![dosidicus-hunting[1]](https://hisunglasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dosidicus-hunting1-1024x758-560x320.jpg "dosidicus-hunting[1]")
The Humbolt squid (Dosidicus gigas), also known as the jumbo flying squid, is a large predator native to the eastern pacific oceans mesopelagic zone. They can have a mantle length of up to 1.5m. With a maximum weight of 50kg, it is the largest squid within its family. They are most commonly found at depths […]
![lanternfish-science-ScienceSourceImages_2461817[1]](https://hisunglasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/lanternfish-science-ScienceSourceImages_24618171-1024x683-560x320.jpg "lanternfish-science-ScienceSourceImages_2461817[1]")
Mesopelagic fish are small, abundant fish living in the mesopelagic zone between the depth of 200-1000m. They exist and inhabit all of the worlds oceans. These are central to the SUMMER project, as they – together with other mesopelagic organisms, have recently been estimated to have a standing biomass of 10 000 million tons and […]
![Copy-of-Gulper-eel-Eurypharanx-pelicanoides-2-1024x683[1]](https://hisunglasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Copy-of-Gulper-eel-Eurypharanx-pelicanoides-2-1024x6831-1-560x320.jpg "Copy-of-Gulper-eel-Eurypharanx-pelicanoides-2-1024x683[1]")
The Pelican eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides), aptly named after its huge pelican-like mouth, is able to swallow prey much larger than itself. This deep sea eel is a resident in the mesopelagic zone, but has also been known to go deeper down to the bathypelagic down, at around 3000 meters. The Pelican Eel is also known […]
![plateforme-biomasse-algue-aimt-vue-aerienne.jpg[1]](https://hisunglasses.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/plateforme-biomasse-algue-aimt-vue-aerienne.jpg1_-1024x512-560x320.webp "plateforme-biomasse-algue-aimt-vue-aerienne.jpg[1]")
Ifremer participated – together with the University of La Rochelle, in the biological sampling of mesopelagic fauna by pelagic trawling on the Bay of Biscay slope during the EVHOE scientific cruises in fall between 2002 and 2022 (https://doi.org/10.18142/8). Analyses of the species densities collected during the cruises suggested that depth was the most important variable […]
Fishes inhabiting the mesopelagic zone probably account for the majority of the world’s fish biomass. As a result they have recently attracted considerable attention within science, industry and media, especially since they are part of the biological carbon pump and may be a potential new food source. However, the biology and ecology of mesopelagic fishes […]
The oceanic mesopelagic or twilight zone (from 200 to 1000 m depth) is inhabited by a huge variety of organisms represented by several zoological groups, both vertebrates and invertebrates. These mesopelagic species play an important role in oceanic predator-prey interactions. They all constitute the most important food elements for larger top predators, fish and mammals, […]
Ecosystem services trade-offs Bayesian network Description This decision support tool (DST) is part of the D6.2 of SUMMER (A parameterized interface (Bayesian network) to determine the trade-offs and overall change in the value of the ecosystem services). The DST allows to explore the trade-offs considering uncertainties under mesopelagic fishing scenarios and different sequestration valuation approaches. […]
🖐 key messages about the Mesopelagic Zone! (from http://JETZON.org) 👇 A thread 🧵@ocean_jetzon 📸: Hatchetfish, courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution @WHOI #mesopelagic #mesopelagiczone #summerh2020 #jetzon #oceanjetzon #oceantwilightzone #mesopelagicfish
In a recently published research paper, scientistis from Ifremer and La Rochelle University studied feeding strategies of fishes, all the way from the surface to the deepest depths in the Bay of Biscay. Fishes residing within the deep sea (200+ m), limited by food due to the lack of photosynthesis, are generally thought to have […]
Carbon, which is the building blocks of all living material – such as you and me, as well as fish and plankton in the sea, is continually being transported from the ocean surface into the deep. This process is known as “The Biological Carbon Pump”, consisting of multiple mechanisms which together cause the ocean to […]
Before the summer holidays, the children of the coastal villages of Mundaka and Ea (Biscay, Spain) had the opportunity to discover the creatures of the mesopelagic zone through a 3D video. The initiative was made possible thanks to two AZTI researchers, Gorka Gabiña and Jon Ruiz, and the material produced during the SUMMER project. Every […]
In an innovative crossover between art and science, artists Entangled Others and Daphne Xanthopoulou, together with oceanographer Joan Llort, have presented “SonarMies: Liquid Strata”. This installation creatively and experimentally transforms scientific data, transporting visitors to the deep sea where the sonic and visual heartbeat of the unknown mesopelagic ecosystem resonates. A Glimpse into the Twilight […]
Did you know there is a YouTube channel dedicated to mesopelagic research? Joint Exploration of the Twilight Zone Ocean Network, or JETZON – has monthly Zoom-calls, where researchers are able to present and discuss their results. You can sign up for the monthly zoom call here. If you don’t have the opportunity to participate live, […]
The organisms of the micronekton community (between 2 and 20 cm) are relatively good swimmers, and are able to avoid plankton nets. Conversely, they are too small for conventional commercial pelagic nets, which results on its extrusion through the large mesh sizes. Another feature of these organisms is that they tend to aggregate in different […]
