such large creatures? There is no one answer, so here are several: cold temperatures, not many predators, high levels of oxygen, and longevity.

No doubt, if they were found in shallower, warmer waters, they'd be deemed either a delicacy or an aphrodisiac, which would cull their numbers (and size) in two shakes of a sea star's tubercles.

Thanks for the article, Ida.

Photo source: New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research via AP