The Strange Creatures below the Frozen Sea

Seven Worlds, One Planet｜Antarctica



This is by far the largest desert in the world. But the frozen surface of the sea hides a great secret. It may be hostile above the ice, but below it, conditions are so stable that life over millennia has had time to diversify.



Creatures here grow to a great size. Predatory nemertean worms are three metres long. These dramas only become visible when speeded up. We're only just beginning to discover the details of the lives of such strange creatures.



Nudibranchs are hermaphrodites. Each individual possesses both male and female reproductive organs. So, to mate, one nudibranch just needs to find another nudibranch. And any one will do.



But nonetheless, this is a challenge when their tiny eyes can barely see. Some do get lucky. They're fertilising each other and both will produce young. When it's hard to find a partner, it pays not to have to worry about your gender.



Sea anemones may look like plants, but, actually, are animals and feed by catching edible particles that drift within reach of their tentacles. But being rooted to the sea floor makes them vulnerable to predators.



An ocean-going jellyfish, a metre or so across, searching for food. The jellyfish senses prey. But it's the sea anemones that have made the catch and they've grabbed a monster. A rare feast for these stationary predators. They devour their catch over the next four days.



词汇表

hostile [ˈhɒstaɪl] 艰苦的，恶劣的，不利的

millennia [mɪ'leniə] 一千年；千周年（millennium [mɪ'leniəm]的复数）

predatory [ˈpredət(ə)ri] 捕食性的，食肉的

nemertean worm  [ˈnɛmərˌtiːən] [wɜː(r)m] 线虫，线虫纲动物

nudibranch ['njuːdɪbræŋk] 海兔，海蛞蝓，裸鳃亚目动物

hermaphrodite [hɜː(r)ˈmæfrədaɪt] 雌雄同体的；雌雄同体

reproductive organ [ˌriːprəˈdʌktɪv][ˈɔː(r)ɡən] 生殖器官

mate [meɪt]（使）交配，成为配偶

fertilise [ˈfɜː(r)təlaɪz] 使受精，使受孕，使授粉；施肥于

sea anemone [əˈneməni] 海葵

edible particles [ˈedɪb(ə)l][ˈpɑː(r)tɪk(ə)lz] 可食用颗粒

tentacle [ˈtentək(ə)l]（海洋动物的）触手，触角

root [ˈruːt] 生根，扎根于，使固定

sea floor 海底，海床

be vulnerable to ['vʌln(ə)rəb(ə)l] 易受到…的攻击

predator [ˈpredətə(r)] 捕食者，捕食性动物

ocean-going 远洋航行的，远洋的

jellyfish [ˈdʒeliˌfɪʃ] 水母，海蜇

prey [preɪ] 猎物，被捕食的动物

feast [fiːst] 盛宴，宴会

stationary [ˈsteɪʃ(ə)n(ə)ri] 固定的，不动的，静止的

devour [dɪˈvaʊə(r)] 吞食，狼吞虎咽

catch 捕获物



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