For the first time ever, researchers have discovered a whale skeleton on the sea floor near Antarctica.
Thanks to advancements made with recording technology, the group was also able to capture nine new deep-sea species surviving off the skeletal remains.
For the vast majority of readers unfamiliar with deep-sea missions, it should be noted how incredibly rare a discovery like this is—not only did the group discover new species of deep-sea life, but this is the seventh discovery of whale skeleton found in the sea to date, and the first one to ever be found near Antarctica.
"The planet's largest animals are also a part of the ecology of the very deep ocean, providing a rich habitat of food and shelter for deep sea animals for many years after their death," says Diva Amon, lead author of the paper based at University of Southampton Ocean and Earth Science and the Natural History Museum. "Examining the remains of this southern Minke whale gives insight into how nutrients are recycled in the ocean, which may be a globally important process in our oceans."
You see, when a whale dies and falls to the sea floor, scavengers come in and quickly strip the carcass of its flesh. After that, organisms come in and colonize the skeleton, draining it of any remaining nutrients. Afterwards, bacteria come in and break down the remaining fats store in whale bones before finally, organisms come in and digest what remains of the whale bone.
Co-author Dr. Jon Copley of University of Southampton Ocean and Earth Science adds that the discovery wasn't intentional. "At the moment, the only way to find a whale fall is to navigate right over one with an underwater vehicle."
Isis, the remotely operated vehicle the team used during the discovery.
Specifically, the group was exploring an undersea crater near the South Sandwich Islands. "We were just finishing a dive with the UK's remotely operated vehicle, Isis," Dr. Copley explains, "when we glimpsed a row of pale-colored blocks in the distance, which turned out to be whale vertebrae on the seabed."
The group was able to record their discovery using HD cameras. Through the recordings, they were able to see how other deep-sea animals were living on the bones in their natural environment.
During their study, they discovered nine new species, including a 'bone-eating zombie worm' known as Osedax burrowing into the bones and a new species of isopod crustacean, similar to woodlice, crawling over the skeleton. There were also limpets identical to those living at nearby deep-sea volcanic vents.
Oseda bone eating polychaete worm.
Once their observations were complete, the group collected the bones to bring back to the lab for further study.
They published their paper under the title, The discovery of a natural whale fall in the Antarctic deep sea in Deep-Sea Research II: Topical Studies in Oceanography.