Deep submersible device spotted "SpongeBob" and "Patrick" at the bottom of the ocean
Miscellaneous / / August 01, 2021
There were no square pants nearby.
Scientists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found at the bottom ocean a couple of sea animals, reminiscent of the main characters of the Nickelodeon cartoon "SpongeBob Square Trousers". About it writes Business Insider.
The remote-controlled deep-sea vehicle Okeanos Explorer helped to photograph the animals, with the help of which scientists studied the bottom 200 miles east of New York.
Christopher Ma of the Research Team noted: “I usually avoid such references, but... WOW. SpongeBob and Patrick in REAL LIFE!. Retriever Seamount Slope at a depth of 1,885 meters. "
Ma added that it is quite a rare case that these two animals were so similar to the characters of the famous cartoon. Individuals completely different from them are more common. There are more than 8,500 types of the same sponges. Their shapes, colors and textures vary greatly depending on their habitat. And the sponge in the photo, belonging to the genus Hertwigia, is unusual for its bright yellow hue, rare for such depths. They are often orange or white, which helps them camouflage in poorly lit environments.
As for "Patrick", it is a starfish of the genus Chondraster. They can be dark pink, light pink, or white, so seeing a hot pink version is also a stroke of luck.
Finally, Christopher Ma noted that starfish are predators, and sponges are, in fact, the preferred item on their menu. In other words, a creature similar to Patrick, most likely, sneaks up on the sponge not at all out of friendly feelings, but to refresh itself.
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