This deep sea fish, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Warhammer 40k’s red, ball-shaped ‘squig’ monsters, was discovered by scientists from the Schmidt Ocean Institute investigating “underwater mountains” off the coast of Chile. The Chaunacops, a species of ‘sea toad’ fish, was sighted at a depth of 4556 feet (1388.65 metres).
Squigs, originally known as ‘squiggly beasts’, are round, big-toothed, usually two-limbed critters that have been part of the Orks Warhammer 40k faction since the first edition of the game. Rumor has it that their ball-shaped design is because they were created by the early Warhammer 40k sculptors using up excess modelling putty left over from other projects.
It’s extra amusing that nature has reproduced their strange proportions in a real living being – you may not like it, but this is what peak physical performance looks like, for this species of sea toad at least. It would be an ecological disaster if the Space Marines ever saw this big-mouthed red fellow – sea toads even walk on two legs, the same as squigs.
This photograph was taken during a deep sea expedition to explore the “Nazca and Salas y Gómez Ridge”, “a 2,900-kilometer-long underwater mountain chain” of more than 200 “seamounts” that stretches “from offshore Chile to Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island”.
According to a statement by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the scientists discovered over 100 new species never seen before during the expedition, using a deep sea diving robot.
Each of the undersea mountains “hosted distinct ecosystems, many of which are vulnerable, including thriving deep-sea coral reefs and sponge gardens”.
It is truly remarkable what life on earth can provide – and if you’re anything like us, this footage has already given you an idea for a new Warhammer terrain project themed set on a Xenos world.
Source: Wargamer
