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前不久，澳洲的科學家在深海發現了可能足以被列為「史上最長」的生物，從遠處看起來像是銀河星系，但事實上，這是一隻水母！
施密特海洋研究所（Schmmidt Ocean Institude）在推特和IG上發表了他們的最新發現。透過無人潛艇，他們在630公尺深的海裡發現了這隻管水母，用雷達測量，光是最外圈的長度就長達至少47公尺，直徑大約和掃把一樣粗。相較之下，一般普通管水母的大小，也不過40公尺左右。
科學家表示，內圈的長度目前還無法測得，也就是說總長度可能是47公尺的好幾倍，這很可能會是目前世界上體長最長的生物。
▼一般管水母和超長管水母
▲管水母局部（圖／Wikipedia）
不過嚴格來說，要說這是「一隻」生物也不太對，因為管水母是一種群落，由無數水母和水螅體組成，簡單來說是由許多的無性生命組成的一個集體，每個長相和功用不盡相同，各司其職，就像是一個集體分工的小型社會，因為劇毒而出名的僧帽水母，也是屬於管水母的一種
▲僧帽水母（圖／Wikipedia）
而這隻長相宛如巨型貪食蛇的管水母也一樣，靠近細看，每個個體的長相都不太一樣，有的是紅色，負責扮演誘餌吸引獵物，有的是橘色或藍色，長著細長刺人的觸手。無數的個體由一條主幹串聯，輸送營養和神經訊號，它們彼此不互相打擾，而是分工合作，有的負責獵捕食物、有的負責消化，唯一的共通點是無法獨自存活。
It is hard to explain this siphonophore from #DeepCoralAdventure livestream without sounding like we are describing a beast out of a science-fiction novel... There are over 180 known species of gelatinous strings called siphonophores, and some can grow to 130 feet (40 m), longer than a blue whale, which is usually considered Earth's largest animal (however, even the biggest siphonophore's body isn’t much bigger around than a broomstick). But instead of growing as a single body like virtually every other animal, tiny individual siphonophores (zooids) clone themselves 1000’s of times over into half a dozen different types of specialized bodies, all strung together to work as a team. In short, despite different functions, all the individuals in colony are genetically identical! - “In a way these specialized bodies function as organs,” said marine biologist Stefan Siebert of @brown_university, who studies these glorious creatures with the help of @mbari_news. “Some move the colony, some feed for the colony, some take care of reproduction.” Whereas creatures like you and me have over millennia evolved different parts of our bodies to work as organs, siphonophores have evolved individual bodies themselves into organs. It’s a bit like your liver up and declaring independence from the rest of you, even though it can't go anywhere. - No matter body plan or hunting strategy, siphonophores pose an interesting question: What exactly is individuality? “The whole thing looks like one animal, but it’s many thousands of individuals which form an entity on a higher level,” said Siebert. “So it's a really tricky question. And what's a colony? Humans are colonies—we are colonies of single cells.” Of course, ants and bees form colonies as well. But what siphonophores have been up to for all these millions of years is another thing entirely. They’re individuals within individuals. - (Thanks to Matthew Simon over at @wired for this great description - check out his article online, where much of this info is edited from) - A more friendly description by #ArtistAtSea @AngelaRosen.artist: Siphonophores are made up of many individual hydrozoans who agree to pass time together
Schmidt Ocean Institute（@schmidtocean）分享的貼文 於 張貼
比一般同類型管水母大得多的體型，意味著它的年紀也要更長。依科學家們的推測，這隻管水母至少有數十歲、甚至上百歲。
這項新發現被PO上推特和IG後，也引起了大批網友的驚嘆。驚訝深海的神祕之餘，許多人也表示細看有點毛骨悚然，也有人說遠看上去有點像飛天義大利麵神……（不過小編自己是覺得比較像麵線啦，酸酸們覺得呢？）
▲飛天義大利麵神（圖／Wikipedia）
▼完整介紹
via Global News
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