To most people the中间区域is an entirely unknown part of the ocean that very few study and even fewer have physically visited. Yet these areas are more diverse than anticipated and contain a cornicopia of life from the tiniest crustaceans to deep sea giants like 6-gilled sharks. The mesophotic zone in the open ocean is considered to be from 200m down to 1000m (600-3000ft.) where the sunlight of the surface fades throught the twilight and into the inky blackness of the deep.
In nearshore habitats the mesophotic zone ranges from 50-60m past 300m+ (150-1000ft.) because sediment, plankton, and organic matter produced by coastal habitats absorb light much more rapidly than in the crystal clear open ocean. The bathymetry of Curacao is unique with several tiers of fossil and living reef that drop off very quickly and the waters close to shore reach a maximum of 330m (1000ft.). The shallow reefs of Curacao are quite healthy and diverse but the traditional photosynthetic reef paradigm changes abruptly to a mesophotic system because of the rapid depth changes.
令人惊叹的无数螃蟹，虾，蜗牛，戈尔贡人和鱼类称这些垂涎的栖息地为家，其中许多是科学的新手。为了对这些生物进行分类，更好地了解它们的生态系统，以及这些系统如何适应大图研究，由史密森学院（Smithsonian Institute）对库拉科（Curacao）进行，Substation Curacao, and the Curacao Sea Aquarium. The depths and pressures associated with these habitats make it extremely difficult to study them using traditional means and technical diving involves serious risks.
一个专门研究submersible is a key tool in collecting new specimens from the depths and bringing them to the light where researchers can study them more in depth. The research is amazing but the true reach of this project is brought home with the living displays of mesophotic fishes and invertebrates at the库拉索Sea Aquarium。
Below you can watch a short teaser video from the inside of an aquarium of deepwater fishes including Pugnose Bass (Bullisichthys加拿大），Heliotrope Bass（Lipogramma klayi), and Banded Basslets (Lipogramma evides). These fishes are all from depths of 70m (230ft.) down to 155m (500ft.) and went through an extensive decompression and accilmation process before landing in the display tank. Many of the mesophotic fishes collected by the Smithsonian and Substation Curacao are predators on small crustaceans, mollusks, and zooplankton which is fortunate for the husbandry team because they readily accept live mysis shrimp.
您将在视频中看到的鱼已经在系统中居住了两个月，并且是尚未到来的更多深水宝石的第一波。该系统将带有诸如Candy Bass之类的星星（Liopoproma carmabi），金低音（Liopoproma abberans），深海红鱼（Decodon puellaris），角膜低音（Serranus luciopercanus), Apricot Bass (plectranthias garrupellus), and all sorts of deep sea Anthias and their kin.
这只是冰山一角 。。还是珊瑚头？我保证下次有一个机智的类比。足以说，在库拉科（Curacao）进行的深海研究正在向深渊的一个未知区域闪耀新的光，结果确实是金色的。有关Smithsion Institute，Drop项目和相关研究的更多信息，您应该访问Smithsonian Ocean portal。
This has been a guest contribution from Joe Oliver, a resident Marine Biologist for the Curacao Sea Aquarium and Substation Curacao.
