Knowra Deep-sea gigantism Deep-sea gigantism Deep-sea gigantism is the tendency of some deep-sea species to grow larger than related shallow-water species. It is a pattern across certain animal lineages, not a universal rule.
Bergmann's rule : Bergmann's rule describes the tendency for animals in colder climates to have larger bodies than related animals in warmer climates. It offers a temperature-based comparison, though deep-sea gigantism does not follow the rule uniformly.
Giant isopod : Giant isopods are large deep-sea crustaceans in the genus Bathynomus. Their size is a familiar example of gigantism among deep-sea crustaceans.
Deep sea : The deep sea is the ocean below the sunlit surface layer, where light is scarce and pressure is high. It defines the habitat whose conditions are associated with the size pattern.
Deep-sea gigantism in amphipods : Deep-sea gigantism in amphipods is the unusually large body size found in some deep-sea members of this crustacean group. Amphipods provide a conspicuous case for testing proposed links among depth, temperature, and size.
Oxygen limitation : Oxygen limitation occurs when oxygen supply constrains an organism's metabolism, activity, or growth. Cold, oxygen-rich deep water may relax constraints on large body size in some species.
Giant squid : The giant squid is a large oceanic cephalopod, Architeuthis dux, found in deep waters worldwide. Its large size illustrates gigantism in deep-living cephalopods.
Body size : Body size is a measure of an organism's physical dimensions or mass. Comparisons of body size between related species are the pattern's basic evidence.
Deep-sea gigantism in ostracods : Deep-sea gigantism in ostracods is the large body size of some deep-living members of this small crustacean group. Ostracods show that the pattern occurs beyond the large, conspicuous animals most often discussed.
Metabolic rate : Metabolic rate is the rate at which an organism uses energy to sustain its functions. Temperature and energy use help explain why body-size patterns vary across deep-sea lineages.
Colossal squid : The colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, is a large Antarctic squid with massive hooks and eyes. It provides a distinct cephalopod example, with greater mass than the giant squid.
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