Finding Opisthoteuthis
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Published: 13 July 2015
MBARI Postdoctoral Fellow Stephanie Bush and her team collected five flapjack octopuses (Opisthoteuthis sp.) in Monterey Bay using ROV Ventana. These deep-sea octopuses are part of a new species Bush is describing for science and aquarium display.
Keywords: flapjack octopus, Opisthoteuthis, Stephanie Bush, MBARI, ROV Ventana, species discovery, Monterey Bay
Deep-sea worms slither around the bottom of the animal tree of life
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Published: 8 February 2016
MBARI scientists helped identify four new Xenoturbella worm species, primitive deep-sea animals with no brains, eyes, or stomachs. DNA analysis shows they’re among the most ancient bilaterally symmetrical animals, offering insight into early animal evolution.
Keywords: Xenoturbella, deep-sea worms, MBARI, bilateral symmetry, primitive animals, evolution, hydrothermal vents
In times of great famine, microalgae digest themselves
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 30 June 2016
AWI scientists discovered how microalgae like Emiliania huxleyi manage nutrient shortages by slowing cell division, conserving energy, and self-digesting for survival. These ancient mechanisms resemble those in human cells and relate to cancer research.
Keywords: microalgae, nutrient deficiency, cell division, Emiliania huxleyi, metabolism, cancer, phytoplankton
