Deep-sea gigantism
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In zoology, deep-sea gigantism, also known as abyssal gigantism, is the tendency for species of crustaceans, invertebrates and other deep-sea dwelling animals to display a larger size than their shallow-water counterparts. Examples of this phenomenon include the Oarfish (up to 11 m), giant squid (up to 13 m) and the Colossal Squid which is estimated to be able to grow up to 14 m in length.
It is not known whether this effect comes about as a result of adaptation for scarcer food resources (therefore delaying sexual maturity and resulting in an increased size), greater pressure, or for other reasons entirely. David Attenborough's Blue Planet series posited that larger specimens do well in the abyssal environment due to the advantages in body temperature regulation and a diminished need for constant activity, both inherent in organisms with a lower surface area:mass ratio.
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