GIVEN their size, you might assume they had all been found by now. But scientists believe the world’s oceans are still hiding giant underwater creatures which have yet to be discovered.
Marine ecologists have predicted there could be as many as 18 unknown species, with body lengths greater than 1.8 metres, still swimming in the great expanses of unexplored sea.
Using statistical modelling, they measured the rate at which new large sea creatures have been discovered since 1830 and found that the rate of discovery is still going strong, with new species being found every year.
Most recently scientists found a new species of jellyfish that is more than 3.5 metres long off the south coast of New Zealand, along with star fish up to a metre wide.
The first full-sized carcass of a colossal squid, a deep-sea monster four metres long, was revealed for the first time earlier this year.
Dr Charles Paxton, a fisheries statistician at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, said: “There are plenty of places these creatures could be hiding.
“They may spend their lives in the middle layers of the oceans and never surface or be in the deep sea canyons yet to be visited, and new discoveries are being made all the time under the Arctic ice cap.”
But for anyone hoping the results could mean that the Loch Ness Monster could still be found lurking in the depths of the famous Scottish loch, Dr Paxton has disappointing news.
He has carried out similar analysis for freshwater species and concluded that mankind has discovered all the large freshwater creatures there are to be found.
“There are small creatures being discovered all the time, but to find species that are more than two metres in length is very rare,” he said. “Normally you would expect the rate of discovery of species in a habitat to level off when there are no more to be found, but with large sea creatures, the rates are still to level out, which suggests we have not found them all yet.
“Sadly for Nessie hunters, I don’t think there is anything hiding in the lochs and lakes of the world any more.”
He said that often legends about mythical sea creatures could be explained by real life monsters of the deep.
“A lot of the mythical sea creatures such as the Kraken and sea serpents can be explained by sightings of sea creatures and mammals that are already known.”
Although humans have been travelling on the oceans for thousands of years, scientists’ knowledge of life beneath the waves is still extremely limited. Most species are only discovered when they are washed ashore or dredged up by fishing boats.
Deep sea exploration and underwater camera technology is now allowing scientists to explore areas that have previously been unattainable. One of the least understood parts of the ocean is actually the midlayers, known as the twilight zone, between 100 and 1000 metres down.
Dr Richard Lampitt, an ecosystems expert from the National Oceanography Centre at Southampton University, said: “It is extremely likely that there will be species of significant size still to be discovered in the deep ocean.
“The twilight zone, where natural sunlight is extinguished, has not really been sampled properly so there will be large creatures to be found there too.”
A spokesman for the Marine Conservation Society added: “The mid-layers of the oceans are so unexplored and the sea floor is so massive that there are almost certainly some giants there that are still to be found.
“It makes a very strong case for protecting the oceans, particularly the high seas where not every country has signed up to international treaties.”
Telegraph, London
Fishy tales
KRAKEN
From Norwegian folklore, a creature with tentacles that could embrace a ship and crush the hull. Scientists believe sightings could have been giant and colossal squids.
OAR FISH
The longest bony fish known to science can grow to more than 10.9 metres long. Giant sea serpent sightings could have been oar fish.
MEGAMOUTH SHARK
A deep sea shark first discovered in 1976. It can measure up to 5.4 metres and weigh more than 1.2 tonnes.
COLOSSAL SQUID
The largest known squid species, thought to be capable of growing up to 14 metres long. It is believed to have the biggest eye in the animal kingdom and lives at depths of about 2000 metres.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/monsters-of-the-deep/2008/06/18/1213770733936.html
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