Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Clearly it's a Sea Pig



One of the new species discovered off the coast of Antarctica by a team of New Zealand scientists is a sea pig. Sea pigs are actually sea cucumbers, which are part of a group of marine animals, that includes starfish and sea urchins, that inhabit the seafloor. Sea pigs feed on food particles that they find in the mud on the ocean floor and they move around using their long tube feet. As shown in the picture above, sea pigs are very small; only 2-4 inches in length. Given the sea pig's slimey skin, it bares a striking resemblence to a gastropod mollusc, better known by it's non-scientific name- slug. The sea pig- frightening, repugnant, and cute. All at the same time.
Hmm, I wonder how good sea pig bacon would be... probably still delicious
Read more about the sea pig HERE

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