Deep in the waters around the world are creatures that the majority of us will never get a chance to see. Many live in depths that never see the light of day, while others possess venom, which can paralyze or kill a human. In this article, you will learn interesting facts about creatures of the water, including the mollusk , invertebrate animals with about 85,000 known species.
Oldest Mollusk
A quahog clam that had been residing on the seabed off the north coast of Iceland was found in 2006 by a team associated with the Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences in Wales, United Kingdom. After researching the mollusk, it was announced in October 2007 that it was between 405 and 410 years old. The clam was given the nickname ‘Ming’ after the Chinese dynasty that was in power around the time it came into existence.
Largest Mollusk
With a length of 33 feet and weight around 990 pounds, an adult male colossal squid was caught by a fisherman in the Ross Sea in Antarctica. Colossal squid are typically shorter than giant squid, but generally reach weights much heavier. The largest mollusk specimen was transported to New Zealand in Feb of 2007.
The Most Dangerous Mollusk
Around the coasts of Australia and parts of Southeast Asia, you will find two closely related species of blue-ringed octopus. It’s important to stay clear of the path of the octopus, as they are known as the most venomous mollusk in the world. Don’t let the painless bite of this kind of octopus fool you. The creatures are equipped with neurotoxic venom that is so potent that one bite can kill in just a couple of minutes.
Scientists estimate that each octopus possesses enough venom to cause paralysis (and in some cases, death) of 10 adults. Luckily, blue-ringed octopuses are not considered aggressive and usually only bite when they are removed from the water and feel threatened. The mollusks are also quite a sight to see , possessing a radial spread of between 4 and 8 inches.
Largest Clam
You can forget about eating the clam that claims the honor for being the largest. The marine giant clam (Tridacna gigas) is the largest example of all bivalve shells. This large clam is found in the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific. In 1956, a specimen that measured 3 feet and a little over 9 inches in length was located off Ishigaki Island in Okinawa, Japan. It is believed that the clam weighed slightly over 750 pounds when it was alive.
Crustacean with Best Night Vision
Living in depths of more than 3,300 feet, the marine crustacean named Gigantocypris calls home a place where no sunlight reaches. However, the animal is equipped with night vision that surpasses any other creature. Each eye has a pair of high-powered parabolic reflectors that capture the very faint light in its surroundings onto the retina at their center.