Alien 7

Alien #7 is an extremely rare larval stage cusk eel from the genus Lamprogrammus (Lamprogrammus sp.).  This specimen is about 3cm long.  The most defining characteristic of a Lamprogrammus, is its external intestine.  Within the scientific community, there are many good theories as to why this is the the case.  Many (myself included) believe that it mimics the dangling tentacles of a stinging siphonophore (jellyfish-like creatures), and this serves as a deterrent  to a would-be predator.  But then you think, this creature lives in total darkness, and only it’s larvae rises up towards the surface at night – so how does a predatory fish see it’s intestines?  Well, that’s a twofold answer – A) some fish and other predators of this fish like squid, have extremely sensitive eyes, that can operate in much, much darker conditions that we previously thought possible.  And B) many fish and marine invertebrate species use other senses that “feel” rather than see, such as the lateral line system and electrical sensory organs.  A good analogy there is to imagine you’re looking at a radar display – you get blips around you and can “see” objects in your nearby vicinity.  If that objects appears to be the dangling tentacles of a siphonophore, you’re likely to swim away.  Likewise, the dangling intestines break up the outline (visually, or otherwise) of the Lamprogrammus, making it appear to be anything but a tasty fish.  Another popular theory explaining the external intestines, is that they might be using it to draw nutrients directly from the surrounding water.  But the truth is, we still don’t have a definitive answer – all we know is that even if we think its weird, Mother Nature always has a good reason, and there must be some evolutionary advantage to it.  Interestingly, as we’ve attempted to collect them for scientific study, they always drop their gut, so another theory is that like a lizard who drops its twitching tail to escape predators, perhaps they drop their intestines to distract predators as well (sea cucumbers do that as well).  Once it metamorphosizes into an adult, it will no longer undergo it’s nightly diel vertical migration up to the near-surface depths, and will instead live exclusively at depths in the 2000-8000′ range in the Midnight Zone & Abyssal Zone.

For printing, we offer the Aliens as squares, but they are customizable into other shapes if your design plan requires it. You can purchase this luxury wall art online in standard sizes, but if you’d like to discuss a custom crop or size, please contact one of our design consultants at the art gallery.  Perhaps our most popular arrangement for Aliens is a grouping of three of our 15″ x 15″ aluminums, but I encourage you to discuss the size & shape of your project’s wall with one of our design consultants, who will help you develop an amazing contemporary art installation that blurs the lines between natural beauty and scientific fascination.  Alien 7 is available up to a maximum size of 60″.