e bottom of the sea
The shipwreck has different uses for different creatures . Those that lurk in the waters around it use the debris to provide shelter , hiding them from predators and allowing them to launch ambush attacks . Some life forms that live directly on the wreckage feed on the ship itself , recycling nutrients to be used by other ocean animals .
Feeding on the ship ? A 112-year-old bit of rusty metal doesn ’ t sound THAT tasty . Ed
One of the tiniest inhabitants of the Titanic shipwreck is a species of bacteria called Halomonas titanicae . It feeds on iron and produces icicle-shaped projections known as rusticles . Vast colonies of Halomonas titanicae live on the metal surfaces of the wreck . Eventually they will gobble them up entirely !
GiaNt sEa sPideRs
Lumbering around on thin , stilt-like legs , giant sea spiders look like the dinnerplate-sized cousins of the spiders you might find lurking in the corners of your house . They are carnivores that slurp up soft-bodied sea creatures like anemones through a long thin tube known as a proboscis . As well as crawling on alleights , sea spiders can also use their long limbs to swim and tread water .
What might swim around it ?
Few fish can tolerate the intense conditions around the shipwreck , but some thrive in them .
Abyssobrotula galatheae is thought to be the deepest-living of all the fishes . It has been found at depths of more than 8,000 metres ! It is a large but unremarkable looking creature with pale skin and small eyes and looks pretty plain in comparison with many of its deep sea neighbours . The tripod spiderfish has enormous caudal and pelvic fins , which make it look like it ’ s walking on stilts . The lanternfish is another stunning resident of the waters around the shipwreck . It is a small slender fish that uses the glowing light of bioluminescent bacteria ( housed in patches under its eyes ) to attract prey and signal to potential mates . Blinking brightly in darkness , it is one of the few light sources that illuminate the dark .
Who you calLing ‘ dumBo ’ �
Other deep sea animals are likely to pass by the wreck on their daily scavenging hunts , including gelatinous jellyfish floating by on deep sea currents , and tentacled cephalopods like dumbo octopuses and giant squids .
The remoteness of the deepest trenches of the ocean means that scientists still have lots to learn about the creatures that live around the wreckage of the Titanic – and other ships like it . As technology improves , we will be able to spend more time in the depths of our seas learning more about the incredible animals that live there . Sadly , there is no shortage of new human-made objects finding their way to the ocean floor . But one thing is for certain , whatever curve balls we throw at nature , life always finds a way .
PuZzLe aLeRt !
What am I ?
Deep in the ocean is where I am found , I ’ m shaped like a bell , but I don ’ t make a sound .
I steer with my ears , so I can ’ t hear you coming , Named after a film , which I find unbecoming .
Words : Dr Jess French . Illustration : Jack Tite
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