Researchers Find Xenophyophores, Large Single-Celled Animals, in Mariana Trench

Posted on October 25, 2011

Scripps researchers and National Geographic engineers discovered large single-celled animals, called xenophyophores, in the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench. The is the deepest known existence of xenophyophores, single-celled animals. The large single celled creatures, which are exclusively found in deep-sea environments, often exceed 10 centimeters (4 inches). The researchers used untethered free-falling/ascending landers equipped with digital video and lights to search the largely unexplored region.

The researchers spotted the life forms at depths up to 10,641 meters (6.6 miles) within the Sirena Deep of the Mariana Trench. The previous depth record for xenophyophores was approximately 7,500 meters (4.7 miles) in the New Hebrides Trench. Scientists say xenophyophores are among the largest individual cells in existence.

Doug Bartlett, the Scripps marine microbiologist who organized the Mariana Trench expedition, says, "The research of Scripps Professor Lisa Levin (deep-sea biologist) has demonstrated that these organisms play host to diverse multicellular organisms. Thus the identification of these gigantic cells in one of the deepest marine environments on the planet opens up a whole new habitat for further study of biodiversity, biotechnological potential and extreme environment adaptation."

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