Эрдэмтэд 2024 онд шинэ зүйл гэж зарласан гүний далайн цус сорогч наймаалж нь угтаа бол эртнээс танигдсан зүйл болохыг генетикийн шинжилгээгээр баталлаа.
2016 оны есдүгээр сард Өмнөд Хятадын тэнгисийн 800-аас 1000 метрийн гүнээс олдсон цус сорогч наймаалжийг судлаачид гадаад төрх болон генетикийн онцлогоос нь шалтгаалан 2024 онд Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis хэмээх шинэ зүйл гэж ангилсан байв. Энэхүү нээлт нь Vampyromorphida багт хамаарах амьтдын олон янз байдлын талаарх ойлголтыг өргөжүүлнэ хэмээн үзэж байсан юм.
Гэвч Смитсоны хүрээлэнгийн мэргэжилтэн Майкл Веккионе тэргүүтэй судалгааны баг уг сорьцыг дахин нягтлан үзэхэд өмнө нь ялгаатай гэж үзэж байсан шинж тэмдгүүд нь тухайн амьтны нас болон байгалийн хувьслын явцад илэрдэг ердийн хувилбарууд болох нь тогтоогджээ. Мөн гүний далайн амьтдыг гадаргуу дээр гаргаж ирэхэд даралтын ялгаанаас үүдэн биеийн бүтэц нь өөрчлөгдөх зэрэг хүчин зүйлүүд шинжилгээнд нөлөөлсөн байж болзошгүй гэж үзсэн байна.
Генетикийн нэмэлт судалгаагаар уг олдвор нь Vampyroteuthis infernalis буюу анх 1898 онд Карл Чуны тодорхойлсон цус сорогч наймаалжтай ижил болох нь нотлогджээ. Ийнхүү шинээр нэрлэгдсэн зүйл нь одоогийн байдлаар хуучин нэрийн ижил утгатай нэршлээр бүртгэгдэж, цус сорогч наймаалж нь Vampyromorphida бүлгийн цорын ганц амьд төлөөлөгч хэвээр үлдлээ.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
A vampire squid species announced in 2024 has now disappeared from the scientific record as a separate species. Researchers found that Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis was actually the familiar vampire squid, Vampyroteuthis infernalis, showing once again how deep-sea discoveries can change as scientists gather more evidence.
The original discovery created excitement among marine biologists because it suggested that another living member of the ancient cephalopod order Vampyromorphida had been found. For more than a century, the vampire squid had been considered the only surviving species of this unusual group.
The correction came after a new team re-examined the specimen, compared it with other vampire squids, and looked again at the genetic data. The researchers concluded that the differences seen in the 2024 specimen were natural variations, not signs of a separate species.
The strange animal known as the vampire squid
The vampire squid was first described in 1898 by German zoologist Carl Chun after specimens were collected during the SS Valdivia expedition. His study, published in the Bulletin of Marine Science, helped reveal that complex life could thrive far below the ocean surface. Despite its name, the vampire squid is not really a squid or an octopus. It belongs to the ancient cephalopod order Vampyromorphida and is the only living representative currently known from this group.
The animal has eight arms joined by a web of skin, large eyes, and a dark body that can reach around one foot in length. It lives in deep waters with very little oxygen, an environment where many other animals struggle to survive. Its feeding habits are also unusual, instead of chasing prey, the vampire squid collects marine snow, a mix of dead plankton, mucus, and other organic material that sinks through the ocean.
The species also has a unique defense system. Unlike many cephalopods, it does not have ink sacs. When threatened, it can release a cloud of bioluminescent mucus from its arm tips, creating a glowing distraction.
The Discovery Of A Supposed Second Vampire Squid
The story of the new species began with a specimen collected in the South China Sea in September 2016 by researchers from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology. The animal was found between 800 and 1,000 meters below the surface. At first, the specimen appeared different from known vampire squids. Researchers noticed a pointed end on the mantle, changes in the lower beak shape, and a different position of its photophores, the organs that produce light.
The genetic results also seemed unusual. The original researchers compared mitochondrial COI and nuclear rDNA sequences and found differences between the South China Sea specimen and vampire squid samples collected in other regions, including the Gulf of Mexico.
The findings led scientists to name the animal Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis in 2024. The discovery suggested that the ancient vampire squid lineage might have been more diverse than previously thought.
Why Scientists Changed Their Minds
The new classification did not convince every researcher. A team including Smithsonian cephalopod expert Michael Vecchione decided to take another look at the evidence. The researchers studied more vampire squid specimens and found that some of the features used to separate the new species were not unusual after all. The shape of the lower beak and the spacing of photophores could vary naturally between individuals, including depending on the animal’s age.
The team also considered the challenges of collecting deep-sea creatures. Soft-bodied animals like vampire squids can be affected when they are brought from high-pressure environments to the surface, making their appearance harder to interpret.
The new analysis showed that the genetic differences were not enough to prove that the South China Sea specimen belonged to a separate species. The researchers concluded that Vampyroteuthis pseudoinfernalis was actually the same species as Vampyroteuthis infernalis.
The name has not vanished completely. It remains recorded as a junior synonym, meaning it refers to a species that already had another valid name. For now, the vampire squid keeps its unique place as the only living member of Vampyromorphida, while the deep ocean continues to challenge scientists trying to understand its hidden life.
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