deep sea adaptations and general information
-very small body
-slow growth
-slow metabolism
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What and how does Colossendeis megalonyx eat?
- C. megalonyx feeds by extending its stomach down into its prey
- diet consists mainly of hydroids and sponges
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Reproduction
- Male suspends itself under the female during copulation
- Eggs are fertilized as they drop to the male
- Male broods the eggs until they hatch
Because C. megalonyx lacks gills, oxygen is diffused through its cuticle. Epibionts, however, can decrease diffusion efficiency by up to 50% (Lane et al. 2018).
Epibionts and barnacles don’t seem to slow them down, but DO double or triple drag. They can possibly also increase the difficulty of foraging (Lane et al. 2018)
