Mysterious Black Creatures Lurking in the Depths of the Ocean: What's Happening?

Researchers have revealed a group of small black eggs in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, marking the first tangible evidence of flatworms at a depth of over 6,000 meters. Initially, researchers at the University of Tokyo in Japan were uncertain about the nature of the mysterious black creatures when the underwater vehicle shone its light on them, according to Science Alert. Marine researcher Yasunori Kano observed that most of the black spheres were attached to rocks, torn, and empty. He sent four intact specimens to invertebrate biologists Keichi Kakui and Oi Tsuyuki at Hokkaido University. Upon examination, the duo found that each skin covering, or "cocoon," measures about 3 mm in diameter and contains three to seven flatworms. They also discovered that they belong to an undescribed and unnamed species of flatworms, most closely related to two sub-orders existing in shallow waters. Additionally, all flatworms can produce both male and female types. Shallow water species reproduce by laying eggs in skin cocoons. Prior to this discovery, the deepest evidence of "potential flatworms" was found on a piece of wood submerged at a depth of just over 5,200 meters. The new findings suggest that shallow water flatworms may have colonized deeper habitats over time.