International Journal of Marine Science, 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 111-119 http://www.aquapublisher.com/index.php/ijms 115 Lepidopoda are a group of ancient fish that live on the bottom of the deep ocean, and their discovery is particularly illuminating for theories of biological evolution. These fish exhibit a unique set of physiological and behavioral characteristics adapted to the extreme conditions of the deep-sea environment. They have specialized sense organs that allow them to detect prey and avoid predators in the dark depths of the ocean. The skeletal structure and musculature of lepidopoda also show significant differences compared with shallow-sea fish, and these differences reflect the long-term evolutionary adaptation to life in the deep sea. By analyzing the genomes of new species of lepidopoda, scientists have revealed where these creatures fit on the evolutionary tree and how they are related to other fish. This study not only confirms the unique position of lepidopoda in the evolutionary history of fish, but also provides valuable genetic information for understanding how vertebrates adapt to extreme living environments. The discovery of new species of lepidopoda challenges traditional taxonomic views and forces scientists to reassess the classification and evolutionary history of certain fish groups. 3.2 The role of new species in deep-sea ecosystems Research on deep-sea ecosystems has revealed the key role they play in earth's life-support systems, especially the contribution of deep-sea microorganisms in the global carbon cycle. These microorganisms participate in the fixation, transformation and storage of carbon through various biochemical processes, which are of great significance to maintaining the ecological balance of the earth. Chemosynthetic microorganisms in deep-sea hydrothermal vent areas use inorganic compounds (such as hydrogen sulfide) as energy (Adam et al., 2020) and fix inorganic carbon into organic matter through chemosynthesis, which provides the basis for the deep-sea food chain. This process does not rely on solar energy, making it possible for life to survive in a deep-sea environment without light. This unique way of obtaining energy not only demonstrates the diversity of life's adaptation to extreme environments, but also provides a new perspective for people to understand the origin and evolution of life on earth. Microorganisms in deep-sea sediments participate in the recycling and storage of deep-sea carbon by decomposing organic matter (Figure 3). These microorganisms can decompose dead organisms and other organic carbon deposited to the seafloor, convert some of the carbon into carbon dioxide and release it back into the seawater, while storing the other part of the carbon in a more stable form on the seafloor, thereby slowing down the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This process plays an important role in regulating the earth's climate and mitigating global warming. Figure 3 Deep sea carbon cycle and storage processes (Adopted from Lyu et al., 2023)
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