A new carnivore shaped like a candelabra has been spotted in deep ocean waters off California's Monterey Bay.
The meat-eating species was dubbed the "harp sponge," so-called because its structure resembles a harp or lyre turned on its side.
A team from the Monterey Bay Research Aquarium Institute in Moss Landing, Calif., discovered the sponge in 2000 while exploring with a remotely operated vehicle. The sponges live nearly 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) beneath the ocean's surface.
"We were just amazed. No one had ever seen this animal with their own eyes before," said Lonny Lundsten, an invertebrate biologist at the research institute and one of the first to see the harp sponge. [The World's Freakiest Looking Animals]
Researchers later collected two sponges and made video observations of 10 more. Comparison with other carnivorous sponges confirmed that Chondrocladia lyra, the sponge's scientific name, was a new species and revealed some interesting insights into the sponge's life cycle. The results of the analysis were published Oct. 18 in the journal Invertebrate Biology.
I just wanted to take a second and thank Fugu, Taco MacArthur, Hank Chinaski, Richer's Ghost, and Oilbleeder for Modding (word?) the Science thread. I dont know who created it but i was strongly pushing for it for a long time. When i originally heard that the Science thread wouldn't be made, and all Science related topics would just be put in the Political Talk section, i was dissapointed and openly angry.
Couldn't be happier that HF decided to give us this thread. Just wanted to extend my thanks and let you guys know how appreciative of this i am. I'll be in this thread constantly.
