Science First an alien bug, now an alien fish?? (Warning: ugly fish pic.)

[Urwumpe]

Urwumpe is right, remember the Giant squids (officially observed for a few years)? They're living in quite deep sea, at least 500 meters and have eyes. And fabulous eyes, bigger than your palm.

And there are signs for even larger squids, collossal squids who live even deeper. You would find giant eyes on them, too.

There is also a reason why animals thousands of meters below the surface developed the ability to emit light signals - if nobody would see it, why should they do it?

 

[Deleted Orbinaut]

There is also a reason why animals thousands of meters below the surface developed the ability to emit light signals - if nobody would see it, why should they do it?

Seems likely (though this is pure conjecture) that bioluminescence and large eyes in the deep would co-evolve.

 

[Urwumpe]

Seems likely (though this is pure conjecture) that bioluminescence and large eyes in the deep would co-evolve.

Exactly - but it also makes sense to use weak light signals in the dark ocean and develop eyes to see them - because of the eternal night there.

 

[MattBaker]

Well, the first eyes were developed in the Cambrian explosion. And AFAIR the life forms back then, like trilobites, rather lived in the shore and shelf areas.

So I would say eyes evolved before bioluminescence, which was developed when new species got into new habitats.


Although that's all extremly biased. The probability of a shore fossil to survive and being found is just so much higher. There might have been deep sea species back then that we just don't know of.

 

[Kendo]

http://www.livestrong.com/article/497093-how-to-cook-a-sea-robin/

 

[MikeB]

. . . the Cambrian explosion. And AFAIR the life forms back then . . .

Wait, you recall the Cambrian? Just how old ARE you?

 

[MattBaker]

Wait, you recall the Cambrian? Just how old ARE you?

Well lad, back in my days...

No seriously. AFAIR meant "As far as I remembered me reading about it".
If I would have been alive back then you'd have a way better picture of it than current science has.

 

[N_Molson]

Krakens!

Those where not a pure creation of imaganation of the sailors, just an exagerations of deep sea creatures or living fossiles they occasionally fished or found dead on beaches...

 

[Keatah]

I find it to be a rather attractive creature.. Symmetrical, sloping, with a purpose. Many cues and features say it is of this world.