Supergiant 'shrimp' found deep underwater

It's a bit creepy to look at - but this giant 'shrimp' is quite a discovery. The underwater whopper was found over four miles down at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of New Zealand.

Called a supergiant, it's a type of crustacean like a lobster or a shrimp - just a lot bigger than usual!

Normally measuring in at between 2-3cm, the giants discovered deep underwater by the scientists are about 10 times bigger. The largest measured in at 34cm - which one expert compared to like finding a cockroach that's a foot long!

The discovery was made after scientists, trying to discover more about what's down at the bottom of the ocean, set traps deep below the surface of the water.

Smaller creatures are usually found miles deep underwater living in large groups in trenches in the ocean floor.

Experts used to think that life wouldn't survive at these depths, miles and miles down - but more and more types of creatures are now being discovered that love living down there.

Match the words below to their definitions

cockroach / creatures / creepy / crustacean / trenches / whopper

strange or unnatural and making you feel frightened
something surprisingly large
animals such as crabs, lobsters and shrimp
animal that lives in the sea, with a hard shell, two large claws and eight legs
flat brown or black insect sometimes found in the home
animals
long, narrow hole in the earth

True or false?

1. The giant shrimp was 2-3 centimetres long.
2. The bottom of the ocean was four miles deep.
3. The shrimp was compared to a foot-long cockroach.
4. The shrimp was found on the surface of the ocean.
5. The giant shrimp was actually a lobster.
6. Scientists set traps deep in the ocean.
7. Lots of different creatures live deep in the ocean.
8. Life can’t survive miles under the ocean.

Same or different?

1. discovery
a) the same as uncovering
b) the same as surprise
c) the same as finding

2. normally
a) the same as usually
b) the same as sometimes
c) the same as rarely

3. underwater
a) the same as wet
b) the same as earthly
c) the same as marine

4. called
a) the same as shouted
b) the same as named
c) the same as mobile phone


KEY

creepy strange or unnatural and making you feel frightened
whopper something surprisingly large
crustacean animals such as crabs, lobsters and shrimp
lobster animal that lives in the sea, with a hard shell, two large claws and eight legs
cockroach flat brown or black insect sometimes found in the home
creatures animals
trenches long, narrow hole in the earth



True or false?

1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. False

Same or different?

1. finding
2. usually
3. marine
4. named