Don’t worry, it’s technically just a Sea Cucumber. But the name “Headless Chicken Monster” is both more interesting and appropriately descriptive of this little floating creature that’s taking over the internet. Officially called Enypniastes eximia, the animal was just filmed by scientists for the first time ever in the Southern Ocean, east of Antarctica. Previously, it’d only been seen in the Gulf of Mexico, which is part of why scientists are making such a fuss over their new-ish discovery.
“For me what is remarkable about this discovery is that we had no idea that this organism would be found in the Southern Ocean. All the previous specimens we could find records of are from further north than where we recorded it at Heard Island,” Australian Antarctic Division Program Leader Dirk Welsford told Gizmodo. “It highlights how little we know about the deep ocean, particularly down south.”
Unlike other sea cucumbers that are confined to the floor of the ocean, this one has webbed contraptions that allow it to swim.
Researchers were actually using new camera technology developed for commercial long-line fishing, made to withstand higher pressure in deeper waters when they came across the Enypniastes. And obviously, any technology that allows scientists to access and observe areas of the ocean previously difficult to research is something they’re all going to be excited about.
“We needed something that could be thrown from the side of a boat, and would continue operating reliably under extreme pressure in the pitch black for long periods of time,” said Australian Antarctic Division program leader Dr. Dirk Welsford. “The cameras are providing important information about areas of sea floor that can withstand this type of fishing, and sensitive areas that should be avoided.”
So there it is, add another weird new animal floating around in the ocean to your list.
