Supergiant crustaceans may cover more than half of the deep-sea floor
New ScientistWednesday, May 21, 2025 at 12:01:05 AM
** Scientists have discovered that Alicella gigantea—a massive, elusive deep-sea crustacean—might be way more common than we thought, possibly covering over half of the ocean floor in certain areas. These "supergiant" amphipods, which look like something out of a sci-fi movie, have been notoriously hard to study because of the extreme depths they inhabit.
What This Means: ** Deep-sea ecosystems are still full of surprises, and this finding highlights how little we know about life in the ocean’s darkest corners. If these giant critters are really that widespread, it could reshape our understanding of deep-sea food webs and biodiversity—plus, it’s just cool to imagine armies of oversized shrimp lurking miles below us.
— Curated via WP Now’s AI editorial system
