| The Abyss - Tapetails, Bignoses & Whalefish |
| Written by Jonathan C. Wojcik - Photo credits unknown or from public news articles unless otherwise noted. If you know their sources and need them credited or removed, please e-mail me. |
Tapetails, bignoses and whalefish are so unlike one another that they were once classified
as three completely different families, though only sexless, juvenile tapetails, male bignoses
and female whalefish had ever been observed. As it's not unusual to know a deep-sea
animal from only one sex or one life cycle stage, it took until 2009 for us to discover tapetails
in the process of becoming either bignoses or whalefish, turning three mysteries into one
answer. All three are now properly classified under the whalefish's original family name,
Cetomimidae.
as three completely different families, though only sexless, juvenile tapetails, male bignoses
and female whalefish had ever been observed. As it's not unusual to know a deep-sea
animal from only one sex or one life cycle stage, it took until 2009 for us to discover tapetails
in the process of becoming either bignoses or whalefish, turning three mysteries into one
answer. All three are now properly classified under the whalefish's original family name,
Cetomimidae.
The tapetail stage, formerly the family Mirapinnidae, is so named for a long, ribbon-like
extension of the tail that can sometimes trail several times the length of the body. Easily
breakable, the tail probably serves as a distraction to predators, much like the fragile tail of
some lizards. These animals feed on tiny crustaceans such as copepods, and build up a
large supply of copepod shells in their bodies.
extension of the tail that can sometimes trail several times the length of the body. Easily
breakable, the tail probably serves as a distraction to predators, much like the fragile tail of
some lizards. These animals feed on tiny crustaceans such as copepods, and build up a
large supply of copepod shells in their bodies.
| Photo by Chris Kenaley |
As it matures into a bignose, once classified as Megalomycteridae, a male tapetail will lose
its stomach and esophagus while its mouth fuses shut. Devoting all of its energy to mating, it
will live off stored copepod remains for the rest of its short life, using its huge nasal cavities
to track down the scent of a female.
its stomach and esophagus while its mouth fuses shut. Devoting all of its energy to mating, it
will live off stored copepod remains for the rest of its short life, using its huge nasal cavities
to track down the scent of a female.
| Photo by Dave Johnson |
| Photo by Kunio Amaoka |
If our little tapetail was female, it matures into a whalefish, family Cetomimidae, which
appropriately enough engulfed the other two families once their nature was revealed.
Contrasting the males, these hungry beasties are mostly mouth and stomach, gobbling up
every other creature they can fit inside their stretchy gullets. Some species even employ
their gills like additional mouth openings, slurping up small prey in three directions.
appropriately enough engulfed the other two families once their nature was revealed.
Contrasting the males, these hungry beasties are mostly mouth and stomach, gobbling up
every other creature they can fit inside their stretchy gullets. Some species even employ
their gills like additional mouth openings, slurping up small prey in three directions.