The Abyss

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The Abyss
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Characteristics

• Three quarters of the ocean is in the abyss and
  hadal zones (300 million square kilometers)
• Depths below 3,000 meters
• Temperature 2 degrees C
• 300 to 1,000 atmospheres of pressure
• Animals have very low metabolic rates

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Inhabitants of the deep sea floor

• Echinoderms (cucumbers and crinoids)
• Polychaete worms
• Isopods
• Amphipods
• Some bizarre fish

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Characteristics of deep sea creatures

• High species diversity
• Suspension feeders on DOM
• Most are infaunal deposit feeders engulf
  sediment and digest bacteria and DOM.
• Some are scavengers and predators

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Anglerfish
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Chimera
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Fangtooth
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Gulper
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Overbite
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Vampire Squid
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Deep Sea Starfish
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Tube Eye
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Viperfish
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Basket Work Eel
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Blob Fish
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Chimaera
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Chimaera pup
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Coffin Fish
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Crab
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FangTooth
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HatchetFish
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LizardFish
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Prickly Shark