Lots of interesting things live in the Mariana Trench. It’s so dark, deep, and the pressure is so high it feels like it’s impossible for something to live down there, yet there is life. Today I’m going to show you 5 things that live in the Mariana Trench.
ANGLER FISH
There are many different species of the angler fish. The term “angler” refers to the way in which this fish hunts. It uses a lure, which may be attached to different areas of it’s body. Usually the lure is on the forhead, but could be on different places. The Angler fish all hunt like this; the fish gets lured thinking it’s food, the Angler fish uses it as a trap for the fish and then eats the fish.
The male does not have a use except for making babies. It will clamp down on the female and it will fertilize the eggs, were the male remains attached.
BARRELEYE FISH
Light is a hard thing to find in the midnight zone of the Mariana Trench. The Barreleye fish evolved an unusual but interesting technique and feature. This particular fish has a whole transparent head. Inside that head are two sensitive yet delicate barrel-shaped eyes. The head is transparent for it collects light from the surface and then it acts as a flashlight.
BENTHOCODON
The Benthocodon is an unusual kind of jellyfish. Its alien-like features make it hard to believe it exists. It prefers the depth of 2,500 feet, often near the seafloor.
DUMBO OCTOPUS
The Dumbo Octopus is a squid version of the Disney character Dumbo. It’s small, grey features, big ears and small body make it kind of cute. The body is quite small, mesauring up to 8 to 12 inches. Biologists discovered 20 species of the Dumbo Octopus.
GOBLIN SHARK
The Goblin Shark looks like it came directly out of a horror movie, like Jaws, but an alien version. It can grow up to 18 feet, which makes it even more creepy. It has a protruding long snout, which is filled with electroreceptors. These electroreceptors can sense little electric waves from nearby prey so it can catch them.
If you have any questions just put it on the comments. I want to thank Aunt Amy for giving me the idea for this project.
Lukas,
Nice job organizing and presenting this project. Sometimes it can be overwhelming handling so much information, but you made tidy work of it—and kept it interesting throughout. The photos are really well chosen. I wouldn’t mind having a few of those attributes myself, like the built-in flashlight or the electroreceptors. What also surprises me is to hear that there are at least 20 known species of the dumbo octopus; each one with specific attributes unique to its ocean environment. Again, it just speaks to how large and fascinating the ocean really is. Great job!
-Uncle Tony
Thank you Uncle Tony and Aunt Amy! It took a long time to do this project, first on paper and then on the computer. I think it turned out pretty well. I also used this for my portfolio presenttation. Everybody loved it. I just want to say thanks for giving me this idea for the Genius Hour Project. For my next project, I’m thinking of an idea. I’ll let you know when I have one.
Lukas, you don’t have to post this comment–it’s just a side note. If you and Rachel install a subscriber or rss feature on your websites, people can sign up with their email, and they will be notified each time you post to your websites. Additional features like this are sometimes called plug-ins or widgits, if that helps at all. Or you can just stay the course if you’re happy with things now, or don’t have time to fool with it. -Uncle Tony
Wow Lukas! I agree—it’s like another planet or a location for a Star Wars film! Are there any crustaceans that live there? I think the goblin shark is downright spooky! BRAVO!
How did you decide on the Mariana Trench as your Genius Hour topic? What was your biggest challenge and success while working on this project?
Can you imagine a film based on this habitat? I would love to see sock puppets of these creatures!
Do you have plans for another Genius Hour project? Please share!
xO!
Aunt Amy
Hi Aunt Amy,
Yes there are lots and lots of crustaceans inside the Mariana Trench. I wanted to put something spooky in my project. So I put the Goblin Shark.
I decided on the Mariana Trench because I always liked the ocean. That’s my favorite habitat. I didn’t really have a challenge because my Genius Hour project itself was pretty exciting. My biggest success was writing about the Barreleye fish because I felt it was good writing.
I could imagine a film based on this habitat! There are lots of films like that out there.
Love,
Lukas
Thank you for the excellent article
Thanks for the great guide