Deepest+ocean+trench+home+to+race+of+giant+amoebas

**The Marina Trench is one of the most mysterious places on Earth.** Its incredible depth prevents our “tin-can” research vehicles from exploring the dark, cold abyss. We know more about the Moon than the bottom of this underwater canyon. Should it surprise us, that a community of four inch amoebas has been discovered there? Xenophyophores , single celled organisms that are exclusively found in deep sea environments often exceed 10cm, or four inches. Their role as hosts for bottom feeders is invaluable to the Ocean-floor ecosystem.

Researches located these creatures 6.6 miles within the Sirena Deep of the Mariana Trench, breaking the past record of 4.7 miles. Identified as the largest cells in existence, xenophyhophores are extremely resistant to large doses of heavy metals like lead and mercury. Scientists are just discovering that these organisms are just the beginning for more astounding discoveries. This came expedition collected results of the deepest jellyfish and other strange leviathans. The discovery of xenophyhophores can parallel with all deep-sea discoveries. These creatures are so well adapted and evolved, yet we know next to nothing.

The only way to retrieve more information is by dropping cameras enclosed by pressure-withstanding bubbles into the canyon, and reeling it back up. Biologists hope to bring back live creatures someday using the same technique.

 This article is relevant to AP Bio, because these amoebas are Eukaryotic organisms, and their size can possibly provide a better example of how a cell actually functions as a living being. Perhaps in the future, further studies could lead to a better understanding of deep sea creatures and their evolutionary processes.

(Nicholas French, AP Biology Pd.4)

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