@mbari_news: Tag along with a giant cusk eel scavenger patrol 👀👃🏽⁠ ⁠ Sometimes referred to as “swimming noses,” giant cusk eels (Spectrunculus grandis) rely on their large olfactory organs to sniff out their next meal. They are not picky eaters and will dine on a variety of bottom-dwelling invertebrates like crustaceans, worms, and sea stars, and animal carcasses. ⁠ ⁠ Giant cusk-eels are common worldwide and call the abyssal zone—the sprawling, flat deep ocean floor—their home. We frequently encounter Spectrunculus at our deep-sea research sites off the coast of California. Here in the famous Octopus Garden, they fill their bellies with dead octopus. ⁠ ⁠ Spectrunculus is just one of the many fascinating animals that thrive on the abyssal seafloor. Next time you think about our ocean, remember these charming and curious deep-sea neighbors roaming the seafloor, sniffing out their next meal. #MBARI #DeepSea #DeepOcean

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Saturday 04 April 2026 06:15:58 GMT