The Evolution and Adaptations of Deep Sea Animals

1
The Evolution and Adaptations of Deep Sea Animals

• Matt Brennan

2
What is the deep ocean?

• Aphotic zone
• Depths gt 200m
• Lack of food
• Falling organic matter
• Very high pressures
• Between 20 - 1,000 atmospheres
• Low temperatures
• 3-10 degrees Celsius
• Lack of oxygen

3
The Deep
4
Research Objectives

• Investigate how deep sea Anglerfish (Ceratioidei)
  and Macropinna microstoma have adapted in order
  to survive in harsh environments.
• Investigate possible phyogenetic relationships
  between Anglerfish in the family Ceratioidei

5
Anglerfish - Lophiiformes

• Lophiiformes
• Primitive Lophiiformes
• Shallow water
• Bony fish
• structure of the first dorsal-fin spine - bearing
  a terminal bait or esca
• The teeth in the jaws are numerous, small
• 322 living species
• 5 Diverse sub-orders

6
Anglerfish - Ceratioidei

• Ceratioidei
• Sexual dimorphism
• Male dwarf
• Loss of illicium
• Denticular teeth
• Female - Small eyes
• Worldwide distribution
• Depth gt 300m
• most species-rich vertebrate taxon within the
  bathypelagic zone

7
Bioluminescence

• Chemical reaction where energy is released in the
  form of light
• Bioluminescence in ceratioid
• escae w/ bacteria filled vesicles
• Used to
• lure predators
• Attract males

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vUXl8F-eIoiM
• Solution to Lack of light?

8
Sexual Parasitism Male Ceretioidei

• large well-developed eyes
• Loss of illicium
• relatively huge nostrils
• Sensing female pheromone
• Denticular teeth
• Loss normal teeth after metamorphosis
• jaws for grasping and holding
• Solution to Lack of food?

9
Male Denticular Teeth

• Denticular teeth
• Loss of normal teeth after metamorphosis
• Pincer jaws for grasping and holding
• Upper and lower jaws attacked permanently by
  tissues
• Obligate parisitism
• Solution to lack of food?

10
Macropinna microstoma - Barreleye

• Solutions to light and food
• barrel-shaped, tubular eyes
• Look up towards sun/surface
• Maximize light
• Increase contrast perception
• Can see prey against light on surface
• Sensitivity to bioluminescence
• Small mouth
• Accurate
• Uses eye movement to follow prey
• Transparent shield covering head
• Protection from prey
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vRM9o4VnfHJU
  watch this

11
Tubular eyes

• Evolutionary change resulted in changes in
  locations of muscle insertions
• Obliquus muscles pull the eye forward and down,
  and the rectus superior and rectus internus
  returning it to an upright position.
• Solution to catching prey?

12
(No Transcript)
13
Conclusions

• Lots of research needs to be done
• Relativelely new science!
• Environmental factors are harsh for humans too!
• Lack of live specimen
• A need for the new Generation scientists

14
Works cited

• Robison, B. and K.R. Reisenbichler (2008).
  Macropinna microstoma and the paradox of its
  tubular eyes. Copeia, 4 780-784.
• http//marinebio.org/Oceans/structures-adaptations
  .asp
• http//www.seasky.org/deep-sea/anglerfish.html
• Robison, B.H., K.R. Reisenbichler, J.C. Hunt, and
  S.H.D. Haddock (2003). Light production by the
  arm tips of the deep-sea cephalopod
  Vampyroteuthis infernalis. Biological Bulletin,
  205 102109.
• Maddison, D. R. and K.-S. Schulz (eds.) 2007. The
  Tree of Life Web Project. Internet address
  http//tolweb.org