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Nature & Environment

'Alien mushroom creatures' found in Australia

By T.K. Randall
September 4, 2014 · Comment icon 20 comments

The organisms are rather unique. Image Credit: CC BY 4.0 Public Library of Science (PLoS)
A bizarre and unclassifiable type of mushroom-shaped sea creature has been identified by researchers.
The peculiar organisms were dredged up from a depth of between 400 and 1000 meters off southeast Australia's continental slope.

Named Dendrogramma, the creatures seem to consist of almost nothing but an outer skin and a layer of strange jelly-like material.
Two different species were found in total however neither seem to fit in to any group of organisms currently known to science.

"Two species are recognised and current evidence suggest that they represent an early branch on the tree of life, with similarities to the 600 million-year-old extinct Ediacara fauna," said Dr Jorgen Oleson from the University of Copenhagen.

Researchers are now attempting to locate further examples of the creatures for further study.

Source: News.com.au | Comments (20)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #11 Posted by magikgoddess 10 years ago
Very cool looking, I wonder what else they'll find down there?
Comment icon #12 Posted by YukiEsmaElite0 10 years ago
Oh, those look cool. I would put them in my fish tank.
Comment icon #13 Posted by maximusnow 10 years ago
1/2 lb. Dendrogramma- 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup EV Olive oil - 1 clove of garlic - 1/4 tsp orange peel, now sauté over medium heat in the oil and butter for a few minutes, then add garlic and orange. Cook Dendrogramma until fork tender and pour over a bed of rice.
Comment icon #14 Posted by Sir Wearer of Hats 10 years ago
Given it's Australia, what's the bet they're venomous or poisonous?
Comment icon #15 Posted by taniwha 10 years ago
If it bleeds it can die.
Comment icon #16 Posted by Red Howler 10 years ago
Looking at them makes me think of one words: Cute!
Comment icon #17 Posted by kevex 10 years ago
Looks like the snake thingy from Prometheus
Comment icon #18 Posted by Emeraldgemheart 10 years ago
Very interesting. New species always intrigue me.
Comment icon #19 Posted by Codenwarra 10 years ago
Given it's Australia, what's the bet they're venomous or poisonous? Not much chance of that. But they probably won't chase you like bears, mountain lions or other American bities.
Comment icon #20 Posted by MidnightLady 10 years ago
I was thinking the same thing as Maximusnow. Just lovely in a salad. Until the remember the film "The Stuff", you know the yogurt that turned you into mush.


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