Mysterious Giant Eggs Discovered at the Base of an Underwater Volcano off Canada

[Article déjà publié le 24 juillet 2023]

The egg laying of a live white line: unique documentation of its kind

But it was only the beginning of their discoveries. “” Everyone on board was stunned by eggs, and I would not joke, “would it not be extraordinary to be the first to document a white line of the Pacific, or any line of depths, laying an egg ? '' Expressed Cherisse du Preez, a marine biologist and main researcher of the expedition. And it was at this point that the sailor animal, a white ray of the Pacific, Bathyraja spinosissima, made its appearance to carry out a laying.

© Northeast Pacific Deep-Sea Expedition & Ropos

White ray of the Pacific taken pictured when she was lays eggs.

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Scientists were incredulous in the face of this show: ” It was a very important discovery and I therefore immediately recognized the scope of what we discovered “, Formulated the researcher. The discovery of such a large gathering of white line eggs at this location is fortuitous, the only other known nursery in this species being located about seven mile kilometers, in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. The researchers managed to document the laying of the white line which rubbed against the corals in order to extract the egg.

This underwater volcano in the Pacific Ocean is active!

Following the discovery of the ray eggs, the explorers proceeded to measure the temperature of the Mont Sousmarin on which they rested. Strong temperatures and released hydrothermal fluids revealed that they were dealing with an active volcano. It is the NEPDEP 58 volcano, a volcano 1,100 meters high and supposedly extinguished, but in reality, in full bubbling. This is a first for Canada.

It is not an accident that the white lines chose the volcano as a place to lay their eggs. These have a fairly long incubation time up to four years. Thanks to the heat of the volcano, this time can be reduced, and moreover, the corals on the slopes serve as protection against predators, advance the researchers. In short, it is a particularly favorable place for the incubation and the emergence of young lines: ” We think that eggs are safe here and that young lines have a better chance of survival, grow, descend into the depths and wander on the high seas ”, Explained the main researcher, Cherisse du Preez.

Researchers wish to highlight the importance of ocean basins for the stand of species, especially in the face of the exploitation of submarine mountains to extract cobalt.

This discovery, relayed by 9news, has not yet been published in a scientific journal.

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