DEVILS OF THE DEEP SEA

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1929, Page 13

DEVILS OF THE DEEP SEA

light borne on long feeler. STRANGE CREATURES FROM OCEAX (By Wire—Special to , News.) > Auckland Last Night, Imagine a huge skeleton-like deep sea denizen with an enormous mouth hold* ing aloft a feeler bearing a light that lures other fish to the utter darkness of : the depths and death in its jaws. This ■ picture of a deep sea devil, one of th© strangest creatures found off the New Zealand coast, was presented by Mr. R. Falla in an, illustrated lecture in th« University College. ‘The discovery of these sea specimens was made by scientists, of the Danish research yacht Dana, on which Mr. Falla spent a,fortnight. Describing the amazing creatures caught in the complete darkness of depths greater than 200 fathoms, Mr. Falla said some of the t catches would not be classed, as fish, Tho water pressure was so great at these depths that metal would be crush* cd as though smashed by a heavy ham* mer, and glass would be rediiced to powder.. Consequently, specially. _ rein- • forced instruments had io be used in ths investigations. Comparatively few creatures lived below 200 fathoms. Tho deep sea devil, because of its skeleton frame, With practically ho internal organs, enabling it to, withstand the enormous pressure, was found exist* ing at 9000 feet. The creature generated its own light for the lamp on the feeler. A devil of another type, in addition to having a lamp on its feeler, was equipped with a hook with which it captured its prey. Lantern fish, which took their nain® because of the wonderfully formed row# of lamps along their bodies, were als® specimens of the deep. Among other creatures caught, many of which were previously unknown, wojf shrimps that exuded phosphorescent fluid and so lighted their way.